'Peace out and go Spartans'
PRIEST RIVER — "Peace out and go Spartans."
With that message to their fellow graduates, Priest River Lamanna High School valedictorian Halie Moore and class president Ava Driftmeyer ended their joint graduation speech that both celebrated their four years together and noted all of the changes that the class had been through together.
The duo joked that they'd had so many emotions and words to express that they had put them into song, pausing for a moment to say they were kidding.
Turning more serious, the pair thanked their families, friends and teachers for the support and encouragement — especially during the challenges posed by the pandemic.
"Most of us thought this day would never come. But the entire four years went by way too fast," Moore said.
From freshman year when it seemed like roaming the hallways was a challenge that seemed almost insurmountable to gaining confidence in their sophomore year. Than as they settled in, joined clubs and extracurriculars and gained friends and new passions or fun hobbies in the process.
As juniors, they were among the top dogs at the school and everything was going great and then, boom, the pandemic reached the community and everything came to a halt, Moore and Driftmeyer said.
"But we adapted along with our teachers and we pushed through the rest of the year, finishing strong," Moore said.
Senior year has been one to remember as they enjoyed their moment and being back in school and creating new connections and spending time with friends, the duo said.
"It's crazy to think how much would change in just four short years," Driftmeyer added. "But looking back now, it's so surreal and exciting to see all of those things that came our way. And most classes wouldn't be able to say they broke the school's record of having the school smallest graduating class of all time?"
Again turning serious, Moore and Driftmeyer said they would not have been able to achieve what they had without those who gathered in the school's gym to celebrate their graduation. They told the crowd that they had impacted their lives, and those of their classmates, in more ways than they could count.
As she turned to her family, Driftmeyer thanked them, adding she will always be grateful for them for reminding her that "the sky's the limit, that there's nothing in life you can't do as long as you try."
Moore also thanked her family — and then turned to the class of 2021.
"The past four years, we've gained valuable knowledge that will guide us in our future endeavors," she told them. "All of us have made memories and friends that we'll cherish for a lifetime. Today is the day we all been looking forward to but at the same time, we are saying goodbye to everything that was comfortable and fun. And now saying hello to everything that is new and exciting and somewhat scary."
With that, Driftmeyer chimed in and, in unison with Moore told the class it was time to graduate.
The message to seizer the moment, to seek their truth was echoed by PRLHS teacher Russ Bean, who gave the keynote address to the class.
After joking that his speech got lost on Google Classroom — a nod to having to spend time on the platform to teach students when the pandemic forced the closure of the state's schools, Bean got down to his message.
He told them that while for some, public speaking might bring anxiety, he was more worried that they wouldn't hear his message because of assumptions they might have made or what someone else may have told them.
He then asked those gathered to stand, asking them to stand if there was a statement he read that they didn't believe to be true. After starting with if they wanted people to be honest with them, if they valued their personal freedom and their thoughts on respect, Bean asked those gathered if it was OK to lie to yourself. All but of few in the packed gym sat down.
"I think something can be learned from that silly activity," Bean told the graduates. "When it comes down to it, people want the truth. Think about it. Our lives revolve around seeking, claiming, denying, or simply trying to understand what we know to be true."
He recalled his first public race, entering it confident he would win or at least place. He'd run every day as a sixth-grader and told the class of 2021 that he didn't feel the need to train. Come race day, he stepped out onto the track and raced to the front of the pack. He held the lead, until one by one, his classmates and friends passed him.
Before he finished, he told the class he'd already concocted a long list of excuses as to why he'd failed.
He told the class about a paper in "Psychology Today" by a leading researcher on behavior on why people lie to themselves. From ignorance is bliss, denial of reality and overconfidence to fear of public perception of the truth, cherry-picking data to fit a personal stance to sour grapes, the list is varied, Bean said.
"Now, you're probably saying, Mr. Bean, where are you going with all this? Well to the finish line, of course, because isn't that how all races end?," Bean said. "The most interesting aspect of this race, the one before each of us is that it's not about the fastest time. In fact, I hope none of you are planning on sprinting to the finish line."
Bean then told the students that their race, their quest, lay before them.
"Accept the quest. Seek truth. Recognize that you cannot avoid the choice," he concluded. "Doing so, in itself, is a choice to accept the opposite. To resolve yourself to lies and disillusionment.
"Instead, choose to live each day well. Choose to seek truth even as you fail as these moments are opportunities for self-improvement, do not hinder your progress by piling on excuses and self-deception. Sure, you will taste the bitterness of defeat. Well, look around and acknowledge your community, seek out those who will cheer you on, who will give you honest feedback, who will hold you accountable. When facing obstacles in your path, choose to persevere.
"When you stumble and fall, choose to persevere. When you find yourself on the ground, all banged up and wanting to quit, choose to persevere."
