Graduations on the Hi-Line

Havre High School

Havre High School's Class of 2014 paraded into the packed gymnasium Sunday as the symphonic band played "Pomp and Circumstance."

It was hard to tell who was beaming more - the graduates or the family and friends, some who had tears in their eyes, even as they were fanning themselves for relief from the stifling heat.

Across the hall in the auditorium, the overflow crowd was as much a part of the ceremonies as those in the gym. They clapped during the Havre High fight song, and whooped it up as their friends and relatives received recognition.

Speakers praised the Class of '14 for their work during the last four years.

"I have watched you excel at many ventures," Superintendent Andy Carlson said. "I have seen you turn into fine young men and women."

He urged the students to "be the kind of person who enkindles the spirit in others."

Jay Pyette, who is completing his 20th year as a drama and English teacher, said he had a hard time trying to figure out what to say during his speech, so he turned to his students and HHS alums to figure out what words of advice to impart.

Carlson introduced Pyette as someone "who started life as a Sugarbeeter, became a Light and spent some time as a Duck," referring to his time at Chinook High School, Montana State University-Northern and the University of Oregon.

"For the last 20 years, he's spent his time turning Blue Ponies into thespians," Carlson said.

Pyette said he got plenty of advice from people on what he could say.

"Talk about how unscary life is after graduation," he said one student advised.

"Unscary isn't a word" he said. "We were the ones who educated them."

"Use a lot of big words that no one knows," another suggested. "Quote Shakespeare."

Another student proposed a few words and added "insert cheesy quote here."

In the end, he said, it was important to find a passion for something.

"It doesn't matter what it is," he said. "If you are good at it and it makes you happy, do it."

Students then lined up to get their degrees.

High School Principal Craig Muller and school board member Teresa Miller handed out diplomas.

Students walked the gauntlet, shaking hands with board members before they got to the end of the line, where Carlson switched the tassels on their mortarboards from left to right, signifying that they had graduated.

The walk through the line was special for some. Senior Jessa Pyette got a warm embrace from her father, the guest speaker.

And Justin Odegard took a picture of himself getting his diploma.

Students returned to their seats, and Mueller said the magic words: "It's my pleasure to present to you the Havre High School Class of '14."

Cheers came from the audience, the band played music and students threw their mortarboards high into the air.

The students had become graduates.

Box Elder High School

For Slayte Duran, Box Elder High School valedictorian, Saturday was his second graduation.

His mother, he said, graduated when he was 3 years old.

And Saturday, he graduated at the top of his class after a successful high school career of athletics, extracurricular activities and scholarship.

In his valedictory address, he thanked fellow students and teachers for help in reaching his goals, but said he was especially appreciative of the support from his parents, who were always there to help.

The school has been a place where people support one another, he said, a trait he hopes graduates will have long after they leave the school.

"I hope you will continue to support each other in our future endeavors," he told fellow graduates.

"At Box Elder High School, you don't have to look far for inspiration."

Salutatorian Thomas Parisian echoed Duran's thoughts, saying fellow students had had a tremendous impact on his life.

"After today, I may not see many of you," he said.

"That is a very painful thought."

Teachers and administrators said they would miss the class that has been part of the school for 13 years

"You are always smiling," said Superintendent Darin Hannum. "You smiled when you were happy, you smiled even when you weren't happy, because you were probably up to something."

The ceremonies included a slideshow with pictures of the graduates from their earliest years through today. The photos brought cheers, laughter and good-natured ribbing from fellow grads.

Students paid tribute to people they said were especially helpful to them over the years.

Administrator Kevin Barsotti, art teacher Thomas Marinkovich and Frannie Rosette, a full-time volunteer at the school, were honored.

And, in a touching moment, graduates brought flowers to people in the audience who had helped them during their high school years.

Several awards and scholarships were handed out, including a $750 scholarship to Parisian from RJS and Associates in honor of company founder Robert Swan, a Box Elder graduate and strong believer in education.

Chinook High School

At the opening of ceremonies at Sunday's graduation, Chinook School Superintendent Jay Eslick praised the graduating class for their many accomplishments.

The students had done well in the classroom, on the athletic fields and in extracurricular activities, he said.

The most recent success, Eslick said, was Saturday, when the tennis team won the state Class B-C title in Missoula.

Some in the audience hadn't heard the news, and a cheer went up.

Then the superintendent and others rattled off other accomplishments.

Of the 25 graduates, 17 had grade-point average of 3.0 and were honored as scholars.

Three Sugarbeeters shared the honors as class valedictorian, and they gave a joint valedictory address.

Madison McCann, a scholar and athlete, said the three represented the diversity of the Class of '14.

Co-valedictorian Scott Hamilton had a "tremendous inner strength," she said, that helped him become one of the most accomplished pianists in Montana.

The other co-valedictorian, Zach Molyneaux, showed inner strength by being a superior athlete, who worked hard to accomplish his goals.

She said her classmates would take different journeys in the future, but said she and her co-valedictorians were "blessed to have you on our journeys."

The main speaker, Kendall Harwood, sixth-grade teacher and track coach, urged grads to remain positive throughout their lives, though it was far easier to be negative.

"People can and will assume the worst," he said.

Instead, he challenged the grads to say something positive about someone else at least once a day.

"It has to be true," he said. "It can't be flattery."

He also reminded the grads "you will always be Sugarbeeters."

Harwood is not a native of Chinook, he said, but the first Sugarbeeter he met, he married.

Sugarbeeters are special, he said. "It's not just the mascot, but the attitude that comes with it."

Life has a lot to offer, he told the graduates, "so live life to the fullest."

The audience laughed as a slide show brought up pictures of their class through their younger years - from preschool to Meadowlark Elementary School and through the high school years.

They then came forward one by one to receive their diplomas, picked up flowers to give to friends and relatives in the audience, and walked to the back to the gymnasium. Once their graduation was formalized, they threw their mortarboards into the air and let out a yell.