Lind-Ritzville graduates net $152,000 in scholarships

Family, friends and community members gathered to celebrate the achievements and the commencement ceremony for the Lind-Ritzville High School Class of 2015 on Saturday, June 6, at Gilson Gymnasium.

The ceremony honored 31 Lind-Ritzville High School graduates who managed to accumulate approximately $152,140 in scholarships and awards.

Three valedictorians and two salutatorians led the Class of 2015. This year’s valedictorians are Sara Aldrich, Jenna Bennett and Kate Schell. The salutatorians for the class are Beau Jones and Mallory Kessler.

After an opening speech by Tyler O’Brien, the three valedictorians each presented a speech to the crowd. Each student focused on a different message, but all reflected on their time as students and looked forward to what the future held for the class members.

Aldrich focused her speech on overcoming fear and learning to embrace the fear on the path to success.

“I want each and every one of you in this room to think of the one thing in the world that you are most afraid of,” Aldrich said.

“Now I want you to think of what it would be like to not be afraid of that thing. How much does that fear prevent you from doing the things you would like to do, or from living life the way you would like to?

“That’s what fear does to people, and that’s not the worst of it. The darkest kind of fears are the ones we don’t realize that we have, the fear of failure in particular.

“But the best thing about fear is that whatever it is that we are afraid of – especially the fear of failure – is all in your head. That same fear might not exist for everyone around you, but it is very real for you. And because it’s all in your head, you can overcome it. You can rise past fear, and self-doubt, and hesitation. You don’t have to let the fear of failure prevent you from going where you want to go or what you want to do. You don’t have to be afraid to make improvements or change, or take risks both calculated and wild, or to overachieve. Change brings both possible failure but also possible natural highs.

“We don’t have to be afraid, not of anything, and certainly not of actually taking risks and succeeding. Our time here on earth is short, but the future for us, for every single one of us in here, is brighter than anything. It seems like a poor decision to me, at least, to allow fear to stop us. The future is ours – we just have to find the courage within ourselves to take chances and make it great,” Aldrich concluded.

Schell addressed the crowd regarding the valuable lessons she learned throughout high school, but she knew she had years ahead filled with more lessons for her to continue to gain wisdom.

She also shared a paper she had written in English class regarding a photo of a man standing at the top of a mountain and what the photo reminded her of.

“I’m at a summit of my journey. I’ve jumped hurdles, stepped on cracks, and taken wrong terms.

“I’ve been climbing this mountain for days, weeks, months, and years. Yes, I’ve considered stopping in the middle of my tracks and quitting. Although, I never have.

“I’ve heard of the fascinating thrill that’s felt when reaching the top of the mountain. My anticipation skyrocketed right before the top. Now that I’m here, all I am able to see is the mountains still ahead of me. I will stand for one moment and admire the view. Then, I will continue on my journey.

“Our class has been on this journey together, separately, but at the same time. We’ve branched into separate directions as the years have passed and as we have grown as individuals. We’re now together at this peak and we all know that everything will change now. Many of us are going to be on completely separate paths. Now we begin the rest of our journey,” Schell said.

Bennett’s speech focused on the inevitability of change, and some of the obstacles and struggles the students had to overcome throughout their high school careers.

“As many of you probably know, when my classmates and I were sophomores, the cooperative between Lind and Ritzville came into effect. I think I can speak for my class when I say that we were nervous, anxious, and a little apprehensive. I was born and raised in the Town of Lind, and therefore, I just always pictured that I would graduate from Lind High School. Although I will admit that I didn’t always have the best attitude about the transition, it is when I first learned that change is inevitable.

Three years later, I can now honestly say that this has been one of the better things to happen to me … Through coming to Ritzville, my ideas have been challenged, my comfort zones have been pushed, and my academic opportunities have grown. I accepted this change and therefore, I grew from it.

Additionally, we have learned as a class that changes aren’t always fair. We have learned that they can bring hurt, confusion, and result in things that we will never understand. This year we faced a change that nobody in this school, community or world wanted to face: we lost a dear classmate. Losing Pedro was a change that we will never understand; however, knowing Pedro, I know that he would want us to all learn to not take anything for granted…

“Change is coming rapidly for all of us. We will be forced to make decisions, handle situations, and overcome obstacles that will ultimately shape our lives. Therefore, I am going to write my life’s plans in pencil and not pen. We can’t predict the future, and even if we have solid plans, there is a good chance they will change. However, I can say this: Whatever we go through, I know that we have been provided with a solid foundation that will allow us to face our lives and the many changes that come our way,” Bennett concluded.

After the presentation of scholarships and awards, guest speakers Mike and Harriet Lynch gave a hilarious and memorable speech to the class. The Lynch’s focused on their experiences with the students, as well as the importance of community.

Throughout the ceremony, the class took time to honor and remember Pedro Huitron, a classmate who was killed in a car accident in February. Bryden Laird led the class into the gym, taking time to give flowers not only to his family, but also present roses to Huitron’s family. Senior Class Advisor Thomas Pulliam later presented the family with Huiton’s high school diploma.

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of diplomas by Lind School Board Chairperson Rena Wahl, Ritzville School Board Chairman Layne Iltz, Lind-Ritzville High School Principal Teresa Laher and Superintendent Rob Roettger. Before exiting the gym, the class and audience watched a slideshow about the seniors.

A group of students received awards from Lind-Ritzville High School. The students were acknowledged for their talent, character and academic achievement.

The awards and recipients are as follows: Math Award to Misty Younce, Science Award to Sara Aldrich, Agricultural Achievement Award to Tyler O’Brien, Computer Science Award to Jesse Calderon, Athletic Awards to Cort Ruzicka and Jenna Bennett, Creative Arts Award to Cassie Ewing, English Award to Hugh Hennings, Music Achievement Award to Sara Aldrich, Perfect Attendance Award to Sara Aldrich, Science Award to Kate Schell, Social Studies Award to Tyler O’Brien, Technology Award to Kiefer Niezwaag, Honor Cup Award to Cassie Ewing and Harry P. Hayes Award to Kate Schell.

Earning recognition from the Society of Women Engineers were, Misty Younce received the Certificate of Merit for Honor in Science and Mathematics, Kate Schell received the Certificate of Merit for High Honors in Science and Mathematics, and Mallory Kessler received the Highest Honor in Science and Mathematics.

The list of scholarships and awards for Lind-Ritzville seniors is as follows:

Sara Aldrich received the Daughters of the American Revolution Citizenship award for $450, the Sidva Scholarship for $5,500, the Hamilton College Scholarship for $46,470, the PEO Star Scholarship Award, the Chapter AR PEO Scholarship, and the Ritzville Education Association Scholarship for $500.

Jenna Bennett earned the Lind Alumni Scholarship for $1,000, the Lind Lions Club Scholarship for $500 and the Lind Chamber of Commerce Scholarship for $500.

Cassie Ewing received the Distinguished Young Woman of Ritzville Scholarship for $1,000, the Washington State Cheer Coaches Association Scholarship for $2,500 and the North Idaho College Cheer/Athletics Scholarship.

Hugh Hennings earned the Ritzville Warehouse Scholarship for $1,000, the John Dugger Ag Mech Memorial Scholarship for $500, the Vocational Agricultural Scholarship for $750, the Lind-Ritzville Alumni Association Scholarship for $1,000 and the Washington State University Connors Scholarship for $2,500.

Trevor Jantz received the Paul Simonsen/Ritzville Classic Car Club Scholarship for $1,000, the Willard and Patricia Hennings Scholarship for $1,000, the Lind-Ritzville FFA Scholarship for $250, the Bankers Scholarship for $200 and the Lind-Ritzville Alumni Association Scholarship for $1,000.

Beau Jones earned the Phillips Family Foundation Scholarship for $1,000.

Mallory Kessler received the renewable Saint Martin’s President’s Scholarship for $15,000, the renewable Saint Martin’s Gala Scholarship for $9,470, the renewable Saint Martin’s Basketball Scholarships for $10,000 and $12,000, the Paul Teske Scholarship, and the Ronald Baumann Scholarship for $750.

Bryden Laird earned the Virginia Mormon Moore Scholarship for $1,000 and the Phillips Family Foundation Scholarship for $1,000.

Grayson Whitaker received the Warden Volunteer Fire Department Scholarship for $1,000.

Matt Leffel earned the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague BroncBoosters Scholarship for $500, the David L. and Frances G. Ray Scholarship for $1,000, the Paul Teske Scholarship, the Pat Oestreich Memorial Scholarship for $500, the Washington State University Achievement Award for $4,000, the Roscoe and Frances Cox Scholarship for $1,250 and the Cenex Harvest State High School Scholarship for $1,000.

Katie Manke received the Paul Teske Scholarship and the Distinguished Young Woman of Ritzville Finalist Award for $500.

Tyler O’Brien earned the Paul Teske Scholarship, the Voilard College of Engineering Scholarship for $2,000 a year, and the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague BroncBoosters Scholarship for $500.

Cort Ruzicka received the Washington Association for Pupil Transportation Scholarship for $250, the Washington State Grange Jack Silvers Memorial Scholarship for $500, the Roscoe and Frances Cox Scholarship for $1,000, the Lind-Ritzville FFA Alumni Scholarship for $250, the David L. and Frances G. Ray Scholarship for $1,000 and the Paul Teske Scholarship.

Kate Schell earned the Lincoln-Adams 4-H Leaders Council Scholarship for $500, the Willard and Patricia Hennings Scholarship for $1,000, the Ag Ventures NW, LLC – Odessa Union Warehouse Reardan Grain Growers Scholarship for $1,000, the Lind-Ritzville Alumni Association Scholarship for $1,000, the Ronald Baumann Scholarship for $750, the Urquart Memorial Scholarship for $1,000 and the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague BroncBoosters Scholarship for $500.

Kym Webb received the Distinguished Young Woman of Ritzville Finalist Award for $500, the Distinguished Young Woman of Ritzville Scholastic Award for $100 and the Distinguished Young Woman of Ritzville Spirit Award for $150.