'Pomp and Circumstance' in Ritzville

RITZVILLE – The Lind-Ritzville community celebrated the achievements of 26 students in the Class of 2022 during commencement Saturday in Gilson Gymnasium on Saturday, June 4.

The class had three valedictorians – Dakota Kilian, Sydney Kinch and Alexis Jane Melcher. Amy Elizbeth Anderson was earned salutatorian rites.

Other graduates are Joseph Octavio Arroyo, Kaiden Paige Bell, Dessiere'a Burton, Katherine Butler, Jacob Daniel Carruth, Chayton G. Contraro, Amelia Leann Court, Ana Cruz Rodriguez, Kyle Erin deMeurers, RobaAnn Maree Dean, Emily Citlaly Diaz Barber, Grace Eleanor Fedie, Annika Holland, Broc William Hutsell, Andrew Miller, Kaylee Anne Monroe, Baylor Sue Moore, Collette Marie Nichols, Daniella Oliva, Johnny Lee Ryan , Owen Telecky and Braden Verhey.

The ceremony kicked off with a processional and the traditional playing of "Pomp and Circumstance," followed by the "Star Spangled Banner" performed by the Lind-Ritzville High School band under the direction of Jennifer York.

Principal Kevin Terris welcomed graduates, their family and friends before turning over the microphone to Kinch and Anderson, who tag-teamed each other with a presentation on what it was like in school.

They started with elementary and middle school and their eventual move into the new high school.

"School was anything by a walk in the park," Kinch said, referring to middle school. "Little did we know this would only be the start of the challenges we would face."

The students' transition into the high school was delayed. And once they reached the new high school, the coronavirus mandates kicked in.

"Our sophomore year started out in a brand spaking new high school," Kinch said.

The girls said the rest of that year and last came with a lot of let downs as classes were canceled, masks required and sports and other activities almost non-existent.

"But we went into our senior year with hope," Anderson said.

Now, the students are looking forward to new challenges.

"Some of us want to stick around; others want to make like a tree and get out of here," Anderson said.

As they closed their joint-speech, they urged their classmates to "take the initiative."

Following the speech, class awards and scholarships were presented, before outgoing Athletic Director Greg Whitmore took the podium to provide the keynote address.

But rather than a traditional speech, he offered a PowerPoint presentation focused on the opportunities that will come.

"Opportunities spring up; you have to take advantage of them," he said.

Whitmore's last day with the district will be June 30, ending a 30-year local career. On July 1, he will take over as the superintendent of the Entiat School District, an opportunity he didn't expect a month ago.

Whitmore noted that June 4, 1982, was the last time he gave a graduation speech. At that time, he was giving the valedictorian speech his senior year at Entiat High School.

He joked about how his speech was a football analogy and how ironic it is that his opportunities took him into the football realm including coaching and becoming athletic director.

"It's funny, football became my life, my passion," he said.

Whitmore told graduates that football is a finite game, but life isn't.

The difference, he said, is knowing the rules, the players and what's next. In life, health, politics and farming, you won't always know the rules, players or outcomes.

"We need to think about it and know what game we're in," he said. "Life is hard, and we have to keep working at it."

For his part, Whitmore said he arrived in Ritzville in 1992.

"I blinked and its 30 years later," he said. "I couldn't have predicted this path."

He reminded graduates that their paths have yet to be written.

"Your paths will have many forks in them," he said. "Opportunities come when you least expect it."

One more lesson he offered students, pausing his speech to take a faux call from his mother.

"Always take your Mom's call, always," he said, as the crowd laughed wildly.

Whitmore told graduates not to let the negativity of the news, the world and social media to get them down. He also suggested that remembering the "Golden Rule" will take them a long way in life.

He called upon them to be empathetic toward others, try to understand them and try to be united with others.

"My state teams, we were united," he said, cautioning the graduates not to be "driven to extremes."

Following Whitmore's address, the ceremony featured a video of the class and closing statements by graduate Verhey.

As the ceremony came to a close, Principal Terris asked students to stand as he presented the Graduating Class of 2022.

Students moved their tassels over their mortarboards and then pulled out champagne poppers, shooting confetti into the air.

Each took a turn receiving their diploma before heading out doors to throw their mortarboards high into the air.

Author Bio

Roger Harnack, Publisher

Roger Harnack is owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. An award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher who grew up in Eastern Washington, he's one of only two Washington state journalists ever to receive the international Golden Quill for editorial/commentary writing. Roger is committed to preserving local media, and along with it, a local voice for Eastern Washington.

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