There were tears, smiles and hugs as Trinity Lutheran High School bid farewell to 44 graduates Saturday.
During the Seymour school’s 18th commencement, the Class of 2022 entered the gym in two single-file lines while band members played “Pomp and Circumstance” for the processional.
The ceremony featured prayer, scripture readings and senior choir and band members performing their last song together.
Salutatorian Paige McCammon said Trinity’s mission statement is all about educating and preparing Christian leaders, and she’s grateful for that.
“As we leave this building today, we leave behind all these lessons, memories, teachers and friends, but we take with us our faith in Christ,” she said. “Another important point is the purpose of this ceremony. We’re graduating. Now, I want you to ask yourself how that statement made you feel. Often, we tie it to sadness.”
She said parents may be sad their child is growing up, and teachers and staff might be bummed to see some of their favorite students go.
“Classmates, I know many tears will be shed today and in these next few months. This can be a difficult transition, and there are a lot of things in this building or in our homes that we now have to let go,” McCammon said. “But on the other hand, I know we are so excited to have this diploma in hand and strut out those doors.”
She concluded with a lyric written by Harry Styles that she feels adequately conveys her message to her classmates.
“‘You don’t have to be sorry for leaving and growing up.’ We are ready, we are prepared for whatever lies ahead of us, so be proud of yourselves,” McCammon said. “We’ve all accomplished so much in these past four years, and now, it’s time to grow up. May we leave our sadness and our anxiety here. Don’t be sorry. It’s our time. Now, let’s make some new memories.”
This year, Trinity had five co-valedictorians: Kayla Goecker, Kaitlynn Rowe, Addison Bumbleburg, Kaelyn Miller and Mallory Shoemaker.
A verse of the hymn “Abide With Me” was sung in between each senior speaking on a different verse.
The first verse says, “Abide with me. Fast falls the eventide.”
“It reminds me of when you’re watching the sun set on the beach and you wait and wait for it to finally reach the edge of the water and it does, but then it goes away in seconds,” Goecker said. “It’s kind of like waiting for high school, the days everyone talks about being the ‘good ole days’ and then they fly by, but I don’t think there’s a way to know we’re there until the good ole days are gone.”
She talked about how fast the last four years have flown, how those years escaped them faster than they could grasp and how maybe they had spent a little too much time wishing their next chapter would come faster.
“As we look back on the last four years, we can look at how we chose to spend our time. Maybe we’ve missed out with family and friends, at church or serving others,” Goecker said. “Maybe we spent a lot of time in sports, watching TikTok or TV and maybe not as much on homework. Whatever it has been, the clock is about to reset.”
She said it’s crazy how the class members all came from different schools, formed tightly knit bonds and achieved one last accomplishment.
“We did it. Time isn’t slowing down any time soon, but it is my hope for all of us through these next four years of college, the workforce or other trade schools and through the rest of our lives that we choose to spend it serving others by being positive influences on each other and the community,” Goecker concluded.
Rowe’s verse was “Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.”
She said God is always with us through the ups and downs of life, and it has been a long four years with many hardships.
“We’ve struggled with taking hard classes, balancing work, life, school and fun and figuring out whether you’re supposed to do evens or odds in Mrs. Stuckwisch’s assignments,” Rowe said. “These aren’t the only difficulties we’ve faced.”
She said COVID changed everyone’s lives, but it impacted high-schoolers in a special way.
“The high school years are some of the most important memories of life, so not attending school for half a year was rough, and finding the motivation to get up and do school through Zoom was truly a struggle,” Rowe said. “However, through the clouds and darkness of COVID, we still managed to find the light.”
She said many of them found new hobbies, grew closer with family and got to enjoy how much the world slowed down for a few months.
In spite of all of those difficulties, she thinks the past four years have been full of sunshine, happiness and good memories.
“Through both the good and the bad, we’ve persevered and made it to this point. I’m proud to be part of the graduating Class of 2022, and I pray that we all will continue into the world abiding with the Lord through life,” she said. “Even through tough times, God will always be with us. Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord.”
Bumbleburg said high school has been full of changes, so she thought it only appropriate to speak about “Thou who changest not,” as described in another verse of the hymn.
She said graduation is likely one of the last times they will all be gathered in one room together, and that is a tough change to grapple.
“Thankfully, God will abide with us throughout these transitions, our unchanging friend,” she said. “I hope that all of you hold onto God as your comfort and find lasting friendships wherever your futures take you.”
Bumbleburg said she’s proud of her classmates for overcoming these changes, growing together and working hard to reach this point.
“We’ve developed an incredible perseverance with God by our side, and I know for certain that with his help, you all will make it far in life, but there will always be changes that introduce new challenges,” she said. “Your plans will change throughout life, and maybe you will change a major, move far from home or learn to cook for yourself because Mom and Dad aren’t there to make your favorite dinner now.”
She said she hopes her classmates can embrace all of the changes.
“Trinity has provided us with a stronger faith in the God who loves and leads us through trials,” she said. “Hold fast to this faith, no matter where life takes you. Look to God’s word when the changes feel overwhelming and the future seems so unsure. He is the anchor, the stronghold that will abide with us throughout the joys, rough patches, homesickness and exciting changes.”
Miller said while she and her classmates had trials and tribulations in the last four years, “I triumph still if thou abide with me” from the hymn reminds them that God can help them get through anything and everything.
“Whenever we feel unsure about this new environment we are entering next year, remember to look to the cross and God will be looking over you,” she said.
In so many high school movies, Miller said the final scene is all of the characters graduating.
“Here we are, we made it to the end of the movie,” she said. “I am grateful that I got to wish my class a final goodbye and good luck, and once again, thank you to all who showed up today to support me and my fellow graduates.”
The last verse of the hymn says, “Shine through the gloom.”
“Despite all of the hardships we may have faced throughout the past four years, no matter how hard Mr. Vorthmann’s calculus tests were or times I got so frustrated with my art project I just wanted to rip it up, we all made it here,” Shoemaker said.
Throughout life, she said it’s inevitable there will be a lot of gloom. But at Trinity, she and her classmates have been able to learn that Christ is always there to shine through it.
“My favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:18, which says, ‘For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us,’” Shoemaker said. “No matter what we will face in life, we can have the reminder that Christ will always be with us, and his plan is bigger than any of our struggles, which we’ve learned through our Christ-centered education here at Trinity.”
She said she has great confidence the class has made its mark on Trinity, not only because of its size but because of the people who make up the class.
“Our graduating class consists of 44 kids, but I believe that these 44 kids are all we ever needed,” she said. “Everyone has something unique to bring to the table, whether it be athletic ability, musical talents, friendly smiles, the ability to make everyone laugh, intelligence in the classroom or a good Christian heart that shines.”