“Never forget where you come from; you will always be an Owl.”

Superintendent Brandon Harpe delivered those words to the Seymour High School’s Class of 2024 during Sunday afternoon’s commencement ceremony.

Three hundred and forty three students received their diplomas during the ceremony held in the Lloyd E. Scott gymnasium in the school.

Class President Drew Handloser gave welcoming remarks at the start, acknowledging three losses suffered throughout the school year: student Madalyn “Maddy” Woods, technology teacher Jeremy Wischmeier and Principal Greg Prange.

Following a moment of silence, Handloser led the audience in prayer.

“Dear Lord, thank you for this day and all the blessings you have given to us,” Handloser said. “Thank you for this building and all the amazing additions we have made to our school. Thank you for letting us gather here today in celebration. Lord, I pray for all my friends, peers, these teachers, administrators and our families that helped us through this journey.”

Handloser also prayed for those whom the school has lost.

“Their impact will never be forgotten throughout this town and this community,” Handloser said.

Taking inspiration from 1 Corinthians, Handloser told his fellow graduates they were all made with a purpose.

“Know that you aren’t any less valuable because you aren’t someone else,” Handloser said. “That you don’t mean any less to us because you aren’t who you want to be. Know that who you are and what you bring to our community is unique and one of a kind […] Don’t try to be someone else. Don’t try to be something you’re not. But be you.”

After Handloser’s welcoming remarks, members of the school’s commencement band performed “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” arranged by Ishbah Cox and originally written by Scottish rock band Simple Minds for the 1985 film “The Breakfast Club.”

Principal Steve Bush then took the stage to present class scholar awards to valedictorian Kayla Baker, Samuel Baker, Elise Hartung, Ashlyn Henderson, Lucas Jablonski, salutatorian Sydney Montgomery, Avery Musgrave, Bret Perry, Brandon Van Doren and Katherine Veatch.

Montgomery then gave her salutation.

“To our dedicated teachers, thank you for putting in the time to mentor us and prepare us for these next steps,” Montgomery said. “Your kindness and sincerity does not go unnoticed, and we are lucky to have such caring teachers who inspire each of us every single day. You’ve not only prepared us academically, but also taught us life lessons that will extend beyond the walls of this school.’

Montgomery also thanked families for endless love and support throughout high school years and years before.

“If we don’t tell you enough, we love and appreciate you more than you’ll ever know, and I speak for myself and the rest of the class in giving you our utmost gratitude for everything you have done,” Montgomery said.

She also told her fellow graduates it has been a pleasure to see them grow into young adults.

“My advice to you, class of 2024: lean into the things that challenge you,” Montgomery said. “Facing challenges head-on proves time and time again that you’re capable of anything you set your mind to […] Remember that this is only the beginning of the rest of our lives and there’s always more excitement to come. Carry these moments with you, the lessons you have learned and the memories you have made, but do not let this be the peak.

“There will be many more mountains and valleys you face, but face them with the strength and courage that led you to where you are today. I’m truly excited to see what the future holds for each of you, as I know it will be filled with happiness, prosperity and success.”

Following Montgomery’s salutation, Baker gave her valedictorian address.

“Today is a day that a chapter in our lives officially closes, but this is not the end of our journeys,” Baker said. “Today, we graduate from our childhoods and move on toward our adult lives; however, we are not completely removing ourselves from what led us here. Though it is said curiosity is often referred to as a childlike quality, it is one that is necessary for the rest of our lives.”

Baker then quoted Walt Disney: “We keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

Expounding on the quote, Baker said, “Without curiosity, there would be no driving factor for us to discover new things, and these new things that we experience allow us to find our passions in life. Moving forward, we need to take our natural curiosity and use it to find something we want to continue learning about.

“Some of us are doing so by going off to college and there we will find a course of study that sparks our curiosity. Others among us will find an interesting trade or career that will keep us curious. As long as we stay curious, we will never tire of learning new things, no matter what they may be. This is what will keep our lives interesting. A life that is unchanging remains stagnant. But one full of curiosity and learning will allow us to continue growing and changing.”

After Baker’s address, the Seymour High School Varsity Chorale performed “More I Cannot Wish You,” which Steve Zegree arranged. Frank Loesser originally wrote and composed this song for the 1949 film “Roseanna McCoy;” however, it was cut, and Loesser later added it to the musical “Guys and Dolls.”

Following the chorale’s performance, Bush once again took the stage.

“Seniors, I am so excited to be with you on graduation Sunday, and to be able to look out and see your excited faces at the very first air-conditioned graduation ceremony,” Bush said to thunderous applause. “Your first day as a freshman, Mr. Prange told you that you had only 720 school days before this day would get here. I trust that you’ve made the most of that time. Enjoy every day. Life is precious. So is each one of you.”

Bush said it is a privilege and an honor to stand before the graduates on graduation day; as for former principal Greg Prange, the day was “the Indy 500, Kentucky Derby and Super Bowl all rolled into one.”

Addressing all graduates, Bush said, “Begin with the end in mind and watch as your dreams unfold before you. Go forth with courage, passion, purpose and the will of an owl. Who will? Owls will.”