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Bonners Ferry High School Class of 2016
Graduation Ceremony |
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June 6, 2016 |
Eighty-eight seniors of the Bonners Ferry High
School Class of 2016 graduated in a sun-filled
ceremony at the high school football field on
Saturday, June 4.
The event, attended by hundreds of relatives,
family, friends, and community members, featured
music from the Bonners Ferry High School
Symphonic Band, and a performance of the
National Anthem by a duet of graduating seniors
Christopher McCulla and Erica Wood. High School
Principal Tim Gering conducted the ceremony. The
Graduation Ceremony included remarks from Senior
Class President Lauren Wages, and guest speakers
Kevin Dinning and Josh Knaggs, along with
remarks from the six valedictorians of the Class
of 2016: Erica Wood, Jordan Burt, Vince Bennett,
Zach Dennis, Tanner Liermann, and Kerstin
Oxford.
Class President Lauren Wages expressed gratitude
for all who have helped the graduates arrive at
where
 they are today, saying that anyone in
attendance at graduation likely played an
important part in the lives of one or more of
the graduates. "Thank you for everything," she
said, "for making the cookies for our third
grade Christmas party, for filling the football
stadium on Friday nights. Thank you, parents,
teachers, families, and community members for
donating your time, your efforts, and your love,
for making sure that each one of us got to this
point today."
She also expressed gratitude for living in this
part of the world: "I think of Bonners and how
thankful I am that this little place brought us
all together. Whether you've lived here for one
year or eighteen years, this beautiful tiny town
has had a part in shaping our lives."
Guest Speaker Kevin Dinning, who also happened
to be a guest speaker at this class' Eighth
Grade Promotion four years ago, reminded the
class that many of the things he said to them
back then still apply today. He pointed out to
the class that if you have something to tell
someone, "If it's important, and you need to
tell someone, it's important enough to tell them
to their face, and definitely not text them."
He continued with additional advice: "If you buy
jeans, buy them without holes. I challenge all
of you to earn the holes in your jeans. "
He also counseled "Speak to your grandparents,
because not everybody has them anymore, and they
are the most knowledgeable people that you
know."
Mr. Dinning will be the principal of Bonners
Ferry High School next school year, as current
principal Mr. Gering will be moving with his
family to the Lewiston area.
Guest Speaker Josh Knaggs, the art teacher at
the high school, serves as the faculty advisor
for the Class of 2016. He reminded them he had
told them he would not shave his beard until
their class graduated. And yes, he had a long
beard. As he made each point in his talk, he cut
away another part of his beard, resulting in his
beard being fully trimmed by the end of his
remarks.
"In the past four years I have learned much
about myself, life, this community, and all of
you," said Mr. Knaggs. "Some say change is the
only constant thing in life. Change will find
you. It might happen tomorrow, it could happen
today. It could happen years down the road, it
might happen without you even noticing it.
However it comes, there is no avoiding it, and
the only choice you have is to grow."
Other points made by Mr. Knaggs included counsel
to recognize that you don't always get to be
what you want to be, and to develop a sense of
humor.
He further advised the graduates to "Say I love
you as often as you can. Say it even though you
don't want to. Tell loved ones in your life that
they mean a great deal to you, as often as you
can."
And finally from Mr. Knaggs: "Keep your word, it
is your bond."
The final speakers of the day were the six class
valedictorians. Valedictorians Erica Wood and
Jordan Burt spoke of the graduates going through
their school years and now graduating, realizing
along the way that there were many things they
did not know, and many things they had to learn
as they progressed through the years of high
school. "It's a miracle we made it this far,"
said Erica Wood.
Jordan Burt continued, saying that as the class
members now go out into the world, there are
still a lot of things they don't know. "We don't
know what taxes are. We don't know how we're
going to pay bills. We don't know if we will get
married, or if we'll have kids. We don't know
who will have success, and who will have
failures. My guess would be that each of us, at
some point in our lives, will have both.
"The list of things we do not know could go on
forever," she continued. "However, there's one
important thing we do know, or rather we need to
know. And that is that no matter how old we get,
no matter what level of education we reach, no
matter what career we pursue, and no matter
where in the world we end up, we are never too
old to stop learning.
"There will always be an unknown in everything
we do, and there will always be someone who has
been through it before. Listen to that someone,
and learn from them, so that someday, you can be
that someone for the younger generation."
Valedictorians Vince Bennett and Zach Dennis
quoted lines from favorite movie characters that
provided wisdom for the class. "Today is the day
we start our own lives, and take our own
actions, and begin our
own ways," said Vince Bennett.
Zach Dennis added that movies might be a great
source of advice, but one may not want to spend
an entire life watching movies. "That would be
very counter-productive," he said.
Valedictorians Tanner Liermann and Kerstin
Oxford concluded the valedictory addresses with
encouragement for the class. "As we leave these
high school years behind, and enter the real
world," said Kerstin Oxford, "remember that you
have accomplished a twelve-year journey. You
have been motivated, and you haven't backed
down, you have persevered."
"Work your hardest, be the best that you can be,
and you will be rewarded," said Tanner Liermann.
Kerstin Oxford continued, "Don't get so busy
working and planning for the future that you
forget to live. Make sure to take time to do the
little things, and love. Your kids won't want to
hear about how much you studied in college, or
how you've never done anything but work. They
will want to hear about some real-world
experiences you have had, or the times you've
made a mistake and learned."
Following the addresses, the names of the 88
graduates were called one by one, and each
crossed from the rows of chairs lined up for
them on the Badger track, to the head of the
assembly where they received their high school
diplomas. As each walked this route, the
announcers listed the future plans of each
graduate. These included students whose plans
were to enter the workforce, enlist in the
military, continue on to college or to technical
school, to leave on church missions, and other
plans and goals.
The Top Ten of the Class of 2016
included eleven students:
• Vince Bennett
• Gabrielle Blackmore
• Jordan Burt
• Abby Davis
• Zachary Dennis
• Caleb Gering
• Tanner Liermann-Kress
• Margaret McCoy
• Kerstin Oxford
• Lauren Wages
• Erica Wood
The Class graduated 24 members of the
National Honor Society:
• Louis Balcaen
• Sarah Beck
• Vince Bennett
• Caleb Blackmore
• Jordan Burt
• Abby Davis
• Zachary Dennis
• Shaleyna Higins
• Jacob Lewis
• Tanner Liermann-Kress
• Veronica MacDonald
• Margaret McCoy
• Colton Moore
• Kerstin Oxford
• Alaina Rushing
• Samantha Schneider
• Kayliana Simmons
• Alva Swanson
• Amanda Swindoll
• Jeremiah Varelman
• Lauren Wages
• Erica Wood
• Ciera Woods
• Aaliyah Zarate
Students graduating with Honors Diplomas
were:
• Louis Balcaen
• Evan Ellis
• Shaleyna Higgins
• Paige Liermann
• Talia Liermann-Kress
• Veronica MacDonald
• Christopher McCulla
• Derek Reynolds
• Andrea Rogers
• Samantha Schneider
• Malorie Stippich
• Alva Swanson
• Amanda Swindoll
• Jack Wade
•
Aaliyah Zarate
Class of 2016 graduates with High Honors
Diplomas were:
• Vince Bennett
• Gabrielle Blackmore
• Jordan Burt
• Abby Davis
• Zachary Dennis
• Caleb Gering
• Tanner Liermann-Kress
• Margarret McCoy
• Colton Moore
• Kerstin Oxford
• Alaina Rushing
• Kayliana Simmons
• Jeremiah Varelman
• Lauren Wages
• Erica Wood
• Ciera Woods
A taped replay of the Graduation Ceremony of the
Class of 2016, prepared and posted by Boundary
County Live, can be viewed online by
clicking on this link.
Congratulations, Bonners Ferry High School Class
of 2016!
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