Carl Sandburg Graduates the Class of 2014

Students reflect on relationships, individuality, and the future at commencement ceremony.

Carl Sandburg High School Class of 2014 gathered together one last time on the football field to celebrate graduation and reflect on their four year journey.

Principal Dr. Julia Wheaton began the evening by breaking tradition. Instead of providing her own words of wisdom, she enlightened the students with advice that has been submitted by their fellow peers. This advice fell into three main themes: relationships, individuality, and the future. Dr. Wheaton explained, “What these seniors want to say to you was vastly more important, more inspiring, and more meaningful than any speech I could write.”

Senior Class President Janelle Paguiligan presented the senior class gift, donating funds to a water filtration project currently under development for the school. Paguiligan shared, “The mark that we leave can be seen in the standards we have set, the teachers we have influenced, and the underclassmen we have inspired to achieve things better than even we have.”

Taylor Lach sent an important message about mistakes to her classmates in her Keynote Address. “What I want to point out is something that should make us just as proud as graduating from high school,’ said Lach, ‘we made a ton of mistakes.” Lach continued to explain the importance of learning from mistakes now and in the future instead of becoming discouraged or pretending they didn’t happen. Lach encouraged her class to “embrace screw ups, because everyone makes them and you might as well use them to your advantage.”