Slater High School confers diplomas on 42 seniors

Slater graduates celebrate by tossing their caps at the conclusion of commencement ceremonies Saturday, May 9. (Sydney Stonner/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Addressing the 42 graduates and the audience, commencement speaker and Slater alumna Melissa Krog Savaiineaea said she was pleased with the choice of venue.

"I have good memories here," she said, referring to her time playing Slater girls basketball in the gym.

Savaiineaea, who now lives in Kansas City, teaches health and physical education and is a coach. She encouraged the graduating class of 2009 to find career paths that they enjoy, as she did.

"Find something you love and pursue it with a passion" she said.

Although she has left her native Slater, Savaiineaea reminded students that hometowns are not to be forgotten.

"Don't forget your roots," she said. "I am proud to say that I grew up in Slater."

Savaiineaea ended her remarks with advice about good behavior and growing up.

"What is right isn't always popular, and what is popular isn't always right," she quipped.

And, "If all else fails, call Mom."

As a gesture of goodwill and congratulations, Savaiineaea placed candy leis on each graduate's chair before the festivities began. Her husband is Samoan, which is where she got the idea, she said.

High school counselor Tom Doherty presented all seniors who received scholarships to the audience. More than 20 graduating seniors -- including Valedictorian Aaron Michael Dickey and Salutatorian Joshua David Dickey -- received a total of about $200,000 in assistance, not including education funding from the A-Plus program, Doherty said.

Class President Lauren Wieker also gave a speech at commencement. She spoke about the long journey leading to graduation: a total of 2,340 days of school, she said.

Wieker encouraged her classmates to look forward to the world ahead while remembering the good times and the lessons learned at Slater High School.

"We will always bleed purple and gold; we will always be Wildcats; we will always be a family," she said.

To the strains of "Music of the Heart," graduating seniors presented their family members with purple roses as tokens of thanks and love. Then, those assembled viewed a slideshow of the class of 2009 before diplomas were awarded.

After tossing their caps and switching their tassels, Slater graduates marched out of the gym and into the "real world" to the music of James D. Ployhar, played by the Slater band under the direction of Ryan Lewis.

Contact Sydney Stonner at marshallbusiness@socket.net

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