Burlingame High School class of 2023. Photo by Andy Bayless.

It was a day of thank yous, goodbyes and well wishes as 24 members of the Burlingame High School class of 2023 accepted their diplomas and started the next chapter in their life as high school graduates.

“My wish for you is that life becomes all that you want it to,” a quote from a song by the band Rascal Flatts, was echoed in sentiment by the class’s salutatorian and three valedictorians as they addressed the crowd gathered Saturday, May 13, 2023, at Burlingame Elementary School gymnasium.

Salutatorian Isabella Tyson advised her fellow graduates and underclassmen to not take time for granted.

“Enjoy where you are, look at the people around you and cherish every second with them,” the salutatorian said. “Don’t get so focused on the future that you forget to live in the present. Don’t dwell on the past that you rob yourself of any joy in the current moment. Because time is fleeting and things change so quickly. Nothing is out of reach, you can reach for the stars, and accomplish all that you put your mind to, but if there’s one thing you cannot hold onto, it’s time. It’ll slip right through your fingers. So take a moment to appreciate the people around you and to enjoy what you have while you have it.”

After offering thanks to all the people in their lives who helped the graduates reach their goal, valedictorian Alexandra Crook offered her wish for her classmates, “Throughout the many years we spent together, many laughs were shared and several wonderful memories were made. I have enjoyed getting to know you and growing up alongside you all. We have completed high school and are now moving on to the next chapter of our lives. Wherever your lives take you, I wish you all success and happiness in the world.”

Valedictorian Adaysia Gallaway wished for her classmates to have success and experience self discovery. “But most importantly, I’d like to wish for happiness,” Gallaway said. “Life is short. Everyone should take the time to find joy in the little moments. You will come to regret the moments you worked diligently focused on the future, instead of hanging out with your friends having fun in the present. I think Timothee Chalamet puts it perfectly: ‘We’re only here for so long. Be happy, man. You could get hit by a truck tomorrow.’”

Valedictorian Paloma Leyva had a different story to tell than her fellow scholars. She talked about how she came to Burlingame without knowing English, and with parents who barely knew English.

“My parents had to hire a teacher to teach me to write and speak in English,” Leyva said. “I still had my accent, so most of my classmates had no idea what I was saying. I remember that I wanted to fit in and be like everyone else, so I practiced speaking English everyday until I finally started to become fluent.”

After years of hard studying and trying to fit in, Leyva found out about the honor of being a valedictorian, “I knew I wanted that title more than anything to prove that a Hispanic student could earn such an honor.”

“I have recently started to realize that I never needed to fit in. I never needed to only speak one language. I should have never been afraid to show everyone my culture and who I really was. But now I can say that I am proud of being Hispanic and being bilingual. I hope I can inspire others so we see so many different backgrounds and have so many stories to tell at their graduation.

“To my fellow graduates, I wish you all the best of luck and I hope you one day achieve all your dreams … Go out into the world and make a difference. Remember never be afraid to show people you really are, don’t fit in, stand out.”

With presentation of the class by Burlingame Junior-Senior High School Principal Geoff Markos, USD 454 Board of Education President Melissa Droege accepted the BHS class of 2023 for graduation.

Board of education members presented diplomas to Morgyn Ann Baker, Roman Montgomery Bayless, Gabrielle Marie Bayless-Ross, Alexandra Nicole Crook, Jason Alexander Davidson, Jace Lee DeWitt, Mason Wayne Flickinger, Adysia Jeanette Gallaway, Devin Reese Hartpence, Matthew Ty Heckman, Elizabeth Gail Ledom, Tyler Lawrence Lockwood, Paloma Leyva, Kiera Lee McNellis, Colby James Middleton, Landrew Todd Mundy, Ayden Kye Rash, Gracie Ann Simmons, Branden LaVerne Taylor, Isabella Elaine Tyson, Daniel Phillip Roy Wells, Coby Eugene Woods, Cody Dean Woods, and Trapper John Wright.

The class of 2023 sponsors were Amy Heckman and Amy Tyson. Attendants for the commencement ceremony were Madison Hovestadt, Kaylin Noonan, Calvin Noonan, and Brandon Punches.

USD 454 Board of Education members include Droege, Pam Masters, vice president, Jamie Bowman, Krista Rowley, Audrey Ross, Steven Tyson, and Donna Young.

Administration for the graduates’ last year of school at BHS were USD 454 Superintendent Marcy Cassidy and Principal Geoff Markos.

BHS faculty and staff included Angela Adams, Mike Barlow, Brian Bartlett, Katie Beauclaire, Doug Bingham, Jeff Bowman, TJ Brake, Julia Bukovatz, Chris Burk, Teresa Carson, Fred Diver, Christi Droege, Mitch Foote, Robin Fruits, Melissa Hamel, Mark Hecht, Amy Heckman, Mike Higgins, Lauren Jerore, Dita Kopp, Kevin Kramer, Darin Lee, Jessica Lockwood, Calvary Lyle, Austin Masters, Brooke Masters, Bridget Middleton, Heather Morgan, Michelle Motsinger, Becky Muzzy, Lisa Obregon, Barb Peterson, Cassidy Powell, Tammy Roberts, Travisray Salyers,Roger Sells, Jon Shaffer, Angela Short, Josiah Shultz, Jacob Simmons, Jeff Slater, Aaron Staab, Megan Summers, Cheynne Swanson, Amy Tyson, Jewelie Ullery, Keri Welch, Alexia Wells, Lindsey Wendleton, Eric West, Shay West, and Katelyn Whitaker.

OCHS class of 2023: Chae Allan Aills, Tomas Manuel Arellano, Owen Michael Potter Bailey, Bryson Thomas Banfield, Alexis Lynne Barrett, Landon Lucas Boss, Breckin Scot Bowin, Braxton Lloyd Bowman, Treyton Kahle Britschge, Braiden Michael-James Burd, Connor David Collins, Greta Lynette Crawford, Austin Brown Crettol, Keaton Hawk Curley, Lyia Lyn Dicker, Weston Allan Dunbar, Kaityn Michelle Gantenbein, Mason Wayne Gibson, Kyle Dean Grandstaff, Tracen James Hartner, Pearl Ann Kautzman, Kaden Thorne Kirkpatrick, Corbin Robert Klofkom, Halen James Lacey, Bryce Simon Linebarger, Nakotah Alexander Lowery, Jacob Adam Alexander McCoy, Trevor James Medlen, Dawsyn Ryan Meek, Kenia Jazzmin Mejia-Cortez, Lillian Jo Mitchell, Jack Delaney Neary, Olivia Winn Phillips, Korey Daniel Roberts, Dalton James Rush, Dalton Jones Schaefer, Ellie Marie Shoemaker, and Jacob Scott Watkins. OCHS photo.

With a community standing behind them, along with a touch of humor, Osage City High School graduates of 2023 followed the class’s motto, and gave 100 percent for the last assignment of their public school years – accepting their diplomas.

A quote from Bill Murray served as the class’s inspiration over the years: “Whatever you do, always give 100 percent. Unless you’re donating blood.”

During the graduation ceremony held Sunday, May 14, 2023, at the high school auditorium, the graduates relived school day memories, thanked those who helped them get through the years of school, and reminded each other to not forget their community that had guided and supported them.

Honor student Landon Boss told the class of 38 graduates that their small class size helped bring them together.

“I believe that our small numbers have brought us closer than any other grade,” Boss said. “We don’t have special cliques or friend groups where others aren’t welcome. Instead we are more of a family, where everyone is friends with everyone.”

Noting OCHS was “an everything school”, Boss talked about the support of the community for all of the sports seasons and related some of his best memories in participation of sports.

“I have made memories in high school that will stick with me for the rest of my life,” Boss said. “It is memories and times like these that make this class, school, town, and community so special. Memories like these that will be cherished by many for years to come. Osage City will always be a place that I hold near and dear to my heart. It is the type of school, town, and community that you want your kids to grow up in.”

Honor student Kaityn Gantenbein told of a story she had written to her senior self while in the eighth grade. Reading it as a senior made her realize “most of my heart is this school and this town…”

Reflecting on her four years of high school and 15 years living in Osage City, Gantenbein said, “For so long, I have taken for granted how special this place truly is.”

Gantebein said, “This is where my family lives … This is where my friends are … This is where my class is … This place, Osage City, Kansas, is all that I know.

“Wherever we go and whatever we do, we will always carry a part of this town and each other with us.

Revealing her emotions to her eighth grade self, she said, “To open my heart, this is what you would find – my class, this school, this town …”

Presenting the class for graduation was high school counselor Kathy Camerena, and Kelli Bowin, USD 420 Board of Education, presented diplomas to Chae Allan Aills, Tomas Manuel Arellano, Owen Michael Potter Bailey, Bryson Thomas Banfield, Alexis Lynne Barrett, Landon Lucas Boss, Breckin Scot Bowin, Braxton Lloyd Bowman, Treyton Kahle Britschge, Braiden Michael-James Burd, Connor David Collins, Greta Lynette Crawford, Austin Brown Crettol, Keaton Hawk Curley, Lyia Lyn Dicker, Weston Allan Dunbar, Kaityn Michelle Gantenbein, Mason Wayne Gibson, Kyle Dean Grandstaff, Tracen James Hartner, Pearl Ann Kautzman, Kaden Thorne Kirkpatrick, Corbin Robert Klofkom, Halen James Lacey, Bryce Simon Linebarger, Nakotah Alexander Lowery, Jacob Adam Alexander McCoy, Trevor James Medlen, Dawsyn Ryan Meek, Kenia Jazzmin Mejia-Cortez, Lillian Jo Mitchell, Jack Delaney Neary, Olivia Winn Phillips, Korey Daniel Roberts, Dalton James Rush, Dalton Jones Schaefer, Ellie Marie Shoemaker, and Jacob Scott Watkins.

2023 MdCV graduates Kyler Anschutz, Ryan Baker, Eian Balazs, Justin Brinkley, Katie Calderwood, Madison Cormode, Joseph Del Percio, William Glaser, Chiara Guerini, Isaac Hockett, Hailey Ingle, Lindsey Johnson, Alyssa McCurdy, Wyatt Melton, Alysa Miller, Avary Simmons, Jace Stucker, Lance Spillman, Collin Vogeler , Kyla Vogeler, Tristyn Weber, Jacob Weimer, Jessica Wheeler, Josephine Wheeler, Savannah Williams, Heaven Wilson, and Skylee  Zoesch. Photo by Jerry Kramer, Kramer Photos.

The valedictorians of Marais des Cygnes Valley High School Class of 2023 reminded their classmates they won’t have the support of each other daily as they have for the last 12 years, but their separate life journeys were just beginning.

Speaking to friends, family and classmates at the May 6, 2023, graduation ceremony, MdCV Valedictorian Madison Cormode advised fellow Trojans they had reached the milestone of “real life.”

“We were kids together,” Cormode said. “We’ve grown and soon we’ll be adults without each other.”

She spoke about graduates’ plans for the future, which “makes us sound like we’re going to be adults and it’s crazy to me to think of us that way. It’s hard for me to imagine us living by ourselves, having adult jobs, and some of us starting families in just a few years. But what’s not hard for me to imagine is how we all will succeed.”

Noting the close classmates would all be going separate directions, “let’s go and have an even better rest of our lives, because the story of ‘us’ is ending soon,” Cormode said.

MdCV Valedictorian Lindsey Johnson spoke about experiencing life’s changes with her classmates, and concurred with Cormode the longtime classmates would soon set out on different paths.

“Going through high school it is no secret that everyone changes, and the most special part is that we all change together,” Johnson said. “We may not have all been best friends all the time, but these are the people that you grow up with.”

“Our journey began years ago, today just happens to be the day where the path we were all traveling together splits into [27] unique roads. Up until this day we have been walking as one. We have done it all together, but today, we all will move on to our futures.”

With USD 456 Superintendent Joe Samples presenting the class for graduation, school board members presented diplomas to 2023 MdCV graduates Kyler Jon Anschutz, Ryan Matthew Baker, Eian Emmanuel Balazs, Justin Wade Brinkley, Katie Lynn Calderwood, Madison Grace Cormode, Joseph Caden Del Percio, William Wade Glaser, Chiara Guerini, Isaac Malachi Hockett, Hailey Lynn Ingle, Lindsey Jo Johnson, Alyssa Dayle McCurdy, Wyatt Jessie Melton, Alysa Jean Miller, Avary Grace Simmons, Jace Michael Stucker, Lance Andrew Spillman, Collin Ryan Vogeler , Kyla Joann Vogeler, Tristyn Keown Weber, Jacob Shane Weimer, Jessica Maria Wheeler, Josephine Maria Wheeler, Savannah Breann Williams, Heaven Kay Wilson, and Skylee Dawn Zoesch.

Faculty for the class of 2023 were Joy Dyke, Lora Finley, Pat Jones, Jeremy Lingenfelter, Mike McDougald, Karen Phelon, Lisa Reeser, Danny Rice, Thomas Roach, Sandy Scoggin, Mary Sumner, Thad Thurston, and Eric Vogeler. Joe Sample is superintendent and principal, Emily McCollough is academic adviser, and Kelsey Struttman and John Bass serve as secretaries.

USD 456 Board of Education members are Greg McCurdy, president, Mike Ragan, vice president, Mark Lacey, Caleb McNally, Chelsey Masenthin, Eric Struttman, and Debbie Woodson.