The Newberg Graphic
| C.S. Lewis graduates 24 students, remembers one | ||||
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| Hundreds attend Saturday ceremony, which also pays tribute to Paul Dehner, killed in a 2003 car crash | ||||
C.S. Lewis Academy ushered Newberg's last group of 2008 graduates into the "real world" last weekend, in a Saturday ceremony in George Fox University's Bauman Auditorium. Following an invocation by C.S. Lewis Superintendent Dr. Wade Witherspoon, graduate Courtney Cedergreen performed "Soar Like Eagles," a song she had composed, and Timothy Fodge recited a poem he had written. Cedergreen was backed by the C.S. Lewis choir, which then performed "My Life is in Your Hands." Valedictorian Shelby Zachary and salutatorian David Hite spoke on what they had learned and where they would go from here. "The most important thing I've learned is Christ crucified ... to believe in him is to have love and to have life," Hite said. "Nothing can stop us now. Be all you can be. The world is your oyster. You can do it," Zachary said, citing a list of motivational catch phrases. "What we choose to do with our lives is up to us ... (but) being open to instruction and remaining open to teaching are the keys to success." C.S. Lewis vice principal and drama teacher Mike McConaughey reflected on the students and their time at the school - a time marked by many changes, as the high school doubled in size, tripled its faculty and switched campuses. McConaughey asked the graduates if they remembered a time when Secret Santa revelations took less than half an hour or when the school was small enough to participate in a schoolwide car rally/scavenger hunt around Newberg. He asked if they could recall when Swissters, a screenprinting company started by three C.S. Lewis graduates, was created or if they remembered a time "before the theater department was known statewide." He also offered a recipe for success: do everything to the best of your ability, mix in humility and be content where God leads you to be. "I expect great things out of this group. You have some work to do: I expect you to change the world," McConaughey said. "Go for it, try new things, and know that God is with you." Graduates Kristina Halajian and Natalie Nibler presented a slide show of photographs, highlighting each of the 24 graduates with baby pictures to senior portraits. But one seat was empty on the stage, in the front row. "We didn't miscount, and nobody slept through their alarm," said Jace Paine. No, the empty seat was deliberate: it was for Paul Dehner, a classmate killed in a November 2003 car accident. Dehner was remembered in the slideshow and Paine, a close friend, led a prayer for Dehner's friends and family. Witherspoon and Board of Directors Chairman Arlin Davis presented diplomas to the graduates, as guidance counselor Shaun Davis highlighted the achievements and future plans of each. Then the 24 graduates threw their caps in the air, congratulated each other and, to the theme song from "Rocky," walked out of the auditorium and on to their lives. | ||||
