Taking the next step

Jonathan Maness

Daily Press

OLATHE — Fifty-two hats were thrown into the sky to culminate the Olathe High class of 2007’s four-year journey through the halls of the school.

Under overcast skies, the blue and yellow-clad graduating class marched around the track and onto Wilson Field Saturday to the sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance” played by the Olathe High School Band.

The Presentation of Colors by the NJROTC Color Guard opened the ceremony and OHS graduating senior Stefanie Suppes started off by reading an excerpt from a Dr. Seuss book.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.”

Suppes will attend Colorado State University and major in Political Science.

Jeff Hunt, Olathe’s salutatorian provided some words of advice and wisdom for his fellow classmates.

“Our generation is going to face some uncertain moments,” Hunt said. “It is hypothesized that we will live to see flying cars, to see a cure for cancer and to see space colonized. There are some steep mountains to climb. Not everybody here is going to be famous or rich, but all of us have a chance to succeed and to be great. Greatness is not an intangible item. Greatness is an ideal — like freedom.”

“We are one more step on the ladder. We know not to where it reaches, that is not our task. We know only it is to go up, it is our task to stay firm. To be solid and trustworthy, so the ladder may succeed.”

He closed his speech by saying, “May we impact the seas of the world as positively and with as much unity and camaraderie.”

Hunt will attend Western State College and major in history.

Kyle Martinez followed by talking about memories of each member of his senior class. Martinez will attend Central College in Iowa.

Valedictorian Laurie Seymour encouraged her fellow graduates to run down their paths “with the enthusiasm it deserves and make the best out of life’s adventures.”

“It was a long and windy road, but now the road forks and we decide what we want to do. Whether you are going to go to the military, to college, into the work force or start a family. No matter what you guys choose I want you to remember that you have the potential to change the world with your choices and your ambitions.”

Seymour will attend Colorado State University and study equine nutrition.

B.J. Brown, the assistant superintendent for Montrose County School District Re-1J, was the ceremony’s keynote speaker. Brown discussed the history of Olathe and the process it took for it to get its name.

“I’m going to encourage you take a good look at yourself today, ask yourself what I want for myself, my family and my community,” Brown said. “What are my goals for myself and how hard will I work to accomplish them. Success is not always easy; it takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice. Ask yourself, ‘What can I do to make this a better world?’ You can make a difference. You can be as good as you want to be.”

Dylan Carmack sang a song called “Tennessee Stud,” followed by the awarding of diplomas.

After each graduate’s name was called, it was followed by a brief summary of his or her future plans. Some of them are planning to head as far away as North Carolina others are staying closer to home.

At the ceremony’s conclusion, the graduates formed a circle on the field, then ran to the middle and tossed their caps to the sky.

“It feels good and the starting of the new beginning,” said OHS graduate Chris Diaz. “I still have college to go to. It has been a great four years here, with all the teachers and coaches.”

Diaz is still undecided where he wants to attend college, but he has offers to wrestle at numerous schools.