Student Body Vice President Zach Waite prepares to lead the audience in the pledge of allegiance at the opening of last week’s MVHS Commencement Ceremonies. Behind him are pictured the six class valedictorians. Photo by Angelina Glaubitz.

By Vernon Robison

Moapa Valley Progress

The Moapa Valley High School held its 2011 Commencement Exercises on Thursday, June 9 at the Jeff Keel stadium. The families, friends and loved-ones of the graduating class filled the home bleachers and rows of chairs set up on the track in the stadium. It was the first year that the ceremonies were held outdoors. Despite the event being held in early June, the unseasonably cool evening weather was perfect for the occasion.

In attendance at the ceremony was Clark County School District (CCSD) Trustee Chris Garvey who officially accepted the class of 136 graduates as presented by school principal Grant Hanevold.

Also in attendance was Jeremy Hauser, Academic Manager over Empowerment Schools for the CCSD.

“We have faced some serious challenges in Nevada,” said Garvey in her address to the crowd. “I am thankful that this area is so unique in its approach to education. No matter what has happened all around us this year, the focus has been on these graduates and their fellow students. You didn’t let the politics get in the way of providing for these students.”

The class of 2011 yielded six valedictorians. These included Shae Bryant, Amanda Jacobsmeyer, Stephanie Lyon, Calvin McMurray, McKinzy Reid and Yuzhe Xie. The evening opened with each of these students giving a brief address specifically tailored to their peers.

Bryant reflected on the elements of high school that would be remembered over the years and urged graduates to remember the important things. “It is easy to exist instead of to live,” Bryant said. “My parting advice would be that it is not the things that we do that we regret; but it is the things that we do not do.”

Jacobsmeyer spoke of the treasured relationships she had built during her years of school. “You can’t spend 12 years with a group of people without each one having an impact on your life,” she said.

She ended her speech with a recap of the top ten billboard song hits for 2011 and talked about how each song title could instruct their future lives.

Lyon talked about lessons she had learned through activities in which she had participated in high school. She talked about how she had demanded a great deal of herself by filling her schedule up with various experiences. But sometimes she found she had taken on more than she could handle, she said.

“I have learned that I don’t always get to do everything I want to do if it interferes with what I have to do,” Lyon said.

McMurray asked fellow graduates to look around them at teachers, administrators and parents who had spent time serving them and teaching them. “Not one of them has to be here tonight,” he said. “They have all chosen to be here to support us.”

McMurray encouraged graduates to live lives of similar service to others. “By giving of ourselves we can improve the world,” he said.

Reid observed that the MVHS Class of 2011 has become like a family. “Each and every one of you is an amazing person and has had an affect on me,” she said. “Now we are going on to different places with new people and new experiences. This is only the beginning.”

Xie urged fellow graduates to not fear failure as they went out into the world. “I believe that failure is a necessity to truly suceed,” he said. “I see mistakes along the way as motivation to succeed rather than surrendering to failure.”

“We often look outside for role models and heroes,” Xie said in closing. “But tonight I see them right here before me in the unlimited potential of this class.”

Of the 136 graduates, 24 of them earned Advanced Honors Diplomas. This required taking more rigorous honors curriculum and achieving a 3.25 unweighted GPA. These included: Shae Bryant, Bowen Call, Haley Causey, Hayden Cooper, Amanda Jacobsmeyer, Stephanie Lyon, Amanda May, Calvin McMurray, Jessany Mortensen, Alyssa Peterson, Mckinzy Reid, Martha Rios, Natalie Rust, Kimberly Sprague, Danielle Swanson, Joshua Thompson, Shannon Tuttle, Haydn Waite, Brendan Watkins, Marissa Watkins, Chase Witter, Cole Witter, Sandra Wittwer and Yuzhe Xie.

Another 33 students in the class received Advanced Diplomas which required taking extra coursework and maintaining a 3.25 unweighted GPA.

Fourteen students were awarded the school’s “M” Powered Award. This award is offered to seniors completing 30 units, maintaining weighted GPA of 3.5, participating in no less than six extracurricular activities and completing a minimum of 20 service hours through MVHS. These recipients included Shae Bryant, Bowen Call, Haley Causey, Eva Chidester, Hayden Cooper, Amanda Jacobsmeyer, Stephanie Lyon, Calvin McMurray, Jessany Mortensen, Danielle Swanson, Shannon Tuttle, Zachery Waite, Chase Witter and Cole Witter.