Well, the starting line to the rest of their lives that is.

Sixty-four South Hamilton graduates took the stage at South Hamilton High School to receive their diplomas and walk away as graduates.

Joely Swenson, Board of Education president, opened the graduation ceremony by addressing each type of future South Hamilton graduates will have and gave words of wisdom to each.

South Hamilton Superintendent Ken Howard then announced academic awards, but first he gave the class some advice. He told the class to put their smart phones down sometimes and to connect with the world around them.

-Freeman-Journal photo by Olivia Hanson Graduate Maya Penning poses with Superintendent Ken Howard as she receives her diploma.

“You can Google for a job,” Howard said. “You can Google for an answer, and you can even Google for a date. But you can’t Google to determine what is in your heart and your passion that drives you and lifts you up and gives you a real purpose and meaning in life.”

After his speech, Howard noted that the class amassed around $275,000 in scholarships and mentioned the 23 students that were awarded the academic curriculum merit awards.

The class speakers for the ceremony were Tieg and Gabrielle Struchen. The two described their class’s high school experience by labeling each with a specific song that described it best.

They gave their class words of advice to take with them on their journeys.

“Don’t just be yourself. Be the best version of yourself. Sometimes that means growing, learning, evolving and yes, even changing. But that doesn’t mean losing yourself,” Struchen said.

- Freeman Journal photo by Olivia Hanson
Class speakers Gabrielle Struchen and Nicholas Teig pose for a photo after the ceremony.

And “don’t take life to seriously,” Teig said, “Nobody makes it out alive.”

After the ceremony, the students did the traditional hat toss in the front lawn of the high school.