Lyons graduation ceremony, speeches and photos
All photographs courtesy of Emily Forsberg, copyright 2023
On a beautiful spring day, May 27, 2023, 41 Lyons area teenagers attended the Senior Graduation Ceremony, which took place in the Lyons Middle/High School’s athletic field. The air was filled with cheerful sounds… music and speeches, and cheers.
The June 2023 Valedictorian was Cole Thomas. High honors went to: Henry Jones (Salutatorian), Cambria Burton (top 10%), & Violet Johnson (top 10%).
St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) Speakers walking into the venue (in photo order left to right): Chris Frank (principal), Jason Yantzer (Heralder), Joie Seigrist (Board of Education), Matt Buchler (Asst. Superintendent).
All photographs courtesy of Emily Forsberg, copyright 2023
https://www.emilyforsbergphotography.com
Highlight of Principal Chris Frank’s speech
In an increasingly interconnected world, the relationships we forge with others holds immeasurable potential. Go and foster genuine connections, for they can open doors, inspire collaborations, and offer support in both personal and professional realms. Moreover, embrace adaptability as an essential skill in navigating an ever-changing landscape. Your ability to adjust, learn new skills, and embrace uncertainty will not only help you thrive but also enable you to seize opportunities that arise along your path. Remember, the true strength lies in the bonds we build with one another, and the capacity to adapt ensures we remain resilient in the face of life’s inevitable twists and turns.
An author once said “Healthy things live, living things grow, and growing things change.” As your life is about to change, may you all carry with you the invaluable lessons learned here in Lyons wherever you go. Today, we bid farewell to the familiar hallways and embrace the unknown with open hearts and curious minds. Cherish the bonds that tie you together, for they are the foundation of this remarkable community. You truly are, the Pride of Lyons. As we look out at this group of graduating seniors, the Class of 2023, we realize the impact of our relationships and the growth you all have demonstrated throughout your journey.
Highlight of Valedictorian Cole Thomas’ speech
As we prepare to leave this chapter of our lives and enter the next, I want to talk to you about the power we have to use our unique talents and skills to create positive change in the world, and why this is so important, using as many analogies as possible about the humble hot wheels car.
………Thomas continued on, combining the official name of a Hot Wheels car with a proposed goal in life in every paragraph……
As we go out into the world, we will encounter many challenges and obstacles. But just like a hot wheels Back to the Future Time Machine Delorean, we can use our skills and abilities to navigate these challenges and create positive change (as long as we don’t mess up the space time continuum). We can be the car that pushes past the others to reach the finish line first, or we can be the car that stops to help another car that has crashed or is stuck.
There is no doubt that the world needs positive change now more than ever. Climate change, inequality, poverty, and disease are just a few of the many challenges we face. But by using the talents that we have spent at least the past four years developing at Lyons High School, I am confident that many of us could go on to overcome these challenges within ourselves, our communities, and our world.
