Slideshow
Please click here to view the slideshow highlighting our graduates’ lives, thoughts, and aspirations.
Opening (Chloe Williams)
Good evening and welcome to the class of 2024 graduation. My name is Chloe Williams. Please stay quiet, turn off your phones, stand for the Star-spangled Banner sang by the Columbia Elementary Choir.
I am honored to be speaking here tonight. I have attended Columbia Elementary School for 9 years and feel so lucky to have grown up in this supportive community. To begin, I speak for the entire graduating class when I thank our teachers, friends, and loved ones for being so encouraging and helping us get here tonight.
I hope that every one of us graduating here today has a marvelous time at this momentous occasion in our lives, our 8th-grade graduation.
Now, please welcome Darrien Lopez to present this evening's formal greeting. Thank you.
Formal Greeting (Darrien Lopez)
Hello, and good evening. My name is Darrien Lopez, and I would like to thank everyone for coming to our graduation, a monumental occasion that we will remember for the rest of our lives.
We have been working for 9 years towards this goal, working hard to reach this moment. This ceremony is significant because this is not the end of our journey. We will continue to grow and change throughout our lives: college, career, family, and more, and this is only the beginning of that. This ceremony also marks the turning point between us being influenced by other people and us being the influencers.
This ceremony doesn’t mark the end, it marks the beginning. And now, I would like to hand it over to Willow Harris and Rebekah Reid for our class memories.
Class Memories (Willow Harris and Rebekah Reid)
Willow (W) - Good Evening my name is Willow Harris…
Rebekah (R) - …and my name is Rebekah Reid.
(W) We all came together to think of our best-loved memories and we are happy to be presenting our class memories for the 2024 Graduation Ceremony.
(R) Starting with Kindergarten, our teachers were Ms.Wilson, Ms.Brennen, Ms. Miller, and Ms.Wendy.
(W) Students who started attending Columbia Elementary in Kindergarten were Hunter Sutton, Rebekah Reid, Chloe Williams, Willow Harris, Anna Hoffman, Olive Ramirez, Bradley Ratto, Danica Everett, Ethan Elizondo, Makayla Bowen, Evie Mathews, Aeri Mathews, Colton Phillips, and Jonah Croteau
(R) We all look back to Kindergarten and remember when Anna puked all over Willow’s lap also when Danica gave Ethan Ritz crackers and he had to go home because he got sick, and when we all brought our favorite stuffed animal and had a picnic on the upper field.
(R) In First Grade, our teachers were Ms. Wilson, Ms. Gorgas, Ms. Zovoda, Mrs. Synder, Ms. Zovoda, and Ms. Gardner.
(W) Students who arrived here at Columbia Elementary in First Grade were Dahlia Moore, Makayla Cano, and Hayden Johnson.
(W) We look back to First Grade memories and remember when Dahlia fell off the monkey bars and had to be wheeled out in a wheelchair and when a sub told everyone in the class that they were going to Disneyland but shortly after said it was a joke and everyone cried.
(R) In Second Grade our teachers were Ms. Wood, Mrs. Carr, Ms. Milne, and Ms. Gardner. There was only one student that joined our class that year and that was Jordan Scott.
(W) Our favorite memories from Second Grade were when Ms. Milne made food for the whole 2nd-grade class. One of our memories we will forever cherish is when we went to the airport and toured a plane, and when we played family with a big group of our friends.
(R) In Third Grade, our teachers were Ms. Gorgas, Ms. Fitzwater, Mrs. Milne, and Miss Gardner.
(W) The students who joined Columbia Elementary in Third Grade were Annabella Beach and Nevaeh Lawrence.
(W) Our fondest memories were when Willow tied Anna shoelaces together and Mrs. Pelfrey had to give Anna a piggyback ride, When Ms. Gorgas brought her daughter to school with her and everyone got to meet her, and lastly when the staff had to take Ned, the yoyo guy, away because everyone was screaming at him.
(W) In Fourth Grade, our teachers were Mrs. Pelfrey, Ms. Trent, Ms. Fitzwater, and Miss Vigil
(W) During this Covid year nobody joined Columbia Elementary.
(R) The memories we look back on today were Ms. Pelfrey letting students stay on Zoom and talk as long as they wanted after the class ended, another memories is when Willow and Anna made a diarrhea song on the bus on a school field trip, and when Mrs. Trent accidentally set off the fire alarm because she burnt a bag of popcorn that she was making for a student.
(W) In Fifth Grade, our teachers were Ms. Wood, Ms. Olenchalk, Mr. White, Ms. Ditler, Mrs. Rawlinson, and Miss Vigil
(R) Darrien Lopez was the only student who joined Columbia Elementary in Fifth Grade.
(W) Our favorite memories from Fifth Grade were when Ms. O used to make slushies for the entire class, another memory we still laugh about today is when someone sent a love song to Rebekah Reid through the school email, and when everyone was screaming at each other because they couldn’t decide what to name Ms. Wood’s class turtle.
(R) In Sixth Grade our teachers were Mrs. Mathews and Mrs. Reynolds
(W) The students that joined Columbia Elementary in Sixth Grade were Damian Foucht, Cora Kennedy, Kadeon Ponce, Zoey Cordova, Indra La Roche, Eli Goodeill, James Blackwood, and James Hughes.
(R) Our favorite memory from sixth grade was on the last day of school during a field day when we had a bunch of blankets, listened to music, and ate snacks all day. Another favorite was when Damian refused to take off his mask even to eat because he didn’t want to show anyone his face. Another memory was when we studied the Greek Gods and goddesses and everyone argued about who got which one., and lastly when Jordan was emo and would only wear black.
(W) In the Seventh Grade, our teachers were Ms. Collins, Mrs. Ditler, Ms. Mohr, Ms. Craig, Mr. Hurtato, Mrs. Cox, and Mrs. Schmitt.
(R) Oren Koeple and Zoie Hewitt joined Columbia Elementary in Seventh Grade.
(W) The memories we all look back on were the traumatizing field trip we went on and all of us had to watch Damian die from fake drugs, when Danica sent off a stink bomb in the gym, one of the most hilarious memories is when Anna lent Jordan her notes in class and a teacher took them and read it off to the entire class as if it was a love note towards Anna.
(R) In 8th grade our teachers were Mrs. Collins, Mrs. Ditler, Ms. Craig, Mr. Heldstab, Mrs. Cox, Mrs. Schmitt., and Mrs. Fitzwater. Students who joined Columbia Elementary this year were Cassidy Schutt and Sophia Lehman.
(W) Our memories from this year include everyone fighting about whether a food wrap was technically a burrito or not, when Danica went to grab the backpack for a fire drill and tripped over her backpack and almost fell on top of the desk, when Jordan was at lunch and ate 15 bananas and most of the middle school was surrounding his table and cheering him on.
(R) These are the memories we cherish the most throughout our academic years and we are very privileged to have had such a great experience at Columbia Elementary. These memories we have made at Columbia elementary will forever hold a place in our hearts.
(W) When we think of this school we will think of all the great times we have had here.Thank you for allowing us to share the memories of the Class of 2024. Now we would like to have Mrs. Wood come up to announce the Valedictorian and salutatorian awards. Thank you.
Valedictorian/Salutatorian Presentation (Ms. Rebekah Wood)
It is my honor here tonight to present to you the Valedictorian and Salutatorians for Columbia Elementary’s Class of 2024.The Valedictorian and Salutatorian are selected each year from the graduating class.
The salutatorian ranks second in scholarship and is considered the second highest student in their class. This year’s Salutatorian is Makayla Cano.
The Valedictorian ranks first in scholarship and is considered the top student of their class. This year’s Valedictorian is Aeri Mathews.
Please give these students a round of applause. Aeri Mathews will now present their speech.
Valedictorian Speech (Aeri Mathews)
Good evening and welcome.
My name is Aeri Mathews and I have the esteemed honor of serving as valedictorian for the Columbia Elementary graduating class of 2024. First and foremost I want to extend profound gratitude to all of the staff members, teachers, parents, and friends who have supported our journey towards becoming who we are today. Being a teen at this moment in time is difficult; from the permanent feeling of exhaustion that characterizes this time in our lives to the extreme case of Eighth Grade-itus that saturates our day to day here at school. Without the patient, persistent, and loving support of all of you we may never have gotten out of bed, made it to school, and grew into the awesome humans we are today. I personally would have just stayed in bed for eternity.
Our time here at Columbia Elementary has been one of stability and safety during a turbulent time in history where media and news are constantly flooding our feeds and giving many of us anxiety. But the fact that we have made it this far and are all graduating today gives hope for the future. The next chapter of our lives; heading into high school will give us a chance to shape into the people we want to be. The very same people that will be achieving great accomplishments and changes to the world. This very thought gives me hope for the future, and the future is what we are here today to celebrate; the movement of time, of change, and most importantly of growing up.
We have a chance to make this world a better place for everyone, no matter who they are, or what part of the world they come from. We are, after all, humans, all of us; and we all deserve the right to live this life free from fear, prejudice, and hate. Ensuring that this world is one that all people will thrive and be accepted in is part of our responsibility as we head into our future.
Furthering our education in high-school is the first of many steps towards creating the world that we want to see and live in. All of the accomplishments and skills we have learned over the years have gotten us to where we are today. Don’t be surprised if you see us in the news, holding positions of power in the government, and stepping into the roles of activists, doctors, scientists, and artists that will cultivate a world humankind so desperately needs. It is time for change, and that change is us. And now, it is my honor and privilege to present the graduating class of 2024.
Please welcome Mrs. Woods to present the Presidential Academic Awards.
President’s Academic Award (Ms. Rebekah Wood)
It is with great pleasure that I present the President’s Academic Awards. The awards were established in 1983 by the President of the United States and the United States Secretary of Education. The purpose of the awards is to encourage students to achieve high academic standards by recognizing and rewarding them for educational excellence.
There are two categories for this award. The first category is the President's Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement. This award is for students who have earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to 3.49 in grades 6th through 8th. To assist in presenting the awards I would like to invite Aeri Mathews and Makayla Cano to join me. Would this year’s recipients please come forward as their names are called:
Jonah Croteau, Cassidy Schutt, Danica Everett, Anna Beach, James Robert Blackwood, Indra La Roche, Zoey Cordova, Ethan Elizondo, Nevaeh Lawerence, Zoie Hewitt, Evelyn Mathews, and Cora Kennedy.
Please give these students a round of applause.
The second category is the President’s Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence. To satisfy the requirement for this award, students must earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 and higher in grades 6th through 8th. Would this year’s award recipients please come forward as their names are called:
Olive Ramirez, Willow Harris, Dahlia Moore, Anna Hoffman, Chloe Williams, Darrien Lopez, Rebekah Reid, Sophia Lehman, Makayla Cano, and Aeri Mathews.
It is my pleasure to introduce Makayla Cano, our Salutatorian.
Salutatorian (Makayla Cano)
Hello, My name is Makayla Cano and I’d like to welcome you here tonight.
I am extremely honored to be the class of 2024 salutatorian. I’ve attended Columbia Elementary since 1st grade and I believe my time here will hold many successes and enjoyable moments. I wish to remember these years and for us all to savor these moments. I’ve loved attending this school, meeting new people, and having the support of the staff. I can not begin to express my gratitude and appreciation. Thank you for your support.
Columbia Elementary is a beautiful school and its staff is very encouraging and hospitable. No matter the task at hand, we’ve all been pushed through to be our best and achieve our goals. Today we take our first grand step away from childhood and into our future and all the success that will follow. Let us all appreciate this moment that we share today.
The experiences that we’ve had have shaped us: from learning basic multiplication to real-life skills that we will continue to use for the rest of our lives. We’ve learned how and when to communicate.
I believe this class will succeed. Some of us will become doctors, nurses, astronauts, or architects. Some will go to college and further their education, others will move on past high school and begin their careers. Some may start families, others will take on the adventure of work life. Some may stay here in this quaint little town, and some may move to the hustle and bustle of a large city.
Though our futures are undetermined, we should all remember one thing. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. No matter the obstacle, we can still grow, learn, and move forward. This is only one stop along the path that we will soon face. Now, Columbia Elementary class of 2024, I wish all of us to find that light, Congratulations!
Please welcome Mr. Steward, Board of Trustees President, to present the Attendance Award.
Attendance Awards (Mr. Tom Stewart)
It is the belief of this school and the governing board that one of the single most important factors in student achievement is attendance. All too often it is so much easier to stay at home rather than see through the commitment to come to school every day. A very simple truth, but one that is often forgotten by students and parents, is that a person usually is successful by completing a commitment.
Tonight we are pleased to honor those students who came to school each and everyday for 2 years. Would the following students please come forward:
7th Grade - Anna Beach and Danica Everett
8th Grade - Ethan Elizondo and Jordan Scott
For 7th and 8th Grade - Darrien Lopez and Hayden Johnson
Thank you for following through with the commitment to come to school and congratulations. I would like to introduce Dahlia Moore and Cora Kennedy who will present the class poem.
Class Poem (Dahlia Moore and Core Kennedy)
Good evening, my name is Dahlia Moore, and my name is Cora Kennedy. We are pleased to present this year's graduating class poem, “On This Day.”
On this day, the end of our years here,
some may be reluctant, some itch to leave,
the years behind becoming unclear.
on this day we proceed
and turn our eyes to the years ahead.
Another chapter of our lives,
another storm to face,
continue to strive
growing at our own pace.
We move on, ready
but do not forget the past behind us.
The future upon us is steady,
it lives within the time ahead.
In the beginning we were sprouts
learning persistence,
watered by friendship.
The years ahead felt so distant.
We ran through the breeze,
dirt on our clothes,
scrapes covered our knees
Suddenly we were saplings.
time slipped between our fingertips.
we learned and grew as individuals,
Yet our journey ahead was long.
Our hearts led the way,
our childlike wonder never left,
some friendships never strayed.
The quest was not over yet.
We were almost full trees,
middle school was finally here.
Caught in the breeze of our teenage years,
It was finally time for us to go.
Standing on the stage today,
I look at my peers whom I have grown up with,
We know we can't stay for long.
This end is bittersweet
but we know we must move on.
As we walk off this stage today
the memories will hold strong,
leaving room for more to come
Please welcome Mrs. Wilson as she presents the Columbia Elementary Staff Award.
Columbia Elementary Staff Award (Mrs. Kristin Wilson)
Good evening. The Columbia staff takes pleasure in nominating students who exemplify integrity, maturity, and a strong work ethic. These students that are being recognized have demonstrated responsibility, respect, and kindness during their time here at Columbia. It is my pleasure to announce that the staff has recognized Damian Foucht and Indra La Roche. Congratulations.
Class of 2024 Presentation (Dr. Nicolas Wade)
I want to congratulate all of you on this important day for not just what you have accomplished leading up to this moment, but because of where you will be going afterwards. As you enter high school, you will begin making decisions and having experiences that will shape the decisions you make about schooling, career opportunities, or even just discovering yourself. None of those decisions can be made lightly and all will lead you down new and unique paths with even more decisions to make.
While I am sure nothing about what I have just said is terribly new to you or has not been said by countless staff members and your families, it cannot be stressed enough that you will have to adapt to whatever comes next and nothing may go the way you have anticipated. And when that happens, it is important to know that you have people there for you to help you in your path forward regardless of its twists, turns, and detours. Family, friends, teachers, co-workers--for better or worse, they are all there to help you in your decisions moving forward or to just be there when you need someone.
I often share this anecdote. When I was in my senior year of high school, I knew what I wanted to do and being a movie buff I wanted to go to film school. However, my mom wanted me to go into journalism, my guidance counselor said I should go into business, my career interest inventory said I should be a forest ranger, and my dad only wanted me to get a W-2 to file with the IRS. Now, 19 years later, it would only make sense that I become your superintendent of schools.
I also had several jobs that included being a night manager at Taco Bell and Pizza Hut Express, a donation attendant at the local Goodwill, a furniture delivery driver, assemblyman and salesman, an elementary reading tutor, and a shoe salesman at JCPenney’s. As you can see, my plan on going to film school and winning my fourth Best Director Oscar was always on course, but what all of life’s events brought me was a number of diverse experiences surrounded by people who kept me on a path moving forward and supporting me as I did.
With all of your accomplishments these past nine (9) years or so, you get to move forward and follow a plan of your own and adapt to its challenges while both accepting the support of those around you and being there for others when they need it as well.
I wish you continued success and I hope you come back to share it with all those who have been there for you. Congratulations Class of 2024.
Farewell (Olive Ramirez)
Good evening, my name is Olive Ramirez and I have attended Columbia Elementary since kindergarten. I’m delighted to be delivering the class farewell tonight.
Some of us have been here since kindergarten, and some of us joined the school this year. The longer I think about all the memories we've made, the more I realize how much we've all changed. Now that this class is graduating, we can look back at everything: teachers, old friends that may have left, friends that we lost and found again, and precious memories that we hope to keep and remember forever.
These years have gone by extremely fast and although we are here tonight to celebrate our hard work, we must now look towards furthering our education, graduating high school, and going to college. We must remember to thank our wonderful teachers and staff that worked incredibly hard to teach us and keep us on the right track to succeed in our studies.
During high school, we will take the knowledge and skills we have gained from Columbia and use them to continue our academic journeys. We will also continue to use our skills for any future life struggles that may come our way. We can think of how we solved problems before and how we can apply that knowledge to new challenges.
Although graduating may be difficult, we will still cherish the memories we have made and the accomplishments we have received. I am optimistic about all of our futures, and that we will all achieve our goals. Thank you all for coming tonight, and congratulations to the class of 2024!