SLIDESHOW; Composite photo HERE
By Paula Pyzik Scott
The 2024 Ada High School ceremony on Sunday, May 26 followed many traditions: the procession across the stage with each graduate’s name called and diploma awarded, ceremonial and celebratory music performed by the band and choir, and even the waving of programs to cool the faces of those in attendance. This is expected to be the last year where programs are valued as fans: air conditioning of the main gym is in the works.
This was the 141st annual Ada High School Commencement. There were 59 graduates celebrated. Classmate Maria Suarez, who passed away in 2012, was commemorated with an empty seat and a red rose on the stage.
The program included a moment of reflection by SaraLynn Myers, President of the Class of 2024, who encouraged her classmates, “Don’t be afraid to get back up” should you fall and who noted, “Today’s actions are tomorrow’s memories.”
High School Principal Dan Lee welcomed all to a program that acknowledged the accomplishments of Ada High School and Apollo Career Center graduates, which included 13 with honors diplomas, 21 National Honor Society members and 9 Apollo Career Center students. Three students were recognized for enlisting in the U.S. military. There were 25 students who earned a 3.5 GPA or higher.
Superintendent Dennis Recker introduced the 2024 Salutatorian Jackson Brown and Valedictorians Autumn Andreasen, Dakota Gossman, Brayden Hunsicker, Abid Khan, Ashlyn Madison, Ella Marshall and Josie Phillips. Each came to the podium with reflections on their time together as a class, which included the 2019 World Record Football Toss, having completed thousands of assignments, expecting to meet actual canine bulldogs at school, and finding essential support from each other.
When Speaker Kyle Poling, an agronomist and AHS parent and graduate, addressed the audience, he spoke about how this was a “fully digital class.” He encouraged the group to be “humble, hungry and smart,” providing examples ranging from Warren Buffet to Martin Luther King, Jr.
The 2024 graduates were then presented by Kristin Salyer, the Senior Class Advisor. With all robed in deep purple, graduates crossed the stage with hair styles and footwear ranging from sparkling platform sandals to canvas hightops providing a kind of punctuation to the process.
The finishing touches on the ceremony were the swoosh of tassels from right to left and explosion of metallic confetti cannons.
