When the Dolores High School Class of 2026 marched into the school’s main gym on Friday, excited anticipation filled the air as the graduates took their seats.
The class was welcomed and congratulated by Dolores High School Principal Matt Walker. In his welcome speech, Walker said that nearly 25% of the class was graduating with their associate degree. He also honored William Nielson and Nevaeh Settles, who have enlisted in the U.S. Navy.
“Your accomplishments did not happen by accident. They are the result of hard work, perseverance, the support of your families, teachers, coaches and mentors who helped guide you along the way. Now, after years of early mornings, late nights, victories, setbacks, lessons learned and memories made, your moment has arrived,” Walker said. “The doors of this gym will close behind you today, but the opportunities in front of you are just beginning.”
Senior class president Julianne Vega introduced the graduation speaker, Peter Swingle, Dolores science and drama teacher, who the graduating class chose as their graduation speaker.
Swingle has been teaching for 43 years, 13 of those being in Dolores and is now retiring.
“He is a teacher who is so passionate about what he teaches, as he approaches every lesson with a sense of fascination. He inspires us all to always maintain curiosity and an appreciation for the world around us,” Vega said. “Our class thought that this graduation was the perfect opportunity to send off an unforgettable teacher who will be missed in Dolores, and an opportunity to hear his wisdom one more time.”
Swingle’s address to students consisted of “two poems, one story, four wishes and one gift.”
He urged students not to only learn from others, but to follow where their hearts lead them.
“Be willing to use your mind to gather knowledge from those who know, but also be willing to follow your heart and find your own path to a richer and deeper understanding of wonder,” Swingle said.
Swingle bestowed his wishes upon the students, which were love, wonder, freedom and happiness.
He connected the poems, stories and wishes to his sand collection, which includes samples of sand from all over the world. Some samples have even been gifted to him from students.
Taking a pinch of sand, Swingle let the grains run through his fingers.
“That’s how rapidly the moments of our lives are, but those moments tend to connect in playful and mysterious ways as time flows onward toward the everlasting,” Swingle said. “Promise yourselves that you will be open to finding those connections using your unique gifts, your wonderful minds and your loving hearts.”
Swingle then directed students to reach under their chairs, where they each found a vial of sand from his collection along with a note.
“I gave a small piece of the world to each of you, because each of you means the world to me,” Swingle finished.
Salutatorian Ava Gregory, who will be attending the University of Denver to pursue a degree in English and literary arts addressed the question all of the graduates have been asked throughout high school: “What are you going to do when you graduate?”
Gregory encouraged her peers to choose the future they want and not to be concerned about making sure the plan is “perfect.”
“Remember that this life is yours and no one else's. Do not make decisions in your life on the basis of someone or something else,” Gregory said. “Choose a future because you see yourself in that moment living that life at the end of the day.”
After quoting Henry David Thoreau on living life with intentionality, Gregory said she hopes her fellow graduates live lives that are meaningful.
She said she hopes each graduate lives life “deliberately” and are able too back at their choices with confidence as proof they thrived.
“Your path does not have to be perfect, for each of us will undoubtedly make mistakes, but those mistakes make us just as human as our successes,” she said. “When you find yourself at a crossroads, choosing between a future you see for yourself and the future the others see for you, remember that you only have one future, and only you can decide what that future will mean for you.”
Vega, class valedictorian, reminisced on the class’s eighth grade graduation, sharing that she remembered calling the class “resilient” in her speech on that night years ago. She said she not only sees resilient people, but people who inspire her.
She spoke of the stress that can come from juggling high school classes and activities, acknowledging that the stress will continue to follow them, even as they leave Dolores High School. She encouraged her fellow graduates to find moments of joy in stressful times.
“You can defy your own expectations for yourself,” Vega said. “When the days are really hard to get through, remember the joy you are getting from the beauty that life can show us, the joy you get from doing what you are passionate about. If there is one thing that I can guarantee, it is that if you can find a way to focus on the joy, you will always thank yourself for taking the steps that you did toward reaching your dreams.”
In closing, Vega, who will be attending the University of Colorado Boulder to study elementary education, asked her class to remember the joy and confidence they had as children, using those memories to propel them into the future.
“Channel that boldness and enthusiasm that guided each of our big steps as young children, and take advantage of all the opportunities that come your way,” she said. “Each and every one of you has the potential to be a light in this world, and I truly believe that there are wonderful things in store for you. Be proud of yourself, you have made it, and you will only continue to take steps toward greatness.”
After Vega’s speech, the class lined up to receive their diplomas to the cheers of their loved ones. As the class threw their caps, confetti shot into the air, signifying just how high this class will go as they leave the comfort of high school and step into the next part of their journey.
bduran@the-journal.com
