“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” – Henry David Thoreau
Today I had the pleasure of watching our graduating seniors return to their elementary schools and to the middle school in their caps and gowns and do a graduation walk to the loud cheering of our younger students.
The seniors were beaming with pride as they slapped high fives with the younger students who looked up to them with big smiles and awe on their faces.
We started this tradition several years ago to come together as a school community and celebrate our seniors, who represent the pride of our district and the culmination of all our efforts as teachers, leaders and educators.
These walks also inspire our younger students to dream big, set goals, and work hard to achieve them, and do it all with the support of our teachers.
I am grateful for all of our effective and committed educators that have supported these students from the day they began kindergarten through the final days of their senior year. You saw the best in these students and helped them to see it in themselves; and you helped them to develop into the young adults they are today.
Our high school offers so many pathways to success that our students have had the opportunity to take advantage of, including: career and technical classes and certificates, AP and honors courses, opportunities to earn college credit and an associates’ degree while still in high school. And they have had lots of engaging music, theatre, arts, FFA, sports and other opportunities to develop as individuals and leaders.
We would like to congratulate the 83 seniors who have already received acceptance into college, many of whom have also earned scholarships.
In addition, 50 of our graduating seniors (35%) have earned industry certificates in various career fields through our Career and Technical Education pathways and through our partnership with Pueblo Community College.
We would also like to congratulate our students who have chosen to enlist in the military or who are moving directly into a career.
Finally, for the first time, we are graduating two students who earned their associate degrees while enrolled at MCHS and 89 of our graduating seniors (63%) who were able to earn college credit during their time at MCHS.
We are so proud of each of our graduates. I will be standing with our board and faculty and cheering for each of them at graduation as they walk across the stage and into the next phase of their lives in pursuit of their goals.
I believe that we have prepared them with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to pursue their dreams. I hope they know that wherever they go in their lives, we are here cheering them on and they will always have the support of our community behind them.
Lori Haukeness is superintendent of Montezuma-Cortez School District RE-1. Reach her at lhaukeness@cortez.k12.co.us.
