By Matt Allen
Valedictorian, Polk County High School

Here we are... Graduation Day! We’ve been looking forward to this day for 13 years. What seemed like an eternity away while we sat in Mrs. Swafford or Ms. Ellis’s class is finally here. And now that we are here, many of us don’t know how to act. Sure, there are some of you who are truly ready to leave this place and never return. I, for one, can’t stand the thought of leaving. Regardless of how bad you hate those tests, and all that homework, Polk County High School is home. And as we all know, there’s no place like home.

Whether you realize it or not, each and every one of you graduates will miss this place for one reason or another. It may be those Friday nights in the fall when we all gather here at Larry G. Davis Football Complex and act like idiots while cheering on our Wildcats. No matter if you were on the field, in the band, on the cheerleading squad, or just a screaming member of the Red Nation, you will never forget those special times. You may miss the simple day to day life here at PCHS. How could you not miss Mr. Bell’s bad jokes, Mr. Jenkins’ all too “unbelievable” stories, or that “unforgettable” senior trip. All these things will surely be missed; however, it is the people sitting in front of me that will be missed the most.

 For the last four years, I have spent more than half of each year with most of you. Some of us have been roaming the same halls for 13 years. It is hard to believe that it is all over. This group will probably never be together again. As a relatively small group, we have grown incredibly close over the years. We have been through so much together. We’ve dodged bombs together, we’ve suffered through hundreds of pounds of pizza and fries together, and how could anyone ever forget that horrible 12 hour bus ride we took together. We’ve seen each other change. From freshman who couldn’t wait to get to school each day just to see how many laps we could do around the library, to seniors who rarely saw first period. From sophomores who hated Copper Basin, to seniors who hate Central. From juniors who had only one more year, to seniors, wishing they had even one more year. With each new day, we, as a class, grew a little closer. And now, after all this time, we must go our separate ways.

Some of us will go directly into the workforce, some will enter the military, and some will continue their education in a college or a technical school. I am confident most of us will lead successful, happy lives. That new chapter of our lives, the grown-up chapter, begins today. We must grow up and move on. As scary as this may sound, it is the reality and we all must face it. However, I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we are all prepared for this incredible challenge. This place, PCHS, has made sure that we will not be overwhelmed by this troubled world.

In just a few short moments, Mr. Cox will turn our tassels and we will no longer be students of Polk County High School. High school will officially be nothing more than fond memories. With tears in our eyes, we will toss our hats in celebration, despite being overcome with sadness. Eventually, we will calm ourselves and realize that this is only the beginning of the happiest times of our lives. The coming days will certainly have more than their fair share of difficult and even tragic times. But no matter how hard times get, I ask you to remain positive each and every day. Be passionate in all you do. Never lose that youthful enthusiasm that I know each of you possesses. In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Nothing great can be accomplished without enthusiasm.” So as we leave here today, wipe those tears from your eyes, and prepare yourself for the most challenging, exciting times of your life.