TOWER- It was a full house at Vermilion Country School as 13 graduates received their diplomas in front of family and friends. There was a bit of last minute scrambling as school staff rounded up enough chairs for the overflow crowd.
School director Sam O’Brien thanked all the people who had supported these graduates on their journey through childhood and high school.
And two of the many adults who provided support for students during the school year took a turn talking to the graduates before they received their diplomas.
Matt Nelson, the school’s Check and Connect advisor, talked about how fun it was to watch how much the students had grown over the school year.
“You’ve made it this far,” he said, “but this is only the first step.” He reminded the students that they will make mistakes along the road to adulthood and told them to remember to “learn as you go.”
Lindsey Hagen, the school’s ADAPT counselor, talked about the transition from student to adult.
“You will encounter setbacks,” she said, “but also great success and adventures.”
She urged students to allow themselves to recognize change and opportunities, and to practice the art of gratitude, stopping to recognize the joy and beauty in everyday moments.
“Gratitude allows you to change your attitude,” she said. She also reminded them there are no handbooks to becoming an adult.
“We are all making it up as we go,” she said. “Be brave, be excited, be kind, and be true to yourselves.”
Senior Hannah Johnson, who was chosen as the recipient of the school’s EMPOWER scholarship of $1,000, thanked all the parents and teachers who had nurtured her and her classmates’ dreams. She likened the path ahead to lessons she had learned from her horses. If you fall off, she said, you have to get right back on.
After the ceremony, graduates and their families visited over cake and refreshments, viewing photos of the seniors, and looking at projects they had completed over the school year.
Graduates this year are: Brody Anderson, Nathan Brunner, Samuel Favet, Ryan Fenske, Asher Folz, Hannah Johnson, Elliott Koschak, Jacob Lee, Ella Nappa, Jace Olson, Isaiah Pederson, Ailie Petrzilka, and Brandon (Jay) Strange.

Above: VCS Class of 2024. Right: Elliot Koschak gets a hug from his younger sister Nora. photos by J. Summit