While the rain persisted outdoors, the indoor joy was obvious last Friday evening as the members of the Becker High School Class of 2015 walked across the stage in the school gymnasium in dignified procession to receive their diplomas, surrounded by the traditional pomp and circumstance the occasion provides.

 

The evening began with the entrance of the graduating seniors as the BHS Wind Ensemble performed Ployhar’s “Fanfare and Processional,” directed by Jessica Gilbertson for the final time as she prepares to leave her post in the Becker district at the end of the school year.

 

Once the graduates were standing in their positions, the Honor Guard from Becker American Legion Post 193 conducted the Presentation of the Colors, followed by the singing of “The Star Spangled Banner” by seniors Sara Gretsch and Krisandra McLaughlin. 

 

Becker Supt. Dr. Stephen Malone and BHS Principal Sandra Logrono then welcomed the audience members to the commencement exercises, followed by the Wind Ensemble performing Rossano Galante’s “Mount Everest,” again directed by Gilbertson. 

 

Following the tradition established last year, the Class of 2015 did not designate a valedictorian or salutatorian to address the graduating class.  Instead, the 2015 Senior Class Speaker was Brittany Bodien, and the Invited Faculty Speaker was BMS teacher Tonja Hanson.

 

After the speakers had concluded their remarks, BHS Choir Director Gretchen Bordson led the ensemble in a performance of “I Hope You Dance,” arranged by Ed. Lojeski. 

Following the choir performance, seniors Sydney Mastey and Danielle Girtz introduced the 2015 inductees into the BHS Graduate Hall of Fame, Kristine Gilyard Kelly, (Class of 1973) and Roger Erickson, (Class of 1971.) 

 

Following the introduction and remarks from the inductees, diplomas and exemplary scholar awards were presented by Malone and Becker Board of Education Chairman Aaron Jurek, with the names of the graduates read aloud by teachers Josh Ihrke and Ben Pany.

 

When the presentations were complete, Logrono formally presented the Class of 2015 to the audience after class president Karly Bauer instructed her classmates to switch the tassels on their mortarboards to the “graduated” position before flinging them into the air.

 

The graduation program included a note which said: “Remembering and missing our friend and classmate Anthony Nelson.”

 

After the Honor Guard retired the Colors, the new graduates exited the gymnasium to the strains of Ralph Vaughn William’s “Fanfare and Recessional.”  They were  and met by an excited throng of friends and family in the BHS field house, as the persistent rain kept the “meet and greet” portion of the evening indoors this year.