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06/14/2019 12:00 AMBefore a crowd of cheering family and friends, 266 Daniel Hand High School (DHHS) students walked across the stage to receive their diplomas on June 14.
The evening’s program included performances by the DHHS band and orchestra and remarks from school officials as well as speeches from the class essayist, salutatorian, valedictorian, and others.
Valedictorian Chloe Veth congratulated her fellow graduates on all they have accomplished. Veth commented on things she and fellow graduates can now do at their age, including taking passengers in their cars and voting, but also some more significant changes.
“We will vote for the next president and we can join the armed forces – a thank you to those who will serve to defend our country,” she said. “We have always had responsibility but today we transition from being taken care of to being part of the solution for the next generation. This is an awesome responsibility. We will not be perfect young adults. We will make mistakes. Just remember Winston Churchill’s words, ‘Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm’. We live in a great town that is part of a great nation, a nation that has resources but more importantly has amazing people. People with creativity and stamina and today we take a big step to joining other Americans in their responsibility to lead the world in discovery, industry, and compassion.”
Class Salutatorian Christopher Wu gave a comical, yet serious speech that touched upon some of the realities of growing up in a small town and the challenges that may await many graduates when they leave Madison.
“We know little, and I especially know little,” he said. “Recognizing this fact will help you stay open-minded as you leave Madison, and for some of you, embark on a four year vacation funded by the Bank of Mommy and Daddy. I hope you question your deepest beliefs and what you think you already know. I hope you meet a variety of different people and try to learn from them, or at the very least expand your worldview. Most of all, I hope that when you look back, you can’t fathom high school being the, ‘best four years of your life’ — not for a lack of positive memories, but because the rest of your life has exceeded what you thought possible in high school. Good luck; you’ll need it.”