Seniors graduate at Saturday ceremony

Seniors from Bigfork High School’s class of 2011 turned their tassels and tossed their caps in front of a packed gym at the graduation ceremony Saturday.

For those receiving diplomas, the day represented a culmination of four years of hard work and dedication.

Before names were called and diplomas collected, several speakers took the stage to offer their insights and observations on the momentous occasion.

In his introductory address, principal Matt Jensen congratulated the graduates on their many achievements.

“If you’re a senior, today will most likely be a blur,” he said. “Praise, well wishes and honor will be heaped on you. Appreciate it.”

Jensen also acknowledged the parents of the graduates for their unwavering support in helping their children earn those blue caps and gowns.

“If you’re a parent, be proud and be proud of yourselves. No really, I know all that you have gone through to get them here,” he said.

Seven students in the class of 2011 obtained perfect four-year cumulative 4.0 grade point averages, earning them valedictory honors.

Instead of addressing the crowd individually, the valedictorians — Bailey Vogt, Mallery Knoll, Travis Knoll, Hannah Barrett, Quinci Paine, Austin Kelleher and Kate Lamm — gave a combined speech in which each student invented a personal meaning for each of the seven letters in the word Bigfork.

The speech was marked by a balance of both funny and reflective moments, beginning with Mallery’s description of the letter B.

“The first simple word that came to mind was blue. Okay, well, it was actually boys, but that’s a whole other speech,” she joked.

Paine doled out a few words of wisdom in her description of the word if.

“If is a very important word because if means you have choices. You may make good choices and bad choices, but at least you have ifs,” she said.

Travis followed with his speech on gratitude, in which he thanked friends, family, teachers and coaches for their constant support.

“Whether it be going on an excursion into caves in the Grand Canyon, earning a state championship, venturing to Spain and experiencing different cultures, or simply working with some of the most intelligent and passionate teachers and coaches you will ever meet, it is difficult to express the vast amount of gratitude we have for all of you,” he said.

Vogt continued with her piece on friendship, in which she emphasized how much she and her fellow graduates are affected by the company they keep.

“As your friendships move through life, who knows the changes and accomplishments you will also make,” she said.

Kelleher’s piece on the letter O elicited more than a few chuckles from the crowd.

“O is for awesome,” he said. “Because there are so many awesome things about this graduation class. The awesome community, the awesome faculty, the awesome teachers and the awesome students.”

Barrett reminded her classmates to cherish the memories they have of their high school experience.

“R is for remember,” she began. “When it’s all said and done, all that really matters isn’t the things we did, but the effects they have had on us. It’s not what we’ve learned, but how we apply it. As words fade, the feelings will endure. These memories will shape our future.”

Finally, Lamm spoke of four keys of success: acceptance, passion, confidence and faith.

“Seniors, our future is bright. Live it out to its full potential,” she concluded.

The class of 2011 chose Bigfork High School librarian and activities director Matt Porrovecchio as the keynote speaker at Saturday’s ceremony.

In his address, Porrovecchio, a Bigfork alum, shared with the newest generation of Bigfork grads a few tokens of advice about their future.

“As much, if not more so than at any other point in your life, what you choose to do in the next weeks, months and years will have a profound impact on you and those around you,” he said.

Though he admitted that he is a “far different” person now than he was on the day he graduated, Porrovecchio urged students to never lose sight of who they are as they face the changes ahead.

“Trust your instincts, but relish in the friendships that sustain and guide you,” he said. “I look out and see an audience filled with people proud of what you have become.”