‘Give people something to talk about’

The 30 graduates of Seward High School were honored Wednesday night at a ceremony in their school’s gym. The assembled graduates took time to look back on the Seward community that influenced them and looked ahead to their different ambitions and paths.

Salutatorian Trevor Guernsey thanked his classmates and teachers for a fun four years. He took time to recognize family members and teachers who inspired him both academically and in athletics. He conceded that he didn’t have the time to individually thank every person who served as an inspiration in his life, so he offered quick words of advice like “do sports” and “catch lots of fish.”

Similarly to Guernsey, Valedictorian John Van Buskirk recognized the people who make up Seward High School as instrumental to his class arriving at graduation.

“Now, sadly — or gladly — it is time to move on to the next adventure,” he said.

Those adventures might look different for each of them, he said. Some might go to college, or trade school, or get a job, or join the military. What they all share is “a bright future ahead.”

“Get out and do something with your life,” he said. “Give people something to talk about — whether its a cautionary tale or an inspirational one.”

Commencement speaker Stephanie Cronin called graduation a beginning. She said its something that each of them have prepared for all their lives. To that end, she shared words of wisdom sourced from Seward educators and staff who played a role in their education across all their years in school — beginning in kindergarten. A theme across those messages, she said, was “be kind.”

Seward High School 2024 graduates

Kupono Albino

Bengimin Ambrosiani

Nickolas Ambrosiani

Arianna Anderson

Casey Bryden

Ruth Christiansen

Robin Cronin

Bergen Davis

Keira Dixon

Stella Dow

Trevor Guernsey