What are you doing with your dash?
That was the question Chris Bachmeier, dean of students of Littlefork-Big Falls School, asked graduating seniors Friday evening.
During the graduation ceremony, Bachmeier, who also teaches social studies, shared with students a lesson he recently learned from a documentary.
“When we die, most of us have a tombstone. And on our tombstone, the information that is always present is our name, our birth date, and the date of our death,” Bachmeier said. “However, so often we forget about the dash that comes in between the birth date and the date of your death...I ask you, my students, do not squander your dash. For I know each and every one of you has the capability to make your dash meaningful.”
Bachmeier addressed the 23 graduating seniors during an hour full of smiles, laughter and many hugs and tears.
Valedictorian Cassy Hawkinson and salutatorian Garret Larson gave a combined speech about accomplishments, challenges and hopes for the future.
“Although we thought this day would never come, here we are,” Hawkinson said.
“Today is a happy day,” Larson said. “This is a celebration of all the good times we’ve shared.”
Memories were shared with the audience, such as when the class played “house” and pretended to be dogs during recess. The graduating students, donned in black and orange robes, smiled as they reflected on the lessons learned throughout the years.
“Between kindergarten and today, we learned a few things that don’t exactly pertain to school,” Larson said.
“We’ve learned that sometimes, it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission,” Hawkinson added.
Nearly all of the members of the close-knit group of students shed tears during the ceremony when each of them carried flowers to their family members in the audience. The bouquets of tiger lilies, the class flower, were exchanged with long hugs in appreciation to those who made a difference in the students’ journey.
Family and the support of loved ones were addressed in every speech given that night. Fred Seybert, superintendent of the L-BF school district, asked the students to always remember and honor their parents and grandparents.
“When people leave the community, they often, for whatever reason, forget their roots,” Seybert said to the crowd. “So I would ask the graduates to never forget their roots.”
Pride and gratitude were key themes of the ceremony.
“Each year, it doesn’t cease to amaze me what kind of students this district puts out,” Seybert said.
As Bachmeier stood at the podium, he stopped to turn and face the students seated by his side. “Congratulations to you, for the pens writing your stories are now full of ink, and you are just finishing a large chapter in your book,” he said. “You are looking to begin a new chapter, and what I am hoping for you is one exciting story.”
Bachmeier thanked each student for their ability to play a role in making a difference in the dash, or the lives, of other people.
“These graduating seniors are a special group of young men and women. They exemplify everything it is to be an L-BF Viking,” Bachmeier said. “Each one of them is studious, hard-working, caring and honest. These seniors stick together through thick and thin, and have the ability to raise our community and our country to new heights.”
Looking ahead, students celebrated the possibilities of the time to come. Larson said his class will have years “that will be filled with even more unpredictable moments.”
“We have endless opportunities, and the future looks bright for all of us,” Hawkinson added.
The two students shared the 2012 L-BF class motto.
“In the future, we won’t see each other as often as we wish,” Hawkinson said. “But life gives us tears, smiles and memories.”
“The tears dry, the smiles fade, but the memories we have will last forever,” Larson said.
