McKenna High School graduates 25

Wednesday, May 23, 2007
McKenna graduation ceremony.

It was a time to celebrate the accomplishment of many challenges met and look forward to a time of new beginnings as 25 young men and women graduated from Richard McKenna Charter High School in Mountain Home this past Saturday.

For all of the students, the ceremony was an important milestone in their lives that held special significance for all those who had stumbled and lost their way early in their academic experience.

Recognized as a "non-traditional school for a non-traditional student", the alternative high school provides an opportunity for the students to complete their secondary education and receive a high school diploma.

Family and friends filled the Nazarene Church, where the ceremony was held, to show their support for the hard work and perseverance that the students gave in pursuit of that important goal.

In the absence of a traditional keynote speaker, instructor Jose Madarieta offered some wisdom to the students to remember as they travel their path through life:

"The truly great deeds are the small everyday actions of an ordinary life:

*Remember that to maintain a successful relationship you must care, communicate, and compromise. Remember, it's never a good deal unless both partners benefit equally.

*Be a strong father or mother.

*Be an honorable friend or neighbor.

*Be a citizen who makes the time to volunteer when and where help is needed.

*Be the employee that gives an honest day's work; the employer who rewards loyalty and service.

*Be the stranger who is not afraid to stop to help someone in need.

*Be the craftsman who builds each house as if he himself we're going to live in it."

Madarieta described the event as the students "rite of passage" and "they have every right to be proud" of being a graduate of Richard McKenna Charter High School.

Lastly, he encouraged them to "remember who they are."

The names of the students graduating this year are:

Sabrina R. Adamson, Danielle R. Billinger, Kaylee A. Brummitt,

Raedean M. Burbank, Jesse P. Burton, Anthony J. Cadena,

Zachary E. Carpenter, Paul A. Coffey, Jeffery B. Dills,

Benjamin M. Downen, Katrina R. Dunham, Angel G. Gilliam, Sara L. Griffin,

Sean M. Hatfield, Nicholas B. Hopkins, James E. Lambrecht,

Sarah D. McNamar, Samantha L. Meyers, Jemmar L. Miller,

Amanda S. Pitts, Cody F. Richards, Amanda E. Swiegard,

Nicholas H. Szafranski, Chasity G. Tapp, and Andrea N. Tucker.

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