McKenna graduation ceremonies held

Emotions ran high as the strains of Pomp and Circumstance filled the air and families and friends stood to honor the graduates of Richard McKenna High School.

In his opening remarks headmaster Jose Madarieta noted that "while other graduation ceremonies often turn into the equivalent of a tailgate party, with beach balls floating through the crowd and silly slogans painted on motor boards," those gathered for the May 21 ceremonies had "come together to recognize a major achievement in these young people's lives, an achievement that deserves all of the dignity we can bring to it."

Special guest speaker Col. Robert Lemmon, 366 Mission Support Group commander, also recognized the depth of emotion present for the ceremonies. He took a few moments to recall some of his own school years, noting that his report cards had not always carried the highest and best grades. He felt sure some of his teachers could never have imagined that one day he would be the guest speaker at a high school graduation.

Lemmon challenged the graduates to look beyond their immediate plans for the future; to look at the possibilities of what you can achieve. As an example, he told a brief story of "Easy Eddy," a lawyer who had played a significant role for Al Capone. Eddy lived the high life and saw to it his son had the best of everything. But he wanted his son to be better than he was. He realized that he had not always set a good example, but he showed integrity when he helped provide the government with information useful in its prosecution of Capone.

On February 20, 1942, a young aviator, Butch O'Hare demonstrated in real life, and when it counted most, the fighting skills he had mastered. The carrier Lexington had been assigned the dangerous task of penetrating enemy-held waters north of New Ireland. Six Wildcats, one of them piloted by Butch O'Hare, roared off the Lexington's deck to stop them. O'Hare and his wingman spotted the V formation of bombers first and dived to try to head them off. The other F4F pilots were too far away to reach most of the enemy planes before they released their bombs. As if this weren't bad enough, O'Hare's wingman discovered his guns were jammed. He was forced to turn away. Butch O'Hare stood alone between the Lexington and the bombers.

O'Hare didn't hesitate. Slugs from the Wildcat's six .50-caliber guns ripped into the Japanese bomber's wing and the bomber spun crazily toward the sea as O'Hare's guns tore up another enemy plane. Then he ducked to the other side of the formation and smashed the port engine of the last Japanese plane there.

One by one he attacked the oncoming bombers until five had been downed. He had probably saved his ship. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and was the first aviator to be awarded the highest decoration of his country, the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Today that medal is on display between hangars one and two at the Chicago airport -- the O'Hare airport, named for Easy Eddy's son, Butch O'Hare. Butch proudly took lessons from his father's life and maintained the integrity his father had shown, Lemmon explained.

"Our future is tied to your possibilities, how you use what you have learned. We look forward to the great summertime of your life."

Madarieta pointed out graduation ceremonies are one of the few rights of passage that we have in American culture. "These graduates have continuously met a high behavioral standard and are definitely worthy of the passage into the adult world."

It is traditional that the valedictorian and salutatorian of the graduating class deliver a speech. "We, however, have seldom been accused of being traditional. It is our practice to invite any member of the graduating class who wishes to speak to do so." Keoni Nelson, Cynthia McKee and Richard Jerrett took the opportunity to thank all who had helped them reach the milestone of graduation. They stressed their appreciation for the education that is responsible for turning the students of today into the citizens of tomorrow.

"Commencement speakers are traditionally supposed to urge you to rise to the highest challenge, pursue the impossible dream, excel in the loftiest ambitions," said Madarieta.

"You will undoubtedly be call to serve in the great and earth-shattering events of our future. And serve you will. … I am asking you to do the harder things, those things that seem to be getting harder every day: to be a good husband -- or wife; a strong father -- or mother; the father who wants the respect of his children more than a promotion at work or the key to the executive washroom; the mother who knows that caring for an infant or child is not an admission of professional failure; to be an honorable friend and neighbor; be the employee that gives an hones day's work -- the employer who rewards loyalty and service; the stranger who goes out of his way to help someone in need; the craftsman who builds each house as if he himself were going to live in it; be those changes that you wish to see in the world and more importantly, be those changes you wish to see in the world you will pass on to your children."

School Board Trustee Doug Belt had the honor of presenting diplomas to the graduates.

Graduates of the Richard McKenna High School Class of 2004 included: Jacob David Davis, Robert Chad Doty, Brian Michael Hindt, Sherry Ann James, Richard Paul Jerrett, Cesar Arteaga Juarez, Jake Bradley Kelley, Mark Ryan Lawson, Suzanne Marie Leigh, Martin Albert Longhurst, Davee Sue (Adamnson) Lopez, Hannah Lea Marston, Cynthia Jean McKee, Keoni James Nelson, Rachel Ann Peterson, Justin Douglas Phillips, Lane Sherman Ray and John Michael Salsberry.