Saxony Lutheran High School senior Samuel Bonney was quite fond of quoting Principal Mark Ruark periodically throughout the year with one saying.
“You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”
That was one of the messages that Ruark imparted on the Class of 2021 during their graduation ceremony on Sunday in the Gerhard Birk Gymnasium.
Ruark choked up as he said good-bye to 47 seniors as they gathered together for the last time.
“God has much plannedfor you as you move on from Saxony,” Ruark said in his opening remarks of the ceremony. “You have left your principal with many indelible memories that I will cherish forever.”
After having a later-than-normal ceremony for the 2020 class last June, Saxony’s commencement returned to a sense of normalcy this year, as there were no COVID-19 restrictions for the ceremony. Ruark praised the class for their perseverance throughout the school year, including when the school did away with its mask mandate in April and did not miss a single day for quarantine.
“This senior class has been through two school years that have been unlike any other and have faced more adversity than most,” Ruark said. “The senior class came into the school year more determined than ever to have a normal year. With their faith in God they have persevered to see this day.”
Senior Brock Engert and Senior Class President Sydney Turner both addressed the audience and class of graduates as is customary during ceremonies, but not as valedictorian and salutatorian. Instead, students were given honor cords to signify the Latin distinction of their grade point average: summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude . A total of 33 students graduated with honors.
Summa Cum Laude graduates (3.75-4.0 GPA) were Paul Adams, Megan Benkendorf, Gavin Boehme, Savannah Cork, Brock Engert Alec Horn, Tanner, King, Joel Koenig, Maddox Murphy, Seth Sievers, Skyler Soto, Zachary Thieret, Abigail Thomason, Sydney Turner, and Carson Williams.