Salutatorian

Gavin Smith '21

Salutatorian

Though the virus took a lot away from us, it helped us realize that we have a lot to be grateful for. As other high school students around the country spent their days learning math and physics from behind a screen, we spent our days learning hands-on in the classroom. We constructed robots in engineering class, made pottery in ceramics, and played sports in P.E. All these things and more were only possible in the classroom, and for that we remain grateful for our teachers, administrators, and alumni. The goal of any graduating class is to set the bar higher: in academics, athletics, in the arts, and in our service work. And as a class we certainly accomplished this goal. Nonetheless, while our successes inside and outside of the classroom speak to who we are, a lot of uncertainty remains about who we will become. Though the future ahead seems shrouded in uncertainty and fear, we must recognize that each of us were created for a unique purpose that’s beyond what we can see or comprehend. As young grade schoolers, we had ideas of who we wanted to become - ideas that shed light on how we perceived the reality of the world around us. We wanted to study dinosaurs as paleontologists, journey to outer space as astronauts, and explore a world we knew little of. Through grade school we allowed our identity to be shaped by the world around us. We conformed to standards set by our peers. We tried to be the most popular, to be the best at sports, or to be the smartest at a given subject. But more importantly we just wanted to fit in. Even though our original curiosity began to wear away as we conformed to the standards set for us, our resolve to find purpose stood unchanged. Today as high schoolers we are faced with a similar struggle. We are stepping into a world that's unknown with ideas and convictions developed from the beginning. Our fascination with the world we once knew has evolved, and as we prepare to move forward, we find ourselves both changed and unchanged. We hold on to what we know, but we remain open to the discovery of what we don’t. Experiencing the last four years with all of you has been nothing short of entertaining. Even though we wreaked havoc from time to time, we learned to see each other as people. We discovered what it means to live under Christ’s teaching to love one another as yourself, despite our differences. We realized that we are a part of something that’s bigger than ourselves and that God has a unique plan for each one of us that he has not committed to another. To my graduating class, thank you for teaching me what it means to live each moment as if it was the last. Getting to know all of you as people and going to school with you for the last four years has been the privilege of a lifetime. I came to Holy Family as an outsider and I left as a part of a family. It breaks my heart that I may not see any of you again, but I know each and every one of you is going to do great things in this world, for in front of me today I see leaders. Leaders in medicine, in engineering, in sports, in STEM, in nursing, in law, and so much more. Leaders that are going to make the world a better place. Never forget where you came from and never take your eyes off where you’re heading.

HOLY FAMILY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2017

Annika Achziger Sydney Alderfer Hannah Bach Anna Bakiera Lisa Banda Sarah Barlow Andrew Barrett Christopher Beatty Willow Belenski Nathan Boselli Lindsey Bovine Mitchell Brinton Ryan Brisnehan Brian Burch Andrew Callaway Emily Campbell Zachary Canaday Katelyn Caviness Estrella Chaffin William Chambers Oriana Chavez Raul Chavez Eric Chiusolo Courtney Christenson Colton Clingman Taryn Cook Tucker Corah Jonathan Coufal Jean-Paul Dalton Zachary Dietrich Cory Dillon Angelina Dinsmore Melanie Doty Sophia Duong Enzo Elliott Philip Elliott