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By Nature Sargent – Contributor

Welcome to the 50th Commencement Exercise of Justin Ford Kimball High School, held Friday June !  Right away Kimball Principal Earl Jones encourages us to remember the dignity of the occasion.  His urgings fell on deaf ears, in the loud, joyful crowd.  Mr. Jones followed his admonishment with introducing those seated on the dais.  Notables included District 6 Board Trustee Carla Ranger, Valedictorian Taylor McKinney and Salutatorian Armando Estrada.

Of the 240 graduates, 200 applied to institutions of higher learning.  To date, 150 acceptance letters have been received.  Congratulations to all graduates and soon to be college freshmen among them.  Keep on pushing!

Armando Estrada, Salutatorian graduating with High Honors, Texas Scholar, member National Honor Society, and AP RAE Scholarship recipient gave a beautiful address.  His address was about memories and trials survived by this senior class.  “Our sophomore year was the trial of death; it made us stronger and more determined,” he stated, referring to a class member who died young, but has not been forgotten.  He continued speaking concerning trials of realization, graduation and life.  To paraphrase, this time last year as they said good-bye to junior year they were stunned to realize they were no longer adolescents; but young adults.  The trial of graduation with its attendant drama is closely followed by the trial of life and he passionately urged his fellow Knights to “live to your fullest!”

The young Mr. Estrada was followed by the choir, under the direction of Mr. Bruce Limuel.  “Oh Lord we give you praise and oh Lord we bless your name and we lift our voices to say thank you for your goodness and mercy toward us,” gorgeously rendered and entirely appropriate verse repeated sweetly with strong support from the soprano section.  Sopranos make everything light and airy, very enjoyable; in fact, the crowd stopped talking and listened.

Taylor McKinney, Valedictorian graduating with High Honors, Texas Scholar, member National Honor Society and an AP RAE Scholarship recipient, began her address by thanking God,  family, parents, teachers, coaches, and friends on behalf of the class.  She continued by asking, “What was high school?  For some of us it was a push from our teachers.  For some, it was our parents who told us the truth when we didn’t want to hear it.  For others, it was our friends who stood by us when we chose a different path.”  Her address was sincere, meaningful and blessedly short.

Brenda Crespo, Senior Class Vice President and Texas Scholar introduced Carla Ranger with a poised reading of Ms. Ranger’s biography.  Ms. Ranger’s charge to the graduates was, “Keep on Pushing!”  Referencing an old song by Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions she had crowd and graduates fully engaged.  The final charge came from the crowd.  On Ms. Ranger’s 1-2-3 count we told graduates to, “Keep on Pushing!”  The class of 2010, standing tall responded with “MMMHHHMMM!”  You had to be there.

Keep on pushing neighbors!

Photos by Damien Carter