MLHS graduates its 2004 class Friday evening

More than three hundred lives changed forever on Friday evening.

Under the sweltering warmth of the Big Bend Community College's gymnasium, and with parents and friends watching from the stands, Moses Lake High School saluted its graduating class of 2004.

MLHS principal David Balcom greeted the graduating class and praised them, saying they had left an indelible mark on his school.

Balcom's words were followed by remarks by students Shawn Goicochea and Kevin Jackson. Goicochea underscored the importance of the evening by saying that their lives would change as never before as the evening wore on.

"Life is a journey, not a destination," he said.

Jackson put emphasis on the years gone by before graduation, saying "we spent 12 years working toward this, an evening in funny robes and ridiculous caps."

He addressed the parents' feelings, saying that the sensations of relief they must be feeling made the evening a perfect time "to ask them for money."

He thanked the teachers in the audience, saying the best of them taught the students not what to think but how to think, and advising his fellow students to never forget the lessons these teachers taught them.

Jackson made a special mention of those students who will end up in Iraq. "For those of you who will take that step, we will pray for your safe return and we thank you for defending our freedom," Jackson said, eliciting an ovation from the crowd.

After the students' words, a slide show presentation took place, followed by the awarding of diplomas.

Balcom said that the highlight of this graduating class is that many of its students have been together since their middle school years, as well as the fact that this is the same class that came into MLHS alongside Balcom four years ago.

"That is what is really special with this group," he said. "This is my first group of students, they came to high school with me. That is pretty special to me personally."

Balcom added that as an educator, what goes through his mind when a class graduates is whether they have prepared the youth for the road ahead.

"The world has changed dramatically in the last four to five years," he said.

Nevertheless, he said he remains optimistic. "They have some extraordinarily talented people in this class," he said. "I hope they continue to use those talents for the positive."