GSL class of 2015 graduates 133 in annual commencement ceremony

Before a large crowd of family, friends and other well-wishers, 133 Glencoe-Silver Lake (GSL) graduates marched across the stage Friday night to receive their diplomas.
Class President Patrick Kunkel and High School Principal Paul Sparby both addressed the audience during the ceremony.
Kunkel noted that graduation marked the end of students’ tenures at GSL.
“We have finally made it,” said Kunkel. “Twelve years, 2,064 days, 16,512 hours, we have spent in school so far, which is only a third of our lives.”
Kunkel said that while many think “high school is the best days of our lives … I think that’s true only if you stop trying once you leave. As Mr. Schoper always said to us, ‘live in the moment, live in the moment,’ which means to me to focus on what you are doing and have no regrets.”
Kunkel offered these words as his classmates move on to the next phase of their lives: “Work hard and take your hands out of your pockets so that you can climb the ladder to success, and remember that dreams and skill will allow you to start, but drive and determination will carry you to the end.”
Sparby, who chaperoned the FFA chapter to the national convention, quoted a speaker from the convention, Nick Vujicic, an Australian who was born with no arms or legs.
“When you see a man speaking with no arms or legs talking about overcoming challenges, his message carries some clout,” said Sparby.
One of Vujicic’s quotes that resonated with Sparby was this: “Most people never reach their full potential because they won’t try because of fear.”
Vujicic broke down the word “fear” by letter: False Evidence Appearing Real.
“Think of the number of times we are presented with a challenge and we decide it would be easier to just not try than to try and find out we can’t do it and failed.”
Sparby said people need to have the courage to fail in order to be successful in the long run.

For more, see the June 3 print edition of The Chronicle.