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May 16, 2009

Marlow graduates 88 seniors

Tears, laughter, respect fill night for Class of ’09

Derrick Miller

MARLOW — There were tears, laughter and an exchange of respect as the Marlow High School Class of 2009 became official students of the real world, no longer of the classrooms at MHS.

The MHS senior class graduated Friday in the Multi-purpose building on Ninth Street in Marlow. The students were recognized by a teaming effort between Principal Wayne Moore and Superintendent George Coffman. Moore announced names, as Coffman distributed diplomas to the students.

The class, which consisted of 88 seniors, gave several students an opportunity to talk to the crowd. These students included Tyler Fikes, who welcomed the crowd; Andrew Ligon, who delivered the commencement address; and Bretlie Richardson, who gave the farewell address.

In the commencement address, Ligon spoke to his peers and told them high school gave them a chance to set goals, but it’s what they do after graduation that defines whether they’re successful in their endeavors.

“Will you follow mediocrity or will you achieve greatness?” Ligon said. “What will define you is what you do after you fail.

“We can truly be our own worst enemies.”

He said success comes to people when they properly set goals to accomplish, instead of trying to achieve someone else’s idea of success.

“Success is possible,” Ligon said. “If it weren’t, how could anyone succeed?

“You can achieve anything you define as success.”

To sum up his speech, Ligon told his classmates that he can foresee them all being successful, as long as they’re willing to work for it.

“I have no doubt the Class of 2009 will leave an incredible mark,” he said.

In Richardson’s farewell address, she provided a similar view of success. She said moving forward, toward accomplishment, takes much hard work, which is what the high school experience was about.

“Here we are, about to take this giant step and start a new chapter,” Richardson said.

While success may be the aim of all the students, she said, mistakes will happen. It’s in these mistakes the seniors will find the tools they need to be success.

“Making mistakes is a part of life,” Richardson said. “As we go our separate ways, never be afraid to take chances.”

She said MHS defined each senior as a person, but commencement marked the moment the students needed to rely on what they learned.

“Be proud of where you came from because being an Outlaw is an honor,” Richardson said.

Although Coffman may have officially declared the class as graduated, Richardson made such a declaration in his farewell address.

“I think what we’ve all been waiting to hear is ‘Congratulations Class of 2009. We made it,’” she said.

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