Mountain View High School graduates and their families gathered at the school’s auditorium on Monday, May 19, for this year’s commencement ceremony.

Grads were welcomed by fellow students playing “Pomp and Circumstance” as the 48 members of the Class of 2025 filed into their seats. Local veterans presented a flag ceremony as student musicians played the “Star Spangled Banner.”

Senior class vice-president Isac Linford then welcomed the crowd and outlined the program. Senior class secretary Nash Piekola spoke briefly next.

“It is my pleasure in welcoming our first salutatorian today, Savanna Crawford,” he said to much applause.

“I want to talk about the journey we have all gone through,” Crawford said,” during our time here at Mountain View High School.” She said that, while they’ve gone through things together as a class — such as the COVID-19 pandemic — each student has had unique experiences.

“We’ve experienced highs, like senior pranks, and lows, like huge tests,” she said. “… Through all that, we have persevered. We have learned, grown. All that was simply part of our journeys.”

Crawford said she made a tough decision to switch a class after the first semester this year; however, she trusted her gut and hasn’t regretted it at all. Crawford introduced another salutatorian — McKinley Covolo.

“… Upon opening my time capsule last week, I found a gem,” Covolo said. “It was a list of goals, and at the bottom of the page, in bright pink marker, it said, ‘I want to be the valedictorian of my class.’”

She joked about all the late nights studying, the “tears and stress over essays” and all the hard work she put in “all this, just to end up tied three ways for second. Great … just kidding.”

Covolo also said in her speech that she’s proud of this year’s valedictorian, Garrett Redden. She thanked her family, teachers, classmates and coaches.

“To keep this short, I’d like to describe our class using three words: bold, creative and unforgettable,” she said.

Laney Jensen, the third of three salutatorians, spoke next.

“While preparing for this speech, I didn’t really know what to say,” Jensen said. “We’ve been so much together as a class, and my fellow salutatorians have already talked about that. … So, as I looked back at the years of classes, I found that I may not know how to find the preposition in a sentence anymore, but I sure know how to play poker. I can’t find the derivative of two curves, but I do know that random acts of kindness count for a lot. I can tell you that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, but what I remember more is seeing whose tin foil boat can hold the most weight, or whose can survive being dropped off the back of the stadium.”

She said she doesn’t remember every practice or game, but she’ll remember the celebrations and spontaneous dance parties that followed.

“As I looked back, I realized what I remember most doesn’t center around what I was supposed to be doing or learning — it centers around the people I was with,” she said. “… The most important things we take from high school won’t be our diplomas — it will be our experiences, memories and friendships.”

The next speaker was Redden, the valedictorian. He was introduced by MVHS Student Body President Clara Romig.

Redden congratulated the graduates and thanked parents and teachers.

“It’s funny how time works,” he said. “I once saw the quote, ‘The flow of time is always cruel.’ So now, whenever I think about time, that’s the first thing that comes to mind.”

He said how time feels different to different people and that sometimes, when you want time to go fast, it moves slowly — and vice versa. He said the time we take to relax and recoup is crucial.

“You are in charge of your own destiny,” Redden said. “You can’t control time, but you can choose how you use it.”

He encouraged fellow graduates to hold onto memories and to look for joy.

“Reach past dark memories and darker times to find joy — it’s fleeting,” the valedictorian continued. “Look for it; create it if you have to. Joy is what we look forward to and what we remember best. Choose to make those good memories and remember those good times and you’ll be a happier person.”

“But don’t dwell on the past,” Redden warned. “Don’t dwell on those memories too much. All memories can make you do is smile or cringe or reflect or learn.”

Uinta County School District #4 Superintendent Jeff Newman addressed the large crowd. Newman is retiring after 34 years of service in education — 26 of which has been in Mountain View and 16 as superintendent.

He was followed by Ron Laird, former director of the Wyoming High School Athletic Association.

MVHS Principal Ben Carr read graduates’ names — to round after round of applause — as school board chair Aaron Rudy, along with current and former school board members helped pass out diplomas.