Kiona-Benton graduation: 'Life will come anyway'

Valedictorian Blake Hirschi offered her classmates a cautionary choice at Kiona-Benton City High School’s graduation.

Will the 90-plus members of the class of 2014 be like the small amoeba she once observed through a microscope as a young child, frolicking in its miniscule world before being suddenly consumed by a larger amoeba?

Or will her fellow students recognize that life is full of pitfalls and enjoy themselves but also be prepared?

“If we think all we need to do now that we’ve made it this far is relax and play, life will come anyway,” Hirschi said. “If we attempt to build a barricade of high school memories in the glory days and forever live behind it, life will come anyway.”

Salutatorian Megan Manson noted that there are already proven winners graduating in the form of several student-athletes. But each senior has the ability to be a champion and now it’s time to make that true.

“We will be challenged, we will stumble, we’ll probably fail a few times but that’s OK because it’s all part of the process of growing up,” Manson said.

This story was originally published June 7, 2014 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Kiona-Benton graduation: 'Life will come anyway'."