Tears, cheers abound at Box Elder 2015 graduation

Alicia Wolf Child handed her mother a flower and the two embraced. and a few tears were shed.

That took place during a traditional part of the Box Elder High School graduation ceremonies. Graduating seniors pick up flowers, and they leave the stage to walk into the audience where they hand flowers to parents, relatives and friends who helped them reach their goal.

"I felt happy, proud," Rebecca Wolf Chief, Alicia's mom, said after the ceremony, as she waited in line to shake hands with the 17 graduates who lined up in their blue and white gowns, waiting for greetings. "I felt I did a good job raising my daughter."

Alicia was known for her success on the basketball court, but her mom was just as proud of her academic success.

"She was a scholar," she said, "not just an athlete."

From the tears and cheers heard throughout Bear Gymnasium Saturday afternoon, it was clear the same pride was felt by parents of the other grads.

During the ceremonies, first-year principal Jeremy McDonald saluted all the parents, guardians and friends who helped the students succeed and asked them to all stand and give themselves a round of applause.

This class was special, he said.

He rattled off the names of each of the seniors and their plans for the future. Every graduate is going to college, he said.

The keynote speaker, Chippewa Cree tribal council member Dustin Whitford addressed the group, as he did once before when he spoke at their junior high graduation.

He too praised parents, friends, relatives, educators, administrators and maintenance people who have helped the students over the years.

"You have people who love you, you have people believe in you, you have people who have stayed up at night waiting for you," he said.

He said these were the people who "saw you take your first steps."

They will also be the ones who will see them get their college degree get their first job and take part in their wedding, he said to the grads.

Whitford told them to savor their time with friends and relatives.

"Enjoy the little things in life." he advised. "because they usually turn out to be the big things."

Valedictorian Misty-Sakihikawa Pisim Baker gave an inspirational speech in which she praised her family for being supportive.

She thanked her grandparents for urging her to work hard at school.

"In the horse days, you needed your tools to survive," she said. "today it's education, you need that to survive."

The graduates then handed out gifts to teachers, administrators and supporters.

They received their diplomas as cameras flashed and processed out of the gymnasium as Daryl Wright II sang a traditional recessional.

The Box Elder Class of 2015 includes:

Misty-Sakihikawa Pisim Baker; Krista Chief Stick; Jonathan Four Colors Jr .; Leilani Gardipee; Talon Morsette; Dominique Nault; Nathan Parker; ChiRaine Windy Boy; Alicia Wolf Chief; Quinn Baker; Irene Denny; Alexander Gardipee; Clayton Morsette Jr .; Jenna Parker; Spencer Seaton, and Stephanie Sutherland