Spring Street School graduation 2002

A full house at San Juan Community Theatre celebrated the graduation of the last of the original students of Spring Street School. Five of ten graduates enrolled as sixth-graders when the school was founded in 1995.

Director Peg Hope frequently repeated her promise "to be brief" during the emotional ceremony. Her husband Ted, teacher and overseas travel coordinator at the school, spoke about each of the graduates elicting knowing laughs from the students. The Hope's daughter Becca was one of the graduates.

Valedictorian James Kellogg presented the valedictory address. Scholarships were handed out from Dollars for Scholars, the Lions Club, the American Legion Auxiliary, the San Juan County Association of Realtors, DAR, Island Artisans and Coldwell Banker. Kellogg earned a Dollars for Scholars scholarship and donated it back to the organization.

Peg Hope presented the Directors award scholarship from the school to Ceradwen Bacon and Jacob Dubail.

Peggy Masters was chosen by the graduates to give the commencement address. She concluded her remarks by reciting the poem The Gift by William Stafford.

The Gift

By William Stafford
Time wants to show you a different country It's the one that your life conceals, the one waiting ouside when the curtains are drawn, the one Grandmother hinted at in her crochet design, the one almost found over at the edge of the music, after the sermon.

It's the way life is, and you have it, a few years given.
You get killed now and then, violated in various ways. (And sometimes it's turn about). You get tired of that. Long-suffering, you wait and pray, and maybe good things come - maybe the hurt slackens and you hardly feel it anymore. You have breath without pain. It is called happiness.

It's a balance, the taking and passing along, the composting of where you've been and how people and weather treated you. It's a country where you already are, bringing where you have been. Time offers this gift in its millions of ways, turning the world, moving the air, calling every morning. "Here, take it, it's yours."

After the ceremony, the graduates, families and friends gathered in the Gubelman room for refreshments and congratulations.

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Graduates

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SPRING STREET SCHOOL GRADUATION 2002

The last of the first graduate from Spring Street School

The Gift