Lindsey Aden’s story began long before her time.

The St. Joseph-Ogden Class of 2020 Valedictorian recognizes this.

“My love of learning was found at a very young age as a result of many of my family members,” Aden said. “My grandmothers taught at both high schools and universities, and I was often seen running around classrooms at their heels. My mother also instilled a love of reading into me by taking me to countless libraries and bookstores growing up. 

“Being the youngest in both my immediate and extended families, I always thrived on soaking up information from those around me whenever I could. To me, learning means knowledge and all of the amazing opportunities that it can bring you.”

The fruits of Aden’s heart to succeed has already shown great rewards. 

During her time at St. Joseph-Ogden, Aden took part in the Advisory Mentoring Program, Student Council, FFA, National Honor Society, Spanish Club, FCA, Maroon Platoon, and the “We The People” Constitution team. She is also an Illinois State Scholar as well as the High Honor roll all eight semesters of her high school career. 

“I served as the Vice President of both Student Council and FFA, as well as an officer for both NHS and Spanish Club,” she said. “My senior year, I played on the SJO third Place State volleyball team, and I also served as a Unit Leader for our 2nd Place State Constitution Team.”

But, it wasn’t all work. Spending time with her peers, especially during the 2019 Homecoming week is something that she will always carry with her.

“Since we did not have a senior prom or formal graduation, this was one of the only times our class was able to spend simply having fun and enjoying our last moments together,” she said. “We had fun spending time together as a class at events over the year like Spartalympics, Varsity Volleyball Games, and our Homecoming Dance.”

She has spent the last nine weeks wrapping up meetings and working with her classmates, taking AP exams while also looking forward to taking college courses over the summer months. 

“I’ve spent some time with my friends and enjoyed soaking up the last of our time together as a class,” Aden said. “I’m excited for graduation and the official ending of my time as a student at SJO. I’ve enjoyed all the experiences my school has provided for me, and I know that graduation will be an enjoyable event that I will never forget.”

For Aden, St. Joseph-Ogden has balanced drive with nurture well.

“The teachers are amazing and helpful, and they’re always looking to challenge us and push us to succeed,” she said. “At the same time, they are always there to support and aid students whenever help is asked for.”

That’s what she found at home, too.

“My entire family was always incredibly supportive of my endeavors in high school. I come from an extremely competitive and academically successful family, so school and learning was a big focus that always came natural to me. 

“My mother, especially, was always there to keep me sane and grounded when I was running from one extracurricular to another. She and my father always helped me with my studying and focus throughout the years. 

“Being around such a supportive group of people always meant the world to me because it alleviated a large amount of the anxiety and pressures that I may have otherwise felt.”

After this weekend’s graduation, where she will be able to walk across the stage with four guests looking on, Aden will begin to work towards her next goals.

As a student at the University of Georgia, Aden plans to double major in Agribusiness and Political Science and minor in Spanish. She would like to go on to attend law school and pursue a profession as an attorney in the future.

As was the case with becoming Valedictorian of the Class of 2020, Aden has her sights set on making the Dean’s List in both majors. She also hopes to study abroad and intern in Washington D.C. during her collegiate years.

“In college, I will definitely be appreciative of the determined mindset high school has provided me,” she said. “I will also know how important working with younger students and pushing others to do their best is as a result of the experiences I have had. High school has taught me how to multitask and work hard for what I want.”

The post Lindsey Aden recognizes family’s love of learning in Valedictorian honor appeared first on .

Oakwood’s Caleb Lashuay knows the gift he’s been given.

A Class of 2020 Valedictorian, Lashuay entered high school with his sights set on getting straight A’s not because he wanted to prove something, but rather because he was just appreciative of the opportunity to learn.

“I would say this came from being home schooled before high school,” Lashuay said. “I was taught at a young age how important learning was. This became stronger when I went to Ethiopia right before my freshman year. They have nothing and would do whatever they can to get an education and it opened my eyes to how important learning is and how we take it for granted so often.”

With his family behind him, Lashuay was named an Illinois State Scholar and received an Academic All-State award for wrestling. He was also named the SAR for Oakwood High School, along with being chosen to compete in the WYSE academic challenge.

“My parents pushed me to be the best I could be in school,” he said. “My brothers lead the way by having good grades so I had big shoes to fill. 

“My teachers were definitely all behind me. I would say every one of them really wanted me to learn and pushed me to be better. This really meant a lot and I am very grateful to each of them.”

Lashuay’s dedication outside of school paid off, too. He was part of the 2016 Oakwood soccer team that won the school’s first IHSA Regional title. He went on to lead the Comets as captain in the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

His soccer talent paid off on the football field, too, where he almost broke the career record in two years.

Like all Illinois senior athletes, Lashuay was disappointed that the 2020 IHSA baseball season was canceled. But, after dislocating his knee during soccer season, Lashuay knew that sports can easily be taken away.

Instead, he knew that it was the impact he’d made on his fellow athletes that was most important.

“It was important for me to participate in sports because I and a pretty active guy and I’ve always liked sports,” he said. 

But his contributions to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) is equally important. 

“We would have Bible studies once a week and play games with everyone who came,” Lashuay said. “Those were always good times and it was important to me to do that because I feel it’s really important to get Jesus back into the schools any way we can.”

Continuing to grow through education and faith is what Lashuay has his sights set on now that the Oakwood graduation ceremony is completed. He will attend Cedarville University, a private Christian college.

“I will not only be getting a really good education but I will also be growing in my faith,” he said.

That faith led him through the final weeks of high school. While e-learning was an adjustment, Lashuay knows that it is also something that he needed to be prepared for as he moves forward.

“I trust God has this under control,” he said. “I felt really good going into graduation because I knew that I couldn’t do anything about the situation so I did the best I could in the circumstances I was dealt. 

“That’s another thing I learned more at school: how to let go of things that are out of my control and focusing on what I can control. 

“I will definitely remember to prioritize the things that will last and not the things that can be taken away. 

“My faith family friends, those are what comes first then everything else.”

The post Oakwood’s Caleb Lashuay grateful for opportunity to learn appeared first on .

By Dani Tietz
dani@sjodaily.com

It was the first time she graduated.

Sure, her kindergarten teacher helped to make a big deal about moving onto the next grade, and her eighth-grade year ended with a celebration as she moved onto high school, but this was the first time that she stood in cap and gown, honors cords draped around her neck.

Her parents stood nervously beside her as she received instructions on how long she needed to wear her mask and where she needed to stand as her picture was taken. Her dad asked if they would be able to get a family picture, too; this was the first and only daughter that would graduate from high school and the weight of the moment was not lost on him.

While their daughter waited for the minute hand on the clock to strike :30, the parents went ahead to learn where they could stand while they watched the moment they had envisioned 18 years ago.

The gymnasium was empty, mostly. The superintendent, principal and school board president stood on the stage, while a woman moving an iPad stood near the top of the three-point line on the basketball court, ready to videotape each student as they came into the gymnasium.

This graduation wasn’t a show, but the Heritage School District did what they could to add tradition to the ceremony. The girl’s name lit up on the scoreboard, white letters on a red background, and Pomp and Circumstance began to play over the speakers as she walked towards the stage.

For each graduate, the ceremony was not rehearsed. Each adult took their time to provide prompts and countdowns as the student moved from one point to the next. She stopped at the corner of the basketball court to have her photo taken, she climbed the steps to walk across the stage where her name was read. The school superintendent, her former principal, made note of her accomplishment, not over the loudspeaker, but just loud enough to hear.

She grabbed her diploma from the table, and the crowd, seven people, including her parents, clapped for her. She walked down the steps to her left and paused again at the bottom. The principal counted down from three, and the girl brought her tassel from the right side to the left before walking back out of the gymnasium where she laid a few of her honor cords to rest in a cardboard box.

The 15-minute slot did not leave time for her to visit with friends; by the time one graduate walked into the building, the other graduate had already left. Administrators committed to three-days, their entire weekend, to make sure all 38 graduates were recognized (31 participated in the ceremony), and that their family members were able to be by their side.

In pictures, the ceremony may seem stark, a shell of something that brings so much joy to a community each year. But the quaint setting showcased an intimacy and care that high school graduates should remember for years to come.

It was the first time administrators had imagined a ceremony to honor each young adult individually. It’s not something we document well, the nervousness and weight that goes into the moments to capture life’s transitions. This district could have chosen to go another way; they could have postponed their ceremony, they could have had graduates drive through the parking lot, they could have asked parents to stay home and brought in groups of students, they could have had the students walk in, grab their diploma and walk out.

Instead, they focused on the little touches that matter: the name in lights, the tradition of music, the conversations of what’s next, the acknowledgment of until next time.

That’s the touch that can be seen. Then they considered those touches that are unseen and unspoken; moments that happened 18 years ago, like a man holding his baby daughter in the middle of the night. He walked barefoot across the carpeted floor, his right arm across his chest, and his hand under her bottom, the fingers on his left hand holding up her head.

He brushed his lips across the baby’s fuzzy hair, feeling like the moment would last forever. The thought, just like the 20 minutes he took putting the baby back to sleep, were fleeting, though. He knew there was work to be done: the baby needed to be fed and put to sleep, she would soon teethe, then crawl, speak, then write, go to school, then play games, ride a bike, then drive a car, move from school to school, then graduate.

Maybe the child would grow up to be like her father, the boy who loved to study books and married his high school sweetheart. Or maybe she would be like her mother, someone who stood up for the rights of others and brought flowers to those who were sick. No matter who this child is, or no matter how she grows into the arms that shoot out like rockets when she is surprised, the father knows that he will be right there beside her.

It had been 18 years, a lifetime and a blink. The lines around his mouth showed the patience he gave his child. The way he raised his brow changed in response to every smile he’d given when he made an excuse as to why he had not emptied the dishwasher.

He was no longer able to glide across the floor with his child in his arms, instead her hand fit perfectly inside his as they walked up to the door of the only high school experience she had ever known.

This is, after all, their moment.

The post Commentary: Heritage graduation ceremony captures key moments appeared first on .

Originally scheduled for May 17, SJ-O will span the ceremony over three days, June 3-5, so that seniors can be honored individually with four family members present. 

Seniors visited St. Joseph-Ogden High School this week in a controlled manner as they drove through to pick up their cap and gown for the ceremony. Per state guidelines released on Saturday, seniors will have to arrive at the school with their cap and gown, must maintain social distancing guidelines and cannot shake hands with school officials during this time. 

Administration worked tirelessly over the previous eight weeks to ensure that the seniors knew they were being thought about while also taking into consideration how they might like to be honored as they transition from high school.

“Everything was on the table during discussions of how best to the most meaningful and intimate graduation for our graduates and their families,” St. Joseph-Ogden High School Principal Gary Page said. “From the moment the shut down was imminent this was something that was weighing heavy on our thoughts.  While we were hoping for a ceremony that might include all students at once using social distancing on our football field with limited guests or even all students at once with no guests and streaming the ceremony, we knew this was a very unlikely possibility. 

“Moreover, we discussed what a completely virtual option, a drive through option, a parade, and several others.  In listening to what we were hearing from our graduates, families, and community as a whole we felt that these options did not offer the personal touch that our graduates and families deserved. This a very important event in the lives of our graduates and their families as it is more than a celebration of completing their compulsory education.  It marks the closure of one important chapter of their lives and signals a transition to the next.”

Over the last 40 days, SJ-O has placed yard signs in graduate’s yards and released senior bios on social media and through local news publications.

Working with seniors and their families informally, the St. Joseph-Ogden administration received resounding feedback against a virtual ceremony. The staff, too, felt they wanted to do something more personal.

Discussion with the Champaign County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Health led to the Spartans getting to pick a 10 minute time slot where they could re-enter their high school, walk across the stage and pick-up their diploma. 

“We have very specific guidelines we have to follow,” Page said. “We will have protocol for entrance and exit into the building, minimizing touch points, sanitizing touch points after each timeslot, social distancing and spacing of essential personnel, wearing of masks, etc.  

Each graduate will be videotaped as they make their way across the graduation stage. Class officers, who traditionally give the SJ-O graduation speeches, and administrators who capture the spirit of the class will also be recorded and included in the video.

Staff will then take the recording, edit it to mimic the traditional SJ-O graduation ceremony., then distribute it to graduates. 

The ceremony will also be released on the district’s website once it is completed.

Page said graduates have been on the minds and hearts of everyone at St. Joseph-Ogden High School since mid-March. 

“While we know what we are trying to do for them falls short of what they deserve, we still care greatly for each and everyone of them,” Page said.

He added, “The class of 2020 at SJ-O is full of very special individuals.  We have watched them grow up and mature into very fine and respectable young adults and to not be able to give them this very important piece of closure and transition is an awful feeling.  

“They deserve more and it sucks so much has been taken away from them. 

“To answer a little more personally, or maybe selfishly, I’m really struggling with not being able to look each one of the graduates in the eye, shake their hand, and offer my sincere congratulations and gratitude.”

The post St. Joseph-Ogden finalizes Class of 2020 graduation plans appeared first on .