RCHS graduates 41 in the Class of 2022


 

 

 

 

by Richard Lamb–Advance Editor

The 41 graduates of Rogers City High School (RCHS) were treated to the traditional indoors commencement after the last two classes had their ceremonies conduced on the football field due to the pandemic.

The Class of 2022, led by valedictorian Ethan Grulke, son of Randy and Bonnie Grulke, and salutatorian Brady Myers, son of Andy Myers and Shana Troxell, turned their tassels at the command of class president Ryleigh Talaske and became alumni of RCHS.

The Rev. Dr. Greg Zurakowski, president of the Rogers City Area Schools board of education advised the graduates.

“In a few days you will begin to build the rest of your life. And make it your life. Not a life that you think somebody else should have for you, not something that you read about in a book or clicked on Google. Make your life yours and you will be just fine,” Zurakowski said. 

Principal and superintendent of schools Nick Hein introduced Grulke and Myers but offered some remarks first.

“My advice to you is to take risks. See what is out there. Don’t go through life on autopilot. Don’t settle for OK or just getting by. Want and demand the best for yourself because you deserve it. Don’t ever forget that,” Hein said. 

“Only you can determine the right path for you. Seek guidance, but know in the end you have the responsibility for yourself to make the final choices, knowing you may succeed or fail, but it was the choice you wanted to make.”

He told the class life is too short to dwell on negativity.

Myers said the school years went by really quickly, especially the high school years. 

“We are told what we can and can’t do. We need to stop listening to the people who tell us what we are incapable of and start listening to ourselves because whether the older generation likes it or not, one day we will be in charge. We need to follow our own paths, wherever they may lead,” Myers said. 

“Never be afraid of failing. Failure is just a bump in the road, not a stopping point.”

Grulke asked the class to imagine they had the ability to dream anything they wanted for their lives. 

“Your ultimate choice of dreams to live is the one life that you have been given. This is your life to take a hold of. We are a bunch of resilient individuals. We survived the apocalypse, COVID, variant one, variant two, variant three and so on,” Grulke said.

“The best years of your life are still to come and you should live them out like there might not be a next. You may disagree with this. You may say that I am at the back of the line. Life is a matter of perspective. So, I ask this: are you really at the back of the line if you turn around and face the other way.”

With that, the class members were invited to walk across the stage as Hein introduced them and Zurakowski handed them their diploma. 

Follow link below for a video from commencement:

https://www.facebook.com/richard.w.lamb.1/videos/556149962741780