Keegan Hicswa

Welcome, family, community members, friends and staff, but most importantly the graduating class of 2024 thank you for being here with us today.

After 13 years, we have made it — graduation. The thing that we always thought was so far away is finally here. And now anything you can dream of lies ahead.

I would like to give a special thank you to all the people who made this possible. Administrators, teachers, family members, friends and all that fall between I just would like to give a big thank you from myself and the class of 2024.

Thank you for guiding us through times of uncertainty, and always pushing us to be our best selves. And my own family, thank you to my mom, dad, brother and loved ones for inspiring me to push for change and always reach for the stars. Without these people I would not be standing in front of you all today.

My dad always used to say to my brother and me, “Time flies when you’re having fun,” and he was right. I feel like just yesterday I was putting on a neon outfit to walk into my third grade classroom or playing with Beyblades on the living room floor.

Now, when someone asks “What are you going to do next year?” I excitedly tell them I’m going to college. But sometimes I just wish I had one more day. One more day to be a kid. One more day to spend time with my friends jumping on the trampoline or playing basketball. Just one day to truly have fun no matter how fast it went by.

Sometimes I just wish that the time had slowed and I could be back in my elementary school classroom learning how to count the multiples of seven. Sometimes I wish that I would have taken some of the time I spent studying or writing a paper to live in the moment for just a little while longer. I wish I would have realized sooner that I would not be a kid forever.

But I then realized that these memories are just that. Memories. Memories are made to give us a backing. Something we can always look to no matter how far we end up from this familiar Powell, Wyoming that we know and love.

Over the past few weeks I have been reflecting on our amazing high school career. Whether that be school records in track, winning state basketball, cross country, high WYTOPP scores, or leadership and community service. Our class is and will always be the bees knees. The best student section themes, wearing pool floaties and goggles, and sleeping on the principal’s lawn are more ways our class goes above and beyond.

Senior year is 271 days of lasts. Last homecoming, last student sections, last senior sunrise, last prom, last time I have to hear Mr. Fulton twirl his keys around his finger while he’s teaching, last time I get to see you all walking around with floaties and goggles, and last time walking through the doors of PHS as the class of 2024. Although this chapter is ending, each of these lasts creates opportunity for new beginnings. Author and poet Moana of Motunui once said, “There’s just no telling how far I’ll go.” Although we all venture down different paths from this point forward, I hope that it is filled with passion, joy and excitement for each of you because truly, the sky’s the limit.

Although this next chapter is full of uncertainty I’d like to leave you with this, you didn’t come this far, to only come this far. I hope each and everyone of you strive to make a difference, no matter where you find yourself. I encourage you all to be thoughtful and compassionate and to never be satisfied. I encourage you to continually push forward, work hard, advocate for your beliefs and always try to be better than you were yesterday.

Congratulations class of 2024!

Until next time.