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Brodhead graduates 92 students Sunday

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Photo by Ryan Broege

Brodhead High School graduate Savannah Brady accepts her diploma from Teresa Earleywine, the president of the Brodhead School Board, at Sunday’s graduation ceremony.

BRODHEAD — With more than $10,000 in donations for local organizations under their belts already, Brodhead High School seniors haven't waited to graduate to start changing the world.

More than 90 students graduated in the ceremony held at 2 p.m. Sunday in the school gymnasium. In their respective addresses to the class, students and school staff repeatedly hit on the theme of taking action in one's post-graduation life.

Co-valedictorian Andrew Goodman quoted Victorian artist John Ruskin, saying, "What we think, or what we know, or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do."

Goodman continued, "High school has come to completion, may we be courageous enough to make our aspirations into reality."

In her address, Goodman's fellow valedictorian Erin Kettle also focused on the graduates' life after BHS. "When I look back, I don't see the best years of our lives," Kettle said. "I see the foundation for our future."

Of the 92 graduates, 14 maintained at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA, 19 were members of the National Honor Society and 22 were named Wisconsin Covenant Scholars.

"This has been a very successful year," said BHS Principal Leonard Lueck, noting that 85 percent of the senior class is extending its education at trade schools or universities.

Lueck added that the class raised more than $10,000 for local organizations through senior projects.

"We've received more than $300,000 worth of scholarships," Lueck said. "That means there's a lot of good things going on in this class."

BHS won the all-sports trophy in the Rock Valley Conference, which goes to the school with the best winning record for all sports combined, for the fourth consecutive year.

Lueck approached the graduates for advice for his address during the ceremony. Senior Kaitin Condon obliged, relaying an anecdote attributed to John Lennon.

"When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down 'happy.' They told me I didn't understand the assignment, and I told them they didn't understand life."

Continuing a 5-year tradition, Lueck chose a movie to quote from in his address. This year's selection was the 1994 drama "Shawshank Redemption," with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman.

Lueck shared a line from Robbins' character, Andy Dufresne: "Get busy living, or get busy dying."

"That's kind of where you're headed now," Lueck said. "You got your diplomas, and us adults aren't really in control anymore, so it's up to you to get busy living."