Raton Seniors Graduate, Making the Best They Can

By Marty Mayfield

KRTN Multi-Media

 

On Friday May 15, 2020 beginning about 2:00 p.m. the Raton High School Seniors, one at a time, walked across the stage in an empty Tiger Gym to receive the honor of graduate.

Seniors were allowed two guests to be in the gym for pictures as they walked across the stage to be presented with a diploma by a Raton School Board Member. The pandemic even hampered that as Diplomas were not able to be printed and delivered to the school in time for the presentation. Diplomas will be mailed out to Seniors as a later date.

Later in the evening seniors gathered their vehicles in the parking lot at Raton High School and listened to the first ever graduation ceremony on KRTN Radio. As the speeches were read on the radio horns could be heard as they mentioned the Class of 2020, a class that will be remembered for a long time not only for what they did but what they didn’t get to do.

Valedictorian Tori Anne Platero noted in her speech that “this was not the way we wanted our senior year to end.” She went on to say this year has been one of the weirdest times and not knowing how to feel about it. She went on to tell fellow seniors “no matter who you are, no matter what you want to do, after this, keep going don’t let anything, least of all what happened this year stop you on your journey. We didn’t plan it to end here and it won’t.”

The ceremonial school key was handed down to the Junior Class President April Vigil by Senior Class President Racheal Sandoval. The ceremony came to a close, all students in their vehicles, listening to Salutatorian Jennifer Acosta as she gave her speech. A walk down what she had hoped would be a memory lane of events that never came and now celebrate their graduation that ended in a way they never expected. “It is up to us to take this experience and learn that things don’t always go as planned. But we must always cherish the moments we’ve had, the memories we’ve made together, and the lifelong friends that will forever be on my families Netflix account. Class of 2020 remember we cannot become what we want by remaining what we are.”

With that, the Class of 2020, proceeded down Tiger Drive one last time with a police escort that took them up Second Street and around on Third Street then and back up First Street where they then went their own way on the journey of life.

Congratulations Class of 2020!!!

 

Raton Graduation Speeches