Stillwater Seniors celebrate the first graduation in Gallagher-Iba Arena since the pandemic
May 21—Stillwater High School seniors flipped their tassels Friday evening at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Graduating seniors haven't had a normal graduation for the last two years due to the pandemic. Since COVID, graduation has been at Pioneer Stadium.
SHS Principal Uwe Gordon said he's glad to be returning to normal for his 16th graduation. He said this year's class has over 400 students who have had quite an academic career.
"These guys have had a really rough road. They're survivors. It seems like every year there was something for them that caused them to miss days or there were issues," he said. "Everything from the teacher walkout years back when they were in junior high ... then you had COVID (and) this year we had the promnado."
Gordon said he's also excited to be inside, considering last year's graduation had rainy weather, but realistically, hosting graduation at Gallagher-Iba Arena allows more people, and it's a lot more comfortable than Pioneer Stadium.
"It's a much better view. It's more comfortable. And, it's just kind of part of the tradition. Part of my speech tonight, I talk about the concept of how it takes a village to raise a child. and OSU is a part of our village," he said. "And it's their kindness to let us use their facility, but also, it's such a great facility to celebrate graduation. (The) air conditioning is nice, too."
Not only are the students resilient, but Gordon also said his students received a total of $4.6 million in scholarship money. He said some kids are going to Princeton, some to Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma University, or Meridian Technology to further their education.
"I told my students this morning, for some of them, this is just a little happy bump along the way. Their expectations are to go to medical school or college or do bigger things ... and high school graduation is just a thing," Gordon said. "But still, there's a good number of our kids that they are the first high school graduates in their family and that's a huge happy bump in their road of life (and) that's so exciting for them."
Gordon said some of the kids he has known since they were infants, and to see them graduate is an exciting moment.
He said most of the kids have been together since sixth grade and have built long-lasting friendships. For the first time, they won't see each other every day, which Gordon said is the sad part of graduation.
Still, he said the atmosphere was filled with excitement for the future.
"They're fairly excited. Anytime you get a bunch of high school kids together, their main priority is each other and talking and seeing each other," he said.
Gordon said this year's graduates raised almost $450,000 for the community over the last three years.
"It gives me great pride that our kids can help contribute and develop our community as 16, 17, and 18-year-olds," he said. "And these guys will continue to do that. No doubt in my mind."
As graduation came to a close and seniors prepared to toss their graduation caps into the air Gordon left them with one thing, hope for the future.
"We're all pioneers, which means you are leaders, explorers, and most importantly, now survivors. The things you have learned and heard are taking you to universities, colleges, vocational schools, to work to, (go into) the military, and to create families," Gordon said. "You will build our communities and feed our families. You will have all the important roles pioneers have in our community. Each year is my hope that the senior class become strong students and leaders, and I would say the class of 2022 has met that challenge and more."
