In her “Farewell from the Faculty” address at the commencement exercises for the Class of 2023, teacher Jessica Sprague told the seniors — most of whom were familiar with her “Sprague’s stories” — that sometimes a story isn’t enough.
Sometimes, she said, it takes a legend.
A legend was lauded Saturday evening, as speaker after speaker paid tribute to retiring English teacher Sheree Baker, who is leaving Charles Page High School’s hallowed halls after 47 years.
In her honor, Principal Stan Trout said, the school’s English hallway will be named Baker Hall, a fitting tribute to the educator who penned the school’s mission statement — Challenge Minds. Inspire Hearts. Empower a Community of Learners. — when she responded to a teacher survey years ago with those nine simple words.
But Trout noted that Baker was lacking in one regard. Despite her many years with Sand Springs Public Schools, she was not a Charles Page graduate.
People are also reading…
The district rectified that oversight Saturday night, presenting her with an honorary diploma.
In a video on her teacher page on the district’s website, Baker tells students that “Reading offers windows and mirrors.” Students at Saturday’s commencement ceremony were encouraged to peek into the windows of their futures at what lies ahead while not neglecting to gaze into the mirrors of their pasts to reflect on what has been.
Superintendent Sherry Durkee told the 394 graduating seniors to focus on remembering the lessons of kindergarten — that “every act of kindness makes a difference in the world.”
Senior Lindsey Seymour reminded her classmates of the President Franklin D. Roosevelt quote that “a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” She encouraged them to remember the challenges they had overcome together, not the least of which was the COVID-19 pandemic, which erupted in the spring of their freshman year.
Elijah Chronister prodded his fellow seniors to heed the words of William Shakespeare, who said: “Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.”
Chronister told his classmates that they all were capable of achieving greatness.
That’s easy enough to imagine in a class that had 74 National Honor Society members, 47 Honor Graduates, five Oklahoma Academic Scholars and one Oklahoma Academic All-Stater. More than a dozen others have made a commitment to serve in the country’s armed forces after graduation.
But wherever they go and whatever they do, teacher Frank Cooper reminded them, as he always does each year at graduation, that they will always be Sandites and will always carry a piece of Sand Springs with them. Then he read to them from the 1986 children’s book by Robert Munsch, “Love You Forever”:
“I’ll love you forever,
I’ll like you for always,
as long as I’m living
my baby you’ll be.”
Caleb Jorgensen’s mortarboard reflects his Yankton Sioux heritage.
Charles Page High School students including Caleb Jorgensen (right) process into the Mabee Center on Saturday evening for graduation. Jorgensen’s mortarboard was beaded and bore an eagle feather in the tradition of his Yankton Sioux heritage.
Sharon Bishop-Baldwin
I cover news across the entire city of Sand Springs, and I'd love to hear from you regarding what you'd like to see me write about. Email me at news@sandspringsleader.com. Follow the Leader!
