Del Norte celebrates graduates of 2023

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Photos by Lyndsie Ferrell Del Norte High School Salutatorian Angelica Martinez speaks to her classmates on Friday, May 26 during the Upper Rio Grande School District's graduation ceremony. Del Norte High School Valedictorian Aden Howell addresses her fellow students during the 2023 graduation ceremony on May 26. The Upper Rio Grande School District celebrated the Del Norte High School class of 2023 on Friday, May 26.

DEL NORTE — The Upper Rio Grande School District celebrated the Del Norte High School class of 2023 on Friday, May 26. While parents, family and friends flooded into the gym for the graduation ceremony, Annie Hardy announced the event would start late as the school’s baseball team, which included several seniors, was running late.

The crowd was more than happy to wait as the team made its way back from their morning state playoff baseball game and just before 2:30 p.m., Hardy took the stage again to announce the beginning of the ceremony as seniors from the class of 2023 walked into the gymnasium, some still sporting black face paint from the morning baseball game to the delight of the attending crowd.

After introductions, Salutatorian Angelica Martinez took the stage to give her address.

“This is the end and now the beginning of a new era,” Martinez said. “When I was younger, I thought time would pass by so slowly, but now that we are all here today, I can’t help but think about how time went so fast. From when we were at Head Start and playing with plastic food and act like we were chefs is now so far in our pasts. The times when we would stress about assignments in school but now are so simple to us. When I was younger, I would think about high school graduation with excitement but now that I am here today, I feel a sense of sadness.”

Martinez continued speaking to her fellow classmates about lost memories and memories that will be cherished throughout the rest of their lives which were made in the small town of Del Norte and the significance of keeping those memories close and to use them as reason to succeed throughout life.

Following Martinez, local scholarship representatives gave out awards to students from the Jay Shrader Memorial, Del Norte Bank, the Masonic Lodge, Nestler, Rotary Club, the River Watch Program, and Pay it Forward Grant.

Shelby VanZalinge and Kirsten Chiles took to the podium next to address the teachers and staff of the district, thanking them for their continued support and for helping them through difficult times including 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Class Valedictorian Aden Howell spoke last and addressed her fellow classmates saying, “No matter what we do next, have fun, and get excited for new opportunities. We are no longer middle schoolers, or even high schoolers anymore. We are adults who get to decide who we will become. I challenge you to step outside of yourselves and see from different perspectives.”

Flowing the speech, the class walked across the stage and received their diplomas to the many cheers and shouts from the crowd.