Fab Four turn their tassels in Whitewater's graduation

At one point during Kayleigh Cummings' schooling at Whitewater, she thought she might be graduating by herself.

"This class was actually pretty big back in the day, if you can imagine that," Cummings, Whitewater High School's valedictorian said during last Friday night's school graduation. "If it wasn't for these girls moving here, I'd be up here all by myself and that would have been very awkward."

Joining Cummings in graduating from high school on Friday night were fellow seniors Hope Lawless, Karla Santillan and Serena Sanguins. During Sanguins salutatorian speech, she recalled meeting Cummings in the fourth grade and later that year Lawless joined, forming a trio. A few years later, around the time of junior high, Santillan started attending school in Whitewater and the Class of 2017 was formed.

"This isn't a goodbye to my fellow classmates, but a new adventure we will be traveling ourselves," Sanguins said. "However, I will miss Kayleigh telling us about her dreams that she just needed to share, Hope's fan-girl moments whether from reading a good book or watching a really good show, and Karly's little diva that would once and awhile rear its ugly head. Lastly I will miss the time we spent in each other's company, and just listening to you guys talk."

Prior to the speeches of Cummings and Sanguins, Whitewater Junior Class President Trey Simonson accepted the Class Key from Cummings.

"I'd like to wish the graduation class good luck on their future endeavors," Simonson said.

The colors for the event were green, black and silver; the graduation flower was a rose and the graduation motto was John F. Kennedy who said "every accomplishment starts with the decision to try."

School Superintendent Darin Cummings (Kayleigh's father) welcomed those in attendance "on a beautiful spring evening" to honor the four girls in the class of 2017 and to also honor the class of 2021, eighth graders Heidi Anderson, Kelsee Cummings, Beau Simonson and Kia Wasson who will start high school at Whitewater next year.

Cummings, during her valedictorian speech, said she remembered being in the same position as the 2017 eighth graders and a few things ran through her mind four years ago were that she was hungry and "what's in my gift basket." Flash forward to 2017 and Cummings, who plans to attend the University of Montana next fall, said she is now thinking about her first days in college.

"My first day of college will also be my first day of class without these guys by my side," Cummings said of her three classmates. "That is going to be rough . . . congrats to my almost former classmates. This is the end of the book, but don't worry, there will be a sequel."

Rep. Casey Knudsen (HD33) gave the graduation address in which he asked the Class of 2017 to get up if they get knocked down.

"You are jumping out of the nest and diving head first into this big, big world and will have to make some tough decisions every day," Rep Knudsen said. "Do I get up for my 8 a.m. class or do I get another 17-hours of sleep? Do I go to the gym at 8 or do I binge-watch three seasons of the Golden Girls on Netflix and finish off three pounds of cheese balls?"

Rep. Knudsen said the real make or break decisions for the graduates will soon come and the pathways in their lives will be forever changing.

"These opportunities will be daunting and challenging," he said. "But don't let the desire for success turn into a fear of failure and keep you from taking an opportunity that in the long run could turn into something amazing."