44 • GRADUATION 2020 • MERIDIAN HIGH SCHOOL • THE MERIDIAN STAR
HANNAH MASSEY
Valedictorian
Hello, Dr. Carter, Dr. Young, Dr. Hubbard, Meridian
Public School District Board of Trustees, the
graduating Class of 2020, families, friends, and all
who are watching our graduation video.
As part of a large graduating class, I do not know all
of you, and most of you do not know me. However, we
all share this accomplishment and milestone in our
lives, so I congratulate everyone who made it here.
Thank you to all of the teachers who have cared about
us and have had confidence in our inherent potential.
Thank you to all of the counselors who have made sure
that we had what we needed to graduate. Thank you
to our families and friends who have supported our
dreams and ambitions, whether our paths from here
lead to college or directly into careers. Lastly, thank
you to our principal who has encouraged us every step
along the way. Among us, the Class of 2020, are many
smart and talented young people--future entrepreneurs,
actors, musicians, engineers, scientists, health care
workers, and those who have not yet decided.
Many have called us the “Class of 20/20 Vision,” but
none of us saw this pandemic coming and taking away
the remainder of our senior year. Having to shelterin-place
has made me miss the people I used to see
on a daily basis. Though we were not able to have our senior week, our senior prom, or even a traditional senior
graduation, we still have our memories--moments found in classes with our friends or days that we thought would
be mundane but turned out amazing. Our last day of high school was actually the Friday before Spring Break, but
we had no idea at the time; even now, it is difficult to take it all in. We did not have our last few days of school
to say our goodbyes to teachers, classmates, and others who we most likely will not see for a while. We did not
have time to reflect on the past four years and how our time in high school will impact our futures.
So, if you have not already, I hope you take time to reflect on your senior year, even if it was not perfect.
Remember the good times, the funny moments, the learning experiences, and anything from this year or the past
four years that was significant to you. To the Class of 2020 and everyone involved, I would like to say thank you
for a great senior year.