On Sunday 675 members of the Thomas Worthington and Worthington Kilbourne class of 2014 graduated from Worthington Schools. These graduates join the approximately 45,000 living alumni of Worthington Schools. Sunday was the 135th Commencement of Thomas Worthington High School and the 23rd Commencement of Worthington Kilbourne High School.
Graduation is a special day. It is a day that marks great accomplishment. It is the end of an era for for special friendships and the beginning of a new and exciting phase for our graduates.
At every graduation invited speakers share words of wisdom with the graduates. I found Board of Education President, Julie Keegan’s words to be most relevant on this day. Julie acknowledged the students’ success. As both a graduate of Worthington High School and as a parent of Worthington graduates, she knows first-hand how special this day is for everyone involved. She spoke of showing gratitude to those who made this day possible – gratitude to parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, pastors, and special friends. No graduate arrived at this day on their own without significant help and everyone lucky enough to be raised in a community such as Worthington has much to be thankful for. Julie implored the graduates to express their gratitude.
Gratitude was the theme but Julie’s message on this day was that gratitude alone was not enough. She told the graduates that they must express their gratitude without becoming complacent. They must continue to work to make their college, their workplace, their military unit, and their community better places. Gratitude is important but everyday is an opportunity to make a difference in the life of another human being and our graduates should leave Worthington “smiling because this happened” but also hungry to make their mark.
675 Worthington students have left our school district. They’re well prepared both academically and socially to succeed in the next phase of their life. Like many before them they’ve been molded in the long sloping halls of Thomas Worthington and by searching for the indoor pool at Worthington Kilbourne.
As an alumni of Worthington Schools I’m proud to be associated with these graduates. If they express gratitude and guard against complacency they’re destined to make all of us proud.
-Trent Bowers, Assistant Superintendent
Absolute Excellence 