Northview High Seniors Graduate

At Northview High School on Friday night, graduating seniors celebrated their last moments as high school students before entrance into the real world.

The 38th Annual Commencement, in the auditorium, was packed with an elbow-to-elbow crowd of parents and well-wishers, as 166 seniors graduated.

It was a far cry from pandemic restrictions, in recent years, with a severely limited crowd and students spread out in three different ceremonies, with many feet of space between each graduate.

The evening started with comments from Senior class Vice President Lainy Buell, who thanked the teachers, administrators and parents as part of their journey.

“Thanks to all these people, we made it,” Buell said. “We have accomplished so much for our four years here at Northview.”

Salutatorian Makayla Beasley spoke too about the class’ path toward graduation.

“Today is one of those moments where we can look back and see how far we have come,” Beasley said.

Valedictorians Stuart Bennett, Lainy Buell and Jinna Hyatt each spoke, after salutatorians Beasley and Easton Morgan.

Buell said that Northview has been a major part of her life for 18 years and eight months, because her mom, “Mother Buell,” is the treasurer and her father the athletic director.

For most of her speech, she shared multiple examples of the “wise words” of Mr. Ernie Simpson, known to them all as Coach Simpson.

“If you’re sloppy in one area of your life, the rest of your life will be a direct reflection of that,” she said, repeating one of his quips.

Buell said that she knew him simply as the big guy with the tiny office.

Hyatt thanked each member of her family individually and told the audience that she is the cutest of the Hyatt family.

She also thanked her English bulldog Gigi, for letting her put clothes on the dog, so she could take her picture and send them to her fan club.

Her comments were upbeat and also advice-oriented.

“I hope that you live a life going after what you love,” Hyatt said.

She ended, by thanking everyone for being a part of her story.

After the Processional, the Northview Choir started the ceremony by singing “The Star Spangled Banner” and helped end the ceremony with “Alma Mater,” joined by the audience.

Principal Christopher Mauk presented diplomas and the tassel ceremony was presented by Superintendent Jeff Fritz.

Hyatt, the class treasurer, presented the Closing, before the Class of 2022 exited, during its Recessional.