Barnum High School graduates highlight flexibility during ceremony

After a few laughs in the Barnum High School media center, senior class adviser Kari Johnson started a roll call to get the 50 graduating seniors in line for the ceremony Friday, June 4.

As the students lined up in the hall to march into the gym, some joked about the roller coaster year they’ve had. Others dabbed tears out of their eyes, but 2021 had one more surprise in store.

The Bomber band had set up to play in the school auditorium and a sound system was set up to pipe the music into the gym. Just as the graduates were about to enter the gym, a problem caused the sound system to go down, forcing the band to adapt to the problem on the fly.

"Alright everybody, grab your music and your stands and let's move into the commons area,” band director Jeff Gilbertson said.

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The gym doors opened, and the band played “Pomp and Circumstance” for the graduates' procession into the ceremony.

Oliver Swimeley, one of the student speakers, highlighted the challenges of distance learning — periodic for some, all year for others — and the lessons he learned about adapting to the unexpected and continuing to thrive, something the school band showed off as the ceremony began.

Superintendent Mike McNulty was proud of the ceremony organized by high school principal Gregg Campbell and the staff, as well as their work throughout the school year.

“I think they did a great job,” McNulty said. “They just kept adjusting and stayed with it. It was great to get up there and actually see the kids. When you look at the last 15 months, we really haven’t gotten to see many people. Even during the school year, they’ve pretty much been masked the whole time, so you don’t get to really see them ... It was great to be out there, and I hope they enjoyed it.”

Anson Vargo said his senior year was a “blast” despite having to quarantine twice for two weeks each time. After the way the 2020 school year ended, he was just happy to be with his friends during this special moment.

“I’m just really glad that we’re all here,” Vargo said. “Last year, there was really a big graduation, and I’m just really happy that we’re all here and we can have everyone actually see graduation. That’s a really awesome deal.”

1/4: Barnum seniors Delaney Koecher (left) and Olivia Bogenholm relax in the school media center before graduation Friday, June 4, 2021. (Jamey Malcomb / jmalcomb@pinejournal.com)

2/4: (From left) Barnum graduates Olivia Bogenholm, Tiahna Cartwright, Garrett Coughlin, Kelly Crump and Riki Mae Duevel listen to a speaker during the ceremony Friday, June 4, 2021. (Jamey Malcomb / jmalcomb@pinejournal.com)

3/4: Kaitlynn Hooper-Sparks decorated her graduation cap to look like "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" from the Harry Potter book series. Hooper-Sparks was one of several Barnum seniors that spoke at the graduation Friday, June 4, 2021. (Jamey Malcomb / jmalcomb@pinejournal.com)

4/4: Mike Baker (left) grabs a quick photo of his son Kale Baker following the Barnum graduation ceremony Friday, June 4, 2021. (Jamey Malcomb / jmalcomb@pinejournal.com)

1/4: Barnum seniors Delaney Koecher (left) and Olivia Bogenholm relax in the school media center before graduation Friday, June 4, 2021. (Jamey Malcomb / jmalcomb@pinejournal.com)

2/4: (From left) Barnum graduates Olivia Bogenholm, Tiahna Cartwright, Garrett Coughlin, Kelly Crump and Riki Mae Duevel listen to a speaker during the ceremony Friday, June 4, 2021. (Jamey Malcomb / jmalcomb@pinejournal.com)

3/4: Kaitlynn Hooper-Sparks decorated her graduation cap to look like "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" from the Harry Potter book series. Hooper-Sparks was one of several Barnum seniors that spoke at the graduation Friday, June 4, 2021. (Jamey Malcomb / jmalcomb@pinejournal.com)

4/4: Mike Baker (left) grabs a quick photo of his son Kale Baker following the Barnum graduation ceremony Friday, June 4, 2021. (Jamey Malcomb / jmalcomb@pinejournal.com)