Farewell, Troy class of 2015; graduates receive diplomas at commencement ceremony

The 31 members of the Troy High School Class of 2015 received their diplomas during graduation ceremonies on Saturday, May 30.

Azure Stever was honored as the class valedictorian, and Alicia Edwards was named salutatorian.

Topics of change and choice were addressed by senior speakers Callan Peel and Craig Helmrick, and honorary speaker Terrie Lenhart.

“After 12 years of change, 12 years of standing by each other, and 12 years of driving each other crazy, we deserve the best goodbye,” Peel said.

After reflecting on shared experiences and changes over the past 12 years, Peel told her fellow class members she hopes their high school years won’t be the best years of their lives.

“I hope for each and every one of us this is not our peak,” she said. “I hope we keep climbing and climbing and never reach the summit of our awesomeness.”

Helmrick noted that whether the situation is good or bad, the one thing that’s guaranteed is that things will change.

“Life is always unpredictable,” he said.

Referring to the class motto, a quote from Mark Twain that states that in 20 years, “you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did,” Helmrick encouraged his classmates to embrace change and to try new things.

“Although there is a lot you can’t control in life, there are more things you can,” he said. “Life is what you make it.”

Lenhart, who serves as Troy’s city judge as well as being a substitute teacher in the Troy schools, said one of the advantages of working in a small district is getting to teach students at various grade levels and in a variety of settings over the years, allowing her to get to know them as they move through the school system. She told the students that while life may be a journey “from B to D,” or from birth to death, what comes between B and D is C, and that stands for choice.

Lenhart stressed the importance of personal responsibility and making good choices.

“How you live your life is based on your choices,” she said.

She told the students not to allow others to choose their paths and to not be afraid of experiencing life and embracing changes that may take them in unexpected directions.

“Even if you make a wrong choice, don’t let it go to waste,” Lenhart told the graduates. “Take that and learn from it.”

Members of the Troy High School Class of 2015 are listed below. Honor students are designated with an asterisk (*). 

Coltan Justin David Beard

Christine Jean Boes

Taylor Renee Brown

Garret Allen Chapel

Alexander Franklin Day*

Michael Daniel Demmendaal*

Alicia Marie Edwards*

Noah Erickson

Brenna Richelle Garrison

Billy Dean Hake

Craig Douglas Helmrick*

Calvin Dale Kelso

Jaelyn June Kelso

Dominic Django Kensler-Chiaverini*

Rachel Lynn Kronfield

Michael Joseph Miller

Ashley Erin Neely*

Mikealla LeeAnn Newton

Brennan Zachary Olds

Callahan Taylor Peel*

Kyle Eric Rebo

Rebecca Anne Rotolo

Alma Yaneth Ruiz-Casanova

Tyeisha Shyanne Scott

William Payton Scott

Kaiden LaVar Shoemaker

Azure Rose Stever*

Ryan Carl Lee Suber

Joshua Gage Tallmadge*

Olivia Rochelle Thomas

Alex Michael Yeadon

Several 2015 Troy graduates also earned college scholarships: Garret Chapel, Dominic Kensler-Chiaverini, Michael Demmendaal, Alicia Edwards, Brenna Garrison, Craig Helmrick, Jaelyn Kelso, Rachel Kronfield, Ashley Neely, Mikaella Newton, Callan Peel, Rebecca Rotolo and Azure Stever.