It’s graduation time for area high schools

It’s graduation time for seniors in the Class of 2019 at area high schools in Weiser, Midvale and Cambridge.
 The commencement ceremony at Weiser High School this Sunday will be the school’s 120th and continue an annual May tradition that began in 1899.
 School board trustees and school and district administrators will confer diplomas on 96 graduating seniors. It’s a smaller class than recent years.  
 Commencement will take place at 2 p.m. in the high school gym. The venue typically gets crowded pretty early as family and friends of the graduates come together to celebrate one of life’s big milestones.

The gym is the biggest indoor facility in town so the sometimes unpredictable May weather is not a concern. The overflow crowd can follow the commencement ceremony live on the screen set up in the adjacent auditorium.
 Weiser High School does not select a valedictorian or salutatorian, nor does it invite any outside speakers to give the commencement address.
 Instead honor students vote and the two top vote-getters are invited to address the class at commencement.
 The Weiser High School Concert Band, under the direction of Jake Fortin, and the Chamber Singers, under the direction of Mike Turner, will play traditional graduation music.  
 During the commencement program, administrators will note any retiring teachers and administrators.
 WHS administrators will introduce the honors graduates and their parents. A minimum GPA of 3.5 was required for honors designation.
 There also are some special scholarships and awards given out at commencement to graduating seniors. They include the Harry Reeves Memorial Scholarship, the Larry and Rolaine Hansen Family Scholarship, the Nick Speropulous Civic Sportsmanship Award and the Charles F. Gill Humanitarian Award and Scholarship.
 In addition, two seniors, a boy and a girl, will receive the Babe Ruth Award, which is given by the Babe Ruth Foundation. The Distinguished Citizenship Award also will be given out.
 Midvale High School will hold its graduation on Friday, May 24, at 7 p.m. in the Danny Warfield Memorial Gymnasium. There are eight seniors in the Class of 2019.
 Cambridge High School will hold its commencement exercise on Saturday, May 25, at 2 p.m. in the high school gym. There are 11 seniors who are graduating this year.
 The speaker will be retiring superintendent Ed Schumacher.