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S3 E15 - Class of 2025 Graduation Speakers · Inside the OSD

• 0:05
  SPEAKER1: OHS seniors are finishing up their final week of classes and preparing for the commencement ceremony,
• 0:11
  the culminating experience that marks the end of their time in the OSD and the beginning of new adventures to come.
• 0:18
  Today, we are taking some time to talk with three students who will be addressing their class during the graduation ceremony about their experiences,
• 0:27
  what's next, and maybe even get a sneak peek into the important messages they have for the class of 2025.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER2: Welcome to this episode of Inside the OSD podcast, where it's all about the kids.
• 0:43
  Here is your guest host, former Oregon Middle School principal and current Director of Student Services,
• 0:48
  Doctor Shannon Anderson.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER1: Welcome to Inside the OSD. I'm Doctor Shannon Anderson, director of student services,
• 0:58
  and I'm honored to be this week's guest host of Inside the OSD.
• 1:04
  I am here today with three students who will be addressing their class at the upcoming graduation ceremony,
• 1:11
  and I had the fortune of being the middle school principal of these students a number of years ago.
• 1:17
  We know what a busy time of year this is for you and we appreciate your time today.
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  Let's start off by having each of you introduce yourself.
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  SPEAKER3: Uh, hi. My name is Morgan Bohrer. Um, I've been at Oregon since fourth grade.
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  In fourth grade, I went to Prairie View Elementary School.
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  Uh, during my time here, I have done, um, an African drumming ensemble, and I've been an all star cheerleader.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER4: I'm Liam Holtzen. Um, I've been here in the OSD since fourth grade.
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  I went to Brooklyn. Um, yeah, I played soccer with the high school.
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  I did orchestra, you know, through to my freshman year and--Yeah, last year.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER5: I'm Hadley Stand . I went to Netherwood Knoll Elementary School, and I've been here since kindergarten.
• 2:10
  Um, I play lacrosse and golf and in many extracurriculars inside of OSD and in the community.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER1: Awesome. Well, it is your very last week of school.
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  Last week of high school. Um. And the last week for you of students in the Oregon School District.
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  How would you describe how you're feeling right now?
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  SPEAKER4: I'm--I'm ready for it to be over. I, I had a lot of fun here.
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  I mean, the people, the teachers, the, you know, my peers are great.
• 2:46
  Um, but, you know, we've been in the same building for four years now.
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  I'm ready for whatever's next, you know?
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  SPEAKER5: Yeah, I agree. I'm--I've always, like, looked toward college as, like, the next goal.
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  Um, so I'm super excited for that next chapter in my life, but definitely like,
• 3:02
  a bittersweet moment and like, kind of like at random moments.
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  I'm just feeling like sad or like, this is like really it.
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  SPEAKER3: I'm so nostalgic.
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  SPEAKER5: Like so nostalgic.
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  SPEAKER3: So much of that in me. And I'm really excited for the next step.
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  But it's also like kind of sad closing such a big chapter, you know?
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  SPEAKER4: Yeah. And I think we're ending this last week off right.
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  Yeah, yeah. With our senior skip day.
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  SPEAKER5: Senior pranks!
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  SPEAKER4: Senior
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  SPEAKER5: pranks. Yes. Yes. It's definitely a good, good ending.
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  Yeah. With lots of fun.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER1: Yeah. So you all started out sharing a lot of different ways that you've been involved in high school the last four years.
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  And I can just tell from your comments that it is, as you said, bittersweet, like lots of great things.
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  Excited for what's to come. Um, but when you reflect on your time in the Oregon School District,
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  what are some of the memorable experiences that, like, really stand out to you?
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  Like those things that you're going to take with you when you leave this place?
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  SPEAKER5: I think something that really stands out to me is like different school projects throughout the different schools.
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  Like I remember back in RCI when we did like the wax museum where we like dressed up as a person or like we did a country fair sort
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  of thing. And our parents came in and went through it.
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  And even in high school for finals like AP Econ, when I had to do like a rap parody where I used like econ terms in a song that's
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  like relevant today and in AP Lit now with like doing a brunch or dinner sort of final where we dress up as a
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  character in a book we've read, and create a script and bring a piece of like food or something addition,
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  um, and kind of perform that little skit.
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  I think OSD has a really unique way of involving projects and different hands on learning that I know a lot of other school
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  districts don't have, and I think that's really cool and unique that I'll definitely take with me for the rest of my life.
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  SPEAKER3: I was actually going to say something similar, kind of along the lines of like all the like, extracurricular clubs and
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  activities and events we have going on, like at the school, like student council puts on so many fun events and like the
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  candy canes around Christmas time and the kisses for seniors.
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  And that stuff has been really fun to like, get people to bond, but also to like raise funds and stuff like that has been
• 5:28
  really, really fun.
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  SPEAKER4: Yeah, I, I definitely agree with what Hadley had to say.
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  And you know what you had to say? I think for me, something that sticks out is,
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  you know, the big projects that we did, you know, all the way since fourth grade till now.
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  I mean, I can remember I think it was seventh grade, we in science class, I made like another rap parody,
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  and I made this whole post-it board of a plant cell, and I changed the words to,
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  I think the song's "Ice Ice Baby."
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  SPEAKER5: Yes!
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  SPEAKER4: It was "plant cells, baby."
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  SPEAKER5: Yeah. Yeah.
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  SPEAKER4: Love it. I still have the video and it's--it's great looking back on it and everything.
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  Um, but yeah, then I mean, the extracurriculars.
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  I know sports have been a big thing for me.
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  Homecoming. Yeah. I mean.
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  SPEAKER5: We just have, like, a lot of unique opportunities and experiences that are, like,
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  really easy to dive into as a student. Like, you're encouraged to do them.
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  And I think that's really cool.
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  SPEAKER4: Yeah. And I think same goes--I have some buddies that go to different school districts and they say,
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  you know, like their homecoming. They have, you know, maybe 300 people at a school about the same size as Oregon.
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  And I think that's just something that's really great about, you know, Oregon is that a lot of people participate and it's a very close knit
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  community.
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  SPEAKER3: And yes, all of our events are very extravagant, like prom is a big deal and homecoming is a big deal.
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  And our bright Christmas breaks with dress up days.
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  SPEAKER5: Our school spirit is very high.
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  SPEAKER3: We're very good at school spirit.
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  SPEAKER5: Yes.
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  SPEAKER4: Yeah.
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  SPEAKER1: So I love hearing about all these memories that you have formed here and what really stands out is super positive experiences.
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  I want to shift now to to thinking about learning.
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  And when you reflect on your time as a student in OSD, what are some of the nuggets of learning that you think have been really
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  impactful that are going to help you be successful um, to where you go next?
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  What stands out?
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  SPEAKER4: I'm sorry.
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  SPEAKER3: Go ahead. I can
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  SPEAKER5: go. Yeah, we're just gonna start.
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  SPEAKER4: Yeah.
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  SPEAKER3: Um, I would say, like, mindset going into, like, freshman year was like, "what am I going to be?
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  Who's going to be my friends? Like, how is everything going to be different?" But just kind of like letting it happen and not like forcing you to be friends
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  with someone or like, forcing the, like, fun and just like letting it happen, which I think has been a huge thing senior
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  year, too. Not forcing like school events or like trying to make sure I have the perfect homecoming,
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  just kind of letting the fun happen and it makes it a lot more enjoyable and stress free.
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  SPEAKER4: Yeah.
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  SPEAKER5: You can
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  SPEAKER3: go.
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  SPEAKER4: Um, yeah, I absolutely agree. I mean, I think, you know, having a--I have a very close friend group.
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  I mean, we've been hanging out with each other since almost fourth grade or fifth grade.
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  Sixth grade. And I mean, as far as learning goes, um, I think the teachers here are great.
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  They're very personable. And, you know, it's not scary to go talk to them at all.
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  They're not like professors where it's, you know, a lecture and then you're on your own.
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  Mhm. Um, they're very willing to help out and, and I mean the courses here, there's just so
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  SPEAKER5: many
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  SPEAKER4: courses. Yeah. You can kind of really go wherever you want and kind of like what you said.
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  You don't--like what Morgan said, you don't have to pick a certain thing freshman year.
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  You know what I mean? I know my freshman year I took a tech ed class.
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  I took a business class. I, you know, I was in orchestra.
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  I just tried everything out and figured out what I like.
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  SPEAKER3: Yeah, it's encouraged to try new things and dip your feet in the water and try everything before you figure out something you might enjoy.
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  SPEAKER4: And I'm still doing that senior year, so.
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  SPEAKER5: I would say my little nugget of learning is probably like adapting to change, because there's definitely been a lot of
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  things over, like my four years in high school and in general, like K through 12 that have been thrown my way,
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  where I'm not necessarily thrilled with the idea at first or, you know, impacted my schedule differently than I originally planned or whatever
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  it may be. And learning to adapt to that change, I think, is super important.
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  And to learn that early is like a very important life skill that will take you far.
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  So I think for me, adapting to change has been like huge life skill and something that I know,
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  like a lot of other people, could benefit from, too.
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  SPEAKER3: We learned a lot of that in middle school through Covid that we started early with adapting to change.
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  SPEAKER5: Yeah. Yeah. For sure.
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  SPEAKER1: What I think is really exciting is I listen to each of you is I hear sort of the that change or that metamorphosis that has happened during your,
• 10:25
  your time here. And you're able to see that as you, as you transition on to what's next.
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  So speaking of what's next, let's move on to those graduation speeches.
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  Um, so I know Mr. Pliner has a process in which he invites members of the senior class to apply to be one of the graduation speakers.
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  Why was it important to you to be part of that process?
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  SPEAKER5: I can kind of start. I think for me, it was important to kind of share what I've learned and things and experiences I've gone through and
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  hopefully inspire the class and the overall audience, um, and really hopefully uplift everybody to make a
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  difference in this large change we're about to come to.
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  SPEAKER3: Yeah, I have always been a very nostalgic person, and I feel like it's really important that we reflect on our time here and we
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  don't just move on to the next step without remembering our past.
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  Right. And like our teachers, that helped us to get here.
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  Like we wouldn't be here without them, right? And so I really I really wanted to share that with everyone and give them space and the opportunity to be able to
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  think about their time, specific things that happened.
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  And just like, thank everyone around them.
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  SPEAKER4: Yeah, my--my reason's a little more selfish than that, I guess.
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  SPEAKER6: I love the honesty.
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  SPEAKER5: That's why you're the funny speech.
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  SPEAKER6: Yeah, right. Yeah.
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  SPEAKER4: Yeah, hopefully. Yeah.
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  SPEAKER3: Definitely.
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  SPEAKER5: Yeah.
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  SPEAKER4: Um, but I wanted to end, you know, high school year with a bang.
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  And, I mean, I loved my time in high school and, you know, the other schools at Oregon,
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  and, you know, I guess what better way to do that than to address your entire class and hopefully make them laugh a little bit.
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  True.
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  SPEAKER6: Yeah. Great. Well, I definitely will.
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  SPEAKER1: I'll be there on graduation day and I'm looking forward to hearing your messages.
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  I kind of have a general idea of what I might hear from each of you.
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  I'm looking forward to it. So I know that you might be sharing some advice or insights or inspiration on Sunday.
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  Um, but looking back, what advice would you have for freshmen, sophomores and juniors who are continuing their journey at OHS?
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  Any words of wisdom that you would like to share from your own experiences?
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  SPEAKER4: I, I definitely think a big one, especially for me, would be don't take things too seriously,
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  you know? Yeah, I think--I think a lot of stress in high school and middle school comes from,
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  you know, "oh, I've got this huge Spanish test coming up" and, and this sounds,
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  sounds like, you know, the typical senior with
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  SPEAKER6: Senioritis, right.
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  SPEAKER4: But looking back, I mean, I got, you know, I got good grades and I wasn't, you know,
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  too stressed. I know my sisters, they stress a lot and and sometimes it's beneficial,
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  you know, they, they, you know, work their butt off and study and everything.
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  And they've gotten good grades as well. But I definitely think looking back, the moments I remember aren't,
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  you know, the big Spanish test that I had to study for.
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  It was--it was always, you know, the cool project or, you know, walking in during in the hallway during passing time with friends or,
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  you know, um, you know, moments like that.
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  SPEAKER3: I would say something similar, like, "don't take things for granted" because like the memories that I have from freshman year and I thought I was so like
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  little and tiny and worthless, but like--and I was because I was a freshman.
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  SPEAKER6: But of course, like thinking about that, it just it's like
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  SPEAKER3: "Oh my goodness, that was so fun!" And like sometimes you do need to let go a little bit and not care so much about like the big test or the big final.
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  Study, but it's not the end of the world.
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  It's just high school. So kind of like to let loose and let things change.
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  SPEAKER4: And I kind of want to go back on that. It's not okay to like skip class.
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  SPEAKER6: Right, right, right.
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  SPEAKER5: My mom always says, like, "if you're nervous, it means you care," right?
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  And I think it's good to be nervous. And it's good to get out of your comfort zone and make sure you study and make sure you get good grades,
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  because those matter, too. But it's also important to find a good balance and be able to make those memories with your friends,
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  or with your sports teams or clubs or-- don't choose school over sports.
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  SPEAKER3: Like, if you're debating on whether you'll have time for a sport, just take it and it'll probably be one of the best.
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  SPEAKER4: As I say, especially with high school, I feel like the time management that.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER5: Very important to learn. You'll learn especially in college, like if you don't really learn it in high school,
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  it's going to be a really hard time to jump into college when everything's kind of self-led,
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  and you have to figure out when you're going to do your homework, when you're going to study for that exam. Um,
• 15:18
  definitely good to learn that.
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  SPEAKER3: And definitely one
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  SPEAKER5: of the
• 15:21
  SPEAKER3: biggest jumps from like eighth grade to freshman year when you actually have like finals and you actually have homework that they don't just like--It's not
• 15:28
  just like a nightly homework. It's like you actually have to study and like.
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  SPEAKER5: Or you have it over like a two week span.
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  SPEAKER6: And
• 15:33
  SPEAKER3: you have to learn that you actually have to do it, not the night before it's due.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER6: Right.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER5: I think, like my overall advice for freshmen through juniors is to ask questions.
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  I've always been, like, encouraged from my parents to ask questions, and I think it's one of like the bravest things you can do is whether it's
• 15:55
  asking a teacher for help or a friend for advice, or a parent for help with your pathway.
• 16:04
  Whatever you're going to do in life, I think it's important to ask questions because that's the only way you're going to broaden your knowledge and take in
• 16:12
  different viewpoints. It doesn't
• 16:14
  SPEAKER3: make you
• 16:14
  SPEAKER5: less. Right!
• 16:15
  SPEAKER6: To
• 16:15
  SPEAKER3: have questions, it actually makes you a lot stronger, because a lot of people aren't willing to ask questions.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER5: And it allows you to grow as a person for sure.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER1: Well, fantastic advice. Thank you for sharing that.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER6: Seriously.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER1: Um, so the last question is what is next for you?
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  What are you most excited about as you move into your next chapter?
• 16:39
  SPEAKER7: I'll start that one off.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER6: Yeah, sure, I got it.
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  SPEAKER3: I'm actually really excited for a fresh start with new people.
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  It's nice to just, like, not have any stigma around anyone and be able to be 100% your authentic self,
• 16:55
  which I'm very excited for. Like new location, new scenery around me.
• 17:00
  Like I'll be in the bluffs in Winona State and I can't wait for the nature around me.
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  And just like everyone is new and everyone's fresh and there's like no previous anything,
• 17:12
  no arguments with people, no things that are holding you back from being yourself.
• 17:16
  So I'm very excited for that part.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER7: Yeah.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER4: I--so I'm going to UW Platteville next year and I, I'm fortunate enough I'm going to be on the soccer team there.
• 17:28
  I'll be playing. So I've already got
• 17:31
  SPEAKER6: like a--
• 17:31
  SPEAKER4: Like a built in friend group.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER6: Yes.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER4: And you know, with Platteville being in Wisconsin and pretty close to Oregon, I already know a bunch of my buddies that are going there.
• 17:42
  So I guess my reasons are a little different than Morgan's, but--but, um.
• 17:48
  No, I'm. I mean, I'm looking forward to it.
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  I think it'll be a lot of work. You know, there's a lot of responsibility that comes with,
• 17:56
  you know, going to college and that taking that next step.
• 17:59
  Um, but then again, a lot more fun and freedom as well.
• 18:04
  So I'm looking forward to it for sure.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER5: Well, I'm taking it far. My path
• 18:08
  SPEAKER6: is far --
• 18:10
  SPEAKER5: North Carolina at UNC Chapel Hill, and I'm very excited for that.
• 18:15
  It's definitely a big jump. Um, kind of like Morgan though.
• 18:21
  I'm super excited for new people, new location, new atmosphere, and I'm excited to grow as a person and learn about
• 18:30
  different people's different experiences and perspectives.
• 18:34
  And just like, jump in to the real world, if that makes sense.
• 18:39
  Me too. So yeah.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER1: Oh, wow. Um, so exciting to hear about what you have planned next.
• 18:45
  And just I hope everyone heard it in your voices, but your faces just lit up
• 18:50
  SPEAKER6: as you were telling us about what's next.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER1: I love
• 18:52
  SPEAKER6: that!
• 18:54
  SPEAKER1: Um, so thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and your ideas with us today.
• 18:58
  On behalf of the entire district, um, I want you to know how proud we are of you and your classmates.
• 19:05
  We'll be cheering from you back here in Oregon as you move forward, and are very excited to hear your speeches,
• 19:12
  but also to hear about your amazing adventures yet to come.
• 19:18
  The class of 2025 commencement Ceremony will be held this Sunday, June 8th at 1 p.m.
• 19:25
  in the Oregon High School Main Gym. The event will be streamed live courtesy of OCA media.
• 19:31
  Congratulations, class of 2025!
• 19:35
  SPEAKER8: Remember that you can find links to all episodes of Inside the OSD and submit topic ideas on our website at
• 19:42
  OregonSD.org/Podcast. You can find this podcast anywhere you can find podcasts.
• 19:50
  Make sure to subscribe if you're listening on one of these apps to get notifications on the most recent episodes.
• 19:56
  We'll see you next time on Inside the OSD where it's all about the kids.