Logan celebrates graduates

LOGAN - Kambry Burns' valedictorian speech during Logan High School's graduation ceremony Saturday morning at the school's football field was a fairly typical one - until she got to the part she sneaked into the text.

Her voice shaking with emotion, Burns voiced a tribute to her mother, Crystal, who began her career at Logan as a student teacher when Kambry was in kindergarten and now is the school's principal, and her father, Billy, a Logan teacher and athletic director.

"Mom, you started your student teaching with us in kindergarten, taught us in fifth grade, and now you're announcing our names as principal of Logan schools," Kambry said. "I'm so proud of you, and you influenced us that with hard work and determination, you can get anywhere in life.

"Dad, as our sponsor and teacher, you have showed everyone in this class how to keep our word, to work hard at everything we do and to get things done when they need to be done. You two have impacted our class more than you know and have set amazing examples for us all."

Crystal Burns, who wiped away at least one tear during her daughter's speech, said Kambry apparently added the tribute to the speech after she'd turned it in. She acknowledged it was a surprise.

"I got to go from the beginning to the end with all of them, so it's been a very special time," Crystal Burns added of the Class of 2021. A total of six Logan students in that class went the distance at the school district.

A total of 19 Logan High School students walked across a temporary stage set up at the football field on a sunny Saturday morning to receive their diplomas. Another seven of 14 graduates who took online classes for the entire school year took part in a smaller ceremony at the school's gym later that morning.

Because Quay County's turquoise rating in COVID-19 risk assessment permitted 75% occupancy at outdoor venues, the school district elected to have Saturday's main ceremony at the football field for the first time in at least a decade. Chairs for spectators were set up in bunches of five, along with two small sets of bleachers in the back.

Superintendent Dennis Roch admitted after the ceremony he wasn't sure what crowd number would represent the football field's 75% capacity. It appeared between 100 and 200 people attended the ceremony.

"We only used maybe a quarter of the football field, maybe even less than that," he noted. "We tried to do family pods. And the only time I didn't let the kids not wear masks is when they were speaking at the mike or when they were coming up for their diplomas. All the other times, they had their masks on."

State and federal health officials have recommended that students continue to wear masks because many are not yet eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. People who have been fully vaccinated are allowed to be go maskless, especially in outdoor settings.

Logan originally scheduled last year's graduation at the football field, but the state's Department of Health, citing more stringent regulations at the time, threatened stiff fines against the school district. An alternative venue at a church in Dalhart, Texas, backed out of the arrangement the night before. Logan went with a drive-up graduation ceremony in the school's parking lot instead.

Senior Adrienne Stone and classmate Dante Sanchez acknowledged the turmoil caused by COVID-19 while reciting the Class of 2021's history.

"This year was nowhere easy for any of us," Stone said. "We started the year off with remote learning, with no clue how our senior year was going to go. The last year of high school is one everyone looks forward to, but ours was nothing like we'd hoped growing up. Although we got to return to in-person school in January, it was a roller coaster of emotions, new rules, canceling school, going back to school and trying to play sports.

"With the last two years nothing like we'd imagined, we had our doubts, but we're here at the finish line."

"This year definitely has not been a normal one," salutatorian Keilee Judd echoed during her address. "In fact, it was anything but normal. Yet we survived."

Roch agreed the Class of 2021 endured "not a year anybody asked for," but he noted all of Logan's seniors have been accepted to a college and have earned thousands of dollars in scholarships.

"It proves the resilience and perseverance of our kids," he said. "They were able to overcome whatever challenges were in front of them, finish their coursework, and many of them finished college credits, above and beyond what they hoped. We're super-proud of them."