It’s hard to believe that another graduation weekend has come and gone at Mount Ellis Academy in Bozeman, Mont. All were blessed by the messages given during the weekend’s programs. There were inspirational talks given by various individuals.
Science teacher James Stuart spoke for the Friday night consecration service. Bible and history teacher Jonathan Schwarz spoke for the baccalaureate sermon on Sabbath. The Sabbath School lesson study was a tag-team presentation by Elden Ramirez, Montana Conference president, and Matthew Kirk, Montana Conference vice president of finance and administration. Finally, Barry Curtis, former Mount Ellis Academy Church pastor, gave the commencement address on Sunday morning.
On class night, there was laughter and tears as tributes to parents and students were given. As the graduating class announced their class gift of a new water fountain for the administration building, it was evident this would be much appreciated by the excitement that ensued.
During the commencement ceremony, Hannah Fischer, a senior, poignantly sang the song "Time to Say Goodbye," creating a melancholy atmosphere that pervaded the chapel. Curtis sent the graduates off with a commencement address punctuated with pictures and anecdotal stories from the seniors’ time at Mount Ellis Academy. Curtis tied those memories to their class aim, which was a quote by Dr. Seuss, “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory,” and their motto, “Bridge the distance between dreams and reality through action.”
After college and university scholarships were awarded and the well-earned diplomas were handed out, the 13 proud and excited graduates marched down the aisle of the MEA chapel into the beautiful Montana spring day. The teachers breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they had done their best to help launch these students into the next phase of their life.
While we already miss the Class of 2019, we are proud of their accomplishments and are excited to see them begin their next adventure. Congratulations class of 2019 … don’t forget to come back and visit!
