Rehoboth graduates urged to face life without fear

Silly string and confetti flies through the air over the 28 Rehoboth senior graduates at the end of the Rehoboth graduation ceremony on Saturday afternoon at Gallup High School. [Photo by Matt Hinshaw/Independent]

By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Twenty-seven graduating seniors along with their principal said farewell to Rehoboth High School during Saturday's commencement ceremony at the Gallup High School auditorium.

The ceremony was mostly upbeat and joyful although the tragic loss of two students was remembered in the program. Executive Director Ron Polinder announced that seventh-grader Renzo Fowler passed away on Thursday from injuries sustained after being thrown by a horse. And listed along with the names of graduating seniors was the name of Maria Holscher, the German foreign exchange student who died last year after being injured in a car accident on I-40. Holscher was remembered several times throughout the program.

After parents of the graduating seniors were thanked in a speech by senior Danielle Billy and received bouquets of flowers from their children, Polinder recognized three Rehoboth alumni from the class of 1957 in attendance at the ceremony: Phil Kamps, Barry Koops, and David Swierenga. They were also joined by their former principal, Bernie Koops, 95, who served as high school principal from 1956 to 1965.

Tim Stuart, Rehoboth's current high school principal, delivered the commencement address. Stuart will be leaving the school to assume high school principal duties at an international school in Jakarta, Indonesia. Stuart, who speaks several languages and has lived in various countries around the world, challenged the graduates to not let their fears keep them from living their lives fully.

Stuart shared the story of his horse who has an irrational fear of plastic bags. When spooked by a plastic bag like a Wal-Mart bag the horse forgets he's "a magnificent horse," Stuart said. "He becomes completely paralyzed with fear," he explained.

People also become paralyzed with fear, he said, for a number of reasons. They are fearful of change, of the unknown, of people different from themselves, of trying new things, of being hurt in relationships and more. They are sometimes fearful, he added, of success.

"Fear stops you from believing that you can actually make a difference in this world," said Stuart.

In contrast, he said, "God's plan for us is to live a life without fear." Stuart told the graduates that God created each of them for "a very specific reason" and that God was bigger than any fear they might have or any challenge they would face in life. In order to conquer their fears and live life fully, Stuart urged the graduates to "rely on the one true God" whose "love will truly cast out all fears."

Valedictorian Greg Vondiziano and Salutatorian Muriel Arrowsmith skipped the traditional speech format and instead shared the podium to give a dialogue-style recounting of the Class of 2007's memorable times.

Nine seniors sang "Till We Meet Again" as a parting farewell to Stuart, and three seniors, Rosie Charles, Muriel Arrowsmith, and Emerald Tanner, sang a song in memory of Holscher.

During the presentation of diplomas, Athletic Director Myron Postma and high school teacher Steve Weeda read brief statements about each senior, and the graduates received their diplomas along with farewell hugs. The event included a few comedic moments as when graduate Daniel Sanders lifted his surprised principal off the floor with a big bear hug, and when Erin Arviso was introduced by Postma with the statement, "Erin and her cell phone will be attending the University of Arizona."

With the exception of Tashina M. Golden, who will be joining the military, all the other graduates are heading off to college.

The ceremony concluded with a song by 2006 graduate Mag Kim, a brief reminder from teacher Dirk Hollebeek that "Grace Happens," and a rousing recessional to the Motown classic "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."