Congratulations Graduates!
The Rushmore Plaza Civic Center is always full of life; comings and goings, music and art, festivals and celebrations. Every year about this time, we are not just filled with life, we are filled with hopes and dreams, promise and new adventure… we are filled with High School Graduates.
This time of year may just be our most proud; we watch the children of our community break free and re-define themselves as young adults. We watch them enter our doors throughout their lives and gain experiences and education through music, arts, community and sporting events and other Rushmore Plaza Civic Center happenings. Now we watch them enter with a new light in their eyes, a sense of purpose and freedom on their faces and pride in their hearts.
Many will go off to college and come back to this area to start businesses, build homes and families and bring another generation to life in Rapid City. Many will go forth from here to make powerful and lasting impressions on our country and our world. Some will stay here and become the generation upon whose backs, the future of our community rests. Some will leave, and we will only see them again on holidays and for high school reunions or weddings. These will be missed, but are sent forth with the understanding that we gave them a great education and an ideal place to grow up; full of diversity and yet with a solid connection to the wildness of the Black Hills. We have sent them forth with the understanding that what they dream, they can achieve and they know what hard work can do. These young people may be needed in other parts of our world, because they have had the unique experiences and education the Black Hills of South Dakota can offer. It is in that knowledge that we can find peace, even in their departure.
These satin-robe clad young achievers grace our halls in the coming weeks with hearts pounding and heads held high. The have come because they have achieved. The journey upon which they are about to embark may be the very greatest of their lives for they will understand themselves in a whole new way. They will find purpose and meaning, struggle and reward, sorrow and joy. They will create lives for themselves and we will stand by, just as their supportive parents do with pride and hope for them to find that which truly makes them happy.
In the coming days we will let go of a generation, we will throw our arms around them in one last embrace of support and encouragement, and send them on their way to the wide world outside. Chances are they will be back again, to swim in our lakes, have dinner in our restaurants, and bring their children to our parks. They will always carry with them a deep appreciation and respect for their roots and we will always be here, ready to welcome them home.
These bright spirits are our futures, and they leave our stage with diploma in hand and a new flame in their hearts. We will watch as they toss their caps in the air and leave our building – some for the last time – on a journey none can guess.
We are honored to host their celebration here, and give their families a chance to see them revel in their glory. We are proud to see their faces painted with pride. We watch them leave with great dreams for their lives in our hearts. This time, we will watch them go with just a tinge of sadness, and a whole lot of hope.
Every year about this time we say goodbye to a class of our community’s finest young people. And every year we say hello to the future of Rapid City. Congratulations graduates! We are so proud.