ShawneeDispatch.com

Just when Mill Valley High School's seniors thought they were finished with school, class president Courtney Summerskill called roll for a new kind of class: "Welcome to ‘The Rest of Your Life 101.'"

Future nurses, CEO's, teachers and land developers were all on hand for their first day, which began at Mill Valley's graduation exercises Sunday in the school gym. Wearing navy blue robes, caps and tassels were 165 seniors, members of the first class to attend Mill Valley for four years.

In addition to speeches by Summerskill and Student Council president JessicaVelazquez, the program also included a speech by student-chosen social studies teacher Jeff Strickland, a photo slide show and music by the school's concert band, choir and madrigals.

Velazquez and fellow senior Brandon Smith were this year's citizenship award winners.

Interim principal Steve Ludwig said teachers nominate and vote on two students to receive the high honor based on the students' character, namely respect, responsibility and reverence for others.

Ludwig described the class of 2004 as a cohesive group that really cared for each other -- a quality that he hoped students would carry with them into an often-hostile world.

"It's been tremendous," he said. "The hospitality of this group gives us one more reason to be optimistic."

Valedictorians for the Class of 2004 were: Laura Daron, Elizabeth Erickson, Hallie Friend, Nathan Gonser, Kristen Grinstead, Casey Heath, Mitchell Reed, Alexander Treaster and Kerri Walter.