VALEDICTORIAN, SALUTATORIAN ADDRESS GRADUATING CLASS OF 2000 DURING COMMENCEMENTS

Commencement exercises for the graduating Class of 2000 were held Sunday, May 21, in the Waukon Senior High gymnasium. Class colors represented at the ceremony were burgundy and navy with silver accents, while the class flower was a moonlight rose. Students chose the following motto in remembrance of their years together: “Make yesterday today’s memories. New beginnings call for sad endings, but the friends left behind will never be forgotten. Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave and impossible to forget.”
Class of 2000 valedictorian for academic achievement was Jill Marie Kistler, daughter of Dick and Evonne Kistler of Waukon. Throughout high school, Kistler was involved in a number of activities, including but not limited to, the Lutheran Youth Organization, Dollars for Scholars and Who’s Who Among American High School Students. Kistler was nominated for the National Honor Society and participated in the Drake National Alumni Scholarship Competition. She also volunteered her time as a tutor for grade school children, a program of Community Connections, throughout both her junior and senior years.
Special honors bestowed upon Kistler included representation in KWWL’s “Best of the Class” as one of 23 eastern Iowa and southwestern Wisconsin top graduating seniors; recognition as a State of Iowa Scholar; and inclusion as a Kiwanis Honor Student among the top 15% of her graduating class.
Scholarships awarded Kistler totaled over $30,000 and included a presidential scholarship to Drake University, where she will study pre-law; a Dollars for Scholars award; the Keith and Pat Sanders Scholarship, and an Iowa Merit Scholarship.
Kistler graduated with honors and was asked to speak on behalf of her graduating class at a special recognition ceremony held at St. John’s Lutheran Church on Senior Sunday, as well as at the May 21 graduation event.
Salutatorian for the graduating Class of 2000 was Julie Lansing, daughter of Dean and Gail Lansing of Waukon.
Throughout Lansing’s high school career, she was participatory in National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America, tutoring of grade school students, and served as a dedicated lector at church.
In honor of her academic achievements, Lansing was nominated as a Des Moines Register Academic All-State participant; received an American Citizenship Award, presented by the Iowa Bar Association; and was invited for inclusion among Kiwanis Honor Students, representing the top 15% of the graduating class.
Scholarships awarded the salutatorian totaled near $4,000 and included a Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank Scholarship, Dollars for Scholars award, R.J. McElroy Trust Scholarship, Resident Scholarship, UNI Dan and Janis Balabon Scholarship, UNI College of Business Scholarship, and State of Iowa Scholars Scholarship.
Additionally, Lansing was invited to address her fellow classmates at the May 21 Class of 2000 commencement exercises.
Lansing plans to pursue a degree in accounting and finance at the University of Northern Iowa.