Bowie HS Graduation May 31, 2024 1pm

≫ NEIL ≫ ≫ ≫ NEWLY GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE. MY NAME IS JOE KAUTZER, PRINCIPAL OF BOWIE HIGH SCHOOL. WE ARE HERE TODAY FOR THE ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM. WE ARE ALMOST READY TO BEGIN THE PROCESSIONAL, BUT BEFORE WE DO, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SOLICIT THE COOPERATION OF OUR AUDIENCE DURING TODAY'S PROGRAM. WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD WITH OUR GRADUATES TO CONVEY TO THEM THE DIGNITY THAT A COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM SHOULD HAVE. I THINK YOU WILL SEE THE FRUITS OF THAT LABOR IN A MINUTE. WE ARE SOLICITING THE COOPERATION OF OUR AUDIENCE WITH TODAY'S PROGRAM TO KEEP UNNECESSARY NOISE TO A MINIMUM THROUGHOUT THE CEREMONY. WE ESPECIALLY ASK THAT THERE BE NO NOISEMAKERS, WHISTLING, OR SCREAMING WHEN OUR STUDENTS ARE PRESENTING. NOISEMAKERS IN THE FORM OF AIR HORNS ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED. ANYONE USING AN AIR HORN WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE ARENA. IN ADDITION, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM STANDING IN THE SEATS. A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER WILL PHOTOGRAPH EACH GRADUATE AS HE/SHE RECEIVES A DIPLOMA. THESE PICTURES WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION IN THESE MATTERS. WE APPRECIATE YOUR HELP IN BRINGING DIGNITY TO THIS COMMENCEMENT CELEBRATION. ≫["POMP & CIRCUMSTANCE" PLAYING] ♫ ♫ ♫ [ APPLAUSE ] LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE REMOVE YOUR CAPS FOR THE PRESENTATION OF COLORS AND PLAYING OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. O SAY, CAN YOU SEE, BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT, WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED AT THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING, WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS, THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT, O'ER THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED, WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING? AND THE ROCKETS' RED GLARE, THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR, GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE. O SAY DOES THAT STAR-SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE? [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ANDRE ESTERS, SENIOR CLASS ADMINISTRATOR, AND IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THE DISTINGUISHED GUESTS WHO ARE JOINING US TODAY. PLEASE STAND TO BE RECOGNIZED WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME. DR. ZIPPORAH MILLER, BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER, DISTRICT 5 KENNETH F. HARRIS II, ENG.D. , BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT 7 QUINCY BOYD, CHIEF OF STAFF DR. JANICE BRISCOE, AREA 3 INSTRUCTIONAL DIRECTOR, CLUSTER 13 ≫ I'M SORRY RNG CLASS, YOU MAY BE SEATED. ≫ MR. JOSEPH KAUTZER, PRINCIPAL OF BOWIE HIGH SCHOOL MS MEGHANN KAPLUN, SENIOR CLASS PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELOR MR FRANTZ DEEJEN, SENIOR CLASS CO- SPONSOR MR JOSE ROMERO, SENIOR CLASS CO -SPONSOR JANA TENGEN, SENIOR CLASS PRESIDENT KAYLANI SMITH, SENIOR CLASS VICE PRESIDENT ELISE THOMAS, SENIOR CLASS SECRETARY SUSAN FRU-NDI, SENIOR CLASS TREASURER LYDIA MURRAY, SGA EXECUTIVE BOARD PRESIDENT BENEDICT AJEGWU, NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY PRESIDENT NYOMI EDWARDS, CLASS OF 2024 VALEDICTORIAN MIA OWENS, CLASS OF 2024 SALUTATORIAN NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY PRESIDENT. SUPERINTENDENT HOUSE WE NOW WELCOME TO THE PODIUM TO BRING YOU PGCPS OFFICIAL REMARKS. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M HERE IN REGARDS TO SUPERINTENDENT HOUSE. THIS CLASS HAS A LOT TO CELEBRATE, COLLECTIVELY ≫ WE ARE REMINDING YOU OF A JOURNEY THAT BROUGHT US TO THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION. YOU BEGAN YOUR CAREER IN A TIME OF UNCERTAINTY AND CHALLENGE AND NAVIGATING YOUR JOURNEY WITH RESILIENCE AND DETERMINATION. YOU LEARNED HOW TO SHARE YOUR SCREEN, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY YOUR STRENGTH, PERSEVERANCE AND KINDNESS. AT THIS MOMENT, I WANT EACH GRADUATE TO LOCK EYES ON YOUR FAMILY AND GIVE THEM SOME [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] EXCELLENT. OKAY, MOMMA. THEY ARE EXCITED FOR YOU. AND SO ARE WE. THE CLASS OF 2024, HAS A LOT TO CELEBRATE. IN FACT, I WANT EACH AND EVERY PERSON IN THIS GYMNASIUM TO HEAR THIS FACT. THIS CLASS HAS EARNED MORE THAN $13 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS. AS YOU ALL BEGIN THIS NEW LEG OF YOUR JOURNEY, I WANT YOU TO KEEP A FEW THINGS IN MIND. I WANT YOU TO CONTINUE TO SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE THAT MAKE GOOD CHOICES. IF YOU ARE AROUND SOMEONE THAT HAS ISSUES, IT'S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA TO MAKE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE YOUR FLUENCIER IN YOUR JOURNEY. PRACTICE THE MANY ACTIONS. UNLESS WE PRACTICE OUR SPIRITED ACTIONS, THEY WILL GO UNFOUNDED. YOU ARE RESILIENT. YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH IT. YOU KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. YOU WALK ON SPEED BUMPS ALONG THE WAY. IN CONCLUSION, YOU HAVE NOTHING BUT SPACE AND OPPORTUNITY IN FRONT OF YOU. THE DOORS ARE OPEN. SO STAY FOCUSED AND MOVE ON TO THOSE POWERFUL DAYS THAT WILL CHALLENGE YOU AND HELP YOU GROW TO DO WHAT'S BETTER FOR WHAT THIS COUNTY AND YOU NEED AS AN INDIVIDUAL. YOU HAVE AN AT SOME POINT TO MAKE YOUR STEP ON THIS SOCIETY, SO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY AND MAKE THE MOST OF WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU VALUE THE CONGRATULATIONS. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] ≫ THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT HOUSE, FOR YOUR REMARKS. WE WILL NOW ENJOY A MUSICAL PERFORMANCE DIRECTED BY DR. PATRICK M. KITENDO, OUR CHORAL MUSIC DIRECTOR. ” [ APPLAUSE ] ♫ [ SINGING ] ♫ [ APPLAUSE ] KAYLANI SMIT GOOD AFTERNOON GRADUATES, STAFF, FAMILY AND FRIENDS, MY NAME IS KAYLANI SMITH AND I AM PROUD TO SERVE YOU AS YOUR CLASS OF 2024 VICE PRESIDENT. IT IS MY DELIGHT TO INTRODUCE A DRIVEN AND DEDICATED STUDENT. SHE HAS BEEN A PART OF THE NATIONAL HONORS SOCIETY, LITERARY MAGAZINE, CLASS OFFICE, AS WELL THE SUMMIT PROGRAM DURING HER TIME HERE AT BOWIE HIGH SCHOOL. ALTHOUGH SHE HAS BEEN ACCEPTED INTO SEVERAL COLLEGES SUCH AS THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, SPELMAN COLLEGE, NORTH CAROLINA A&T, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, AND HOWARD UNIVERSITY. SHE WILL BE ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK ON A FULL SCHOLARSHIP IN THE FALL AND PLANS TO STUDY PUBLIC POLICY. AT THIS TIME, PLEASE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE BOWIE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2024 SALUTATORIAN, MIA OWENS [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] MIA OWENS HI, EVERYONE. GOOD AFTERNOON TO MY CLASS AND ALL OF OUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, FACULTY, AND ESTEEMED GUESTS. A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN I FIRST FOUND OUT THAT I WAS SALUTATORIAN, MY FRIEND, MIKAYLA DOGGETT, ASKED ME HOW I FELT ABOUT IT. AT THE TIME, I COULDN'T PUT MY THOUGHTS INTO WORDS. MOMENTS LIKE THOSE ARE SIMILAR TO RIDING A ROLLER COASTER, SITTING AT THE PEAK, SHAKING WITH ANTICIPATION OF THE DROP. FOR ME, THE ROLLER COASTER DROPPED WHEN MR. KAUTZER SO KINDLY REMINDED ME THAT I WAS EXPECTED TO SPEAK AT GRADUATION. (YAY... ) IT'S A DAUNTING TASK. I FELT LIKE I WAS BEING ASKED TO CLOSE A BOOK THAT WAS STILL BEING WRITTEN. BUT AFTER SORTING THROUGH THE FEAR, ANGST, AND SOME MESSY BRAINSTORMING, I DECIDED I'D TELL YOU ALL ABOUT MY LAST DAY OF SCHOOL. ON THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, I DID WHAT ANY TOP STUDENT WOULD DO. I... DID NOT STAY IN CLASS. BUT! AMIDST MY VALIANT SKIPPING, I HAD A VARIETY OF DISCUSSIONS WITH MY CLASSMATES. THROUGHOUT THESE CONVERSATIONS, THERE WERE TWO RECURRING PHRASES. “I WISH” AND “ I SHOULD HAVE” ONCE I GOT HOME AND PROCESSED THE DAY, THOSE PHRASES REALLY STARTED TO BOTHER ME. WE'RE BARELY 18 AND CARRYING AROUND REGRET LIKE WE HAVE KIDS AND A MORTGAGE. THE THING ABOUT REGRET IS THAT IT FORCES US TO HAVE PERPETUAL TUNNEL VISION. WE GET HYPER- FIXATED ON WHAT WAS AND WE'RE BLIND TO WHAT IS OR WHAT COULD BE. WHICH IS WHY OCCASIONS LIKE TODAY ARE SO SPECIAL. NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED, BUT IT PRESENTS US WITH A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO ESCAPE THE TUNNELS WE'VE BEEN LIVING IN. THERE ARE ALMOST 600 OF US GRADUATING TODAY. I CANNOT IMAGINE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT COULD BE WEIGHING ON ANY ONE OF YOU. YOU MIGHT REGRET NOT JOINING ENOUGH CLUBS, NOT MAKING ENOUGH FRIENDS, OR MAYBE YOU'RE L IKE ME AND TURNED IN ONE TOO MANY ASSIGNMENTS AT 11:59. NO MATTER WHAT IT IS, TODAY WE'RE COMMEMORATING LEVELING UP. IN SCIENCE CLASS, WE LEARNED THAT WHEN ALTITUDE INCREASES, WEIGHT DECREASES. GROWTH WORKS THE SAME WAY. IN ORDER TO MOVE UP TO THIS NEW LEVEL, WE HAVE TO LEAVE SOME THINGS BEHIND. THE PAST IS TOO HEAVY TO CARRY ON YOUR JOURNEY. I'LL PUT IT THIS WAY, YOUR REALITY IS FORMED BY WHAT YOU SET YOUR EYES ON, IF YOU'RE STILL LOOKING INTO YOUR PAST WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE FUTURE TO LOOK LIKE? YOUR BEING HERE TODAY IS EVIDENCE THAT YESTERDAY'S MISTAKE IS NO MATCH FOR THE JOY OF TODAY AND THE SUCCESS OF TOMORROW. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2024 [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] INTRODUCTION OF THE VALEDICTORIAN: JANA TENGEN GOOD AFTERNOON FACULTY, PARENTS, FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY -- THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2024. MY NAME IS JANA TENGEN AND I AM PLEASED TO HAVE SERVED AS YOUR SENIOR CLASS PRESIDENT. IT IS A GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEXT SPEAKER, ONE OF MY OUTSTANDING COLLEAGUES. THROUGH HER FOUR YEARS AT BOWIE, SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN PRINCIPAL'S HONOR ROLL, SHE WAS INVOLVED IN CLASS OFFICE, AND WAS ABLE TO CONQUER 10 AP CLASSES WITHIN 3 YEARS. SHE'S EVEN BEEN ABLE TO HELP ME ALONG THE WAY, BECAUSE LORD KNOWS CHEMISTRY WAS A STRUGGLE. ENTERING INTO UMD IN THE FALL WITH THE BANNEKER/KEY SCHOLARSHIP. WITH A GPA OF 4. 3, I AM HONORED TO INTRODUCE OUR CLASS OF 2024'S VALEDICTORIAN, NYOMI EDWARDS. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] VALEDICTORIAN ADDRESS: NYOMI EDWARDS GOOD AFTERNOON, TO THE FACULTY, FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN ATTENDANCE. AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO THE AMAZING BHS CLASS OF 2024. STANDING HERE AS YOUR VALEDICTORIAN, I FEEL A GREAT SENSE OF PRIDE. NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF, BUT FOR MY CLASS AS A WHOLE. NOT TO BE TOO CLICHE, BUT IF YOU HAD TOLD ME FOUR YEARS AGO WHERE I WAS RIGHT NOW, I WOULD HAVE LAUGHED IN YOUR FACE. AND I THINK MANY OF MY CLASSMATES CAN AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT. THESE YEARS AT BOWIE HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH SO, SO MANY UPS AND DOWNS, BUT WE MADE IT! I HOPE EACH AND EVERY PERSON WHO IS GRADUATING REALIZES THE ASTOUNDING ACCOMPLISHMENT THEY ARE ACHIEVING. WHEN I INITIALLY FOUND OUT THAT I WAS VALEDICTORIAN, I HAD CONFLICTING FEELINGS ABOUT IT. I FELT EXTREMELY GRATEFUL AND HONESTLY SHOCKED THAT I HAD ACHIEVED BEING NUMBER ONE IN MY CLASS. BUT I ALSO FELT SOME IMPOSTER SYNDROME, AS I KNOW MANY PEOPLE IN MY CLASS THAT COULD DELIVER AN AMAZING SPEECH. AND FRANKLY, I KNOW MANY MORE PEOPLE THAT JUST HAD MORE PASSION FOR BOWIE AS A SCHOOL AS OPPOSED TO ME. BUT AS I THOUGHT ABOUT THE NUMEROUS PEOPLE THAT COULD DO “BETTER” THAN ME, IT MADE ME THINK ABOUT OUR CLASS AS A WHOLE. ABOUT HOW WE MAY BE VERY STRONG AS INDIVIDUALS, BUT I'VE SEEN THE MOST IMPRESSIVE THINGS BEING DONE IN GROUP SETTINGS. WHETHER IT BE IN CLUBS, IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT, OR IN SPORTS, I SEE MY CLASSMATES THRIVE TOGETHER. SO AS WE GET READY TO LEAVE, WHETHER YOU'RE LEAVING BOWIE THE SCHOOL, BOWIE THE CITY, OR EVEN MARYLAND THE STATE, DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CONNECTIONS YOU HAVE WITH THE PEOPLE SITTING AROUND YOU. NEVER FORGET ALL THE LAUGHTER AND JOY THAT THESE PEOPLE BROUGHT TO YOU, BECAUSE I KNOW I WON'T. AND KNOW YOU'LL ALWAYS HAVE A COMMUNITY TO COME BACK TO. LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO DO SOME SPECIAL SHOUTOUTS. THANK YOU TO ALL MY TEACHERS, BUT SPECIFICALLY TO MY ART TEACHERS, WHO HELPED ME REALIZE MY ART WAS WORTHWHILE. THANK YOU TO MY WONDERFUL MOM AND DAD, WHO ALWAYS GAVE ME ALL THE RESOURCES TO SUCCEED. THANK YOU TO MY GRANDMA FOR ALWAYS GIVING ME A PLACE TO STAY, AND MY GRAMMY FOR ALWAYS GIVING ME RIDES, I KNOW SHE WANTS ME CONGRATULATIONS 2024 BULLDOGS, WE DID IT! THANK YOU. APPLAUSE] OF APPLAUSE. [ APPLAUSE ] OF APPLAUSE FOR THE AMAZING BAND AND CHOIR. EXTREMELY OUTSTANDING. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] ≫ GOOD AFTERNOON CLASS OF 2024! TODAY WE ARE ALL HERE TO CELEBRATE YOU AND YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO START BY FIRST ACKNOWLEDGING SOME PEOPLE WHO HELPED MAKE TODAY POSSIBLE. SPECIAL THANK YOU TO COUNTY EXECUTIVE ANGELA ALSOBROOKS, PGCPS SUPERINTENDENT MILLARD HOUSE II, CHIEF OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP DR. RAHSHENE DAVIS, ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT DR. CARLETTA MARROW, INSTRUCTIONAL DIRECTOR MS. NICOLE ISLEY -MCCLURE, AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DR. ZIPPORAH MILLER. WITHOUT ALL OF THEIR LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT, TODAY'S CEREMONY WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. WOULD ALL OF THE BOWIE HS STAFF AND FACULTY PLEASE STAND UP. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] ≫ THIS BULLDOG TEAM RIGHT HERE IS THE MOST CARING AND COMMITTED GROUP OF EDUCATORS YOU WILL EVER FIND! SPECIAL THANK YOU TO 12TH GRADE ADMINISTRATOR MR. ANDRE ESTERS, ALONG WITH CLASS SPONSORS MR. FRANTZ DEETJEN AND MR. JOSE ROMERO, AND 12TH GRADE PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELORS MS. MEGHANN KAPLUN AND MS. YVANNIE ST. LUC. PLEASE GIVE THEM ALL A ROUND OF APPLAUSE [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] WE ALSO NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THE PARENTS, GUARDIANS, AND LOVED ONES WHO TURNED THEIR HOMES INTO CLASSROOMS DURING PARTS OF YOUR 9TH GRADE SCHOOL YEAR! GRADUATES, PLEASE STAND UP AND TURN TO FACE YOUR LOVED ONES IN THE AUDIENCE. PLEASE CHEER LOUDLY FOR YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS HERE TODAY. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. WE ALL KNOW THAT WITHOUT THEIR LOVE AND SUPPORT, TODAY WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. CLASS OF 2024, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I AM INCREDIBLY PROUD OF YOU. YOU ARE AN AMAZING GROUP, AND ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, I WILL ALWAYS HAVE A SPECIAL CONNECTION WITH YOU. I BECAME PRINCIPAL AT THE START OF YOUR 9TH GRADE YEAR --AND HERE WE ARE FOUR YEARS LATER --I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER TO SEE HOW YOU'VE GROWN, AND TO GREET YOU ON THE STAGE TODAY AS YOU GRADUATE. TOGETHER THIS GROUP IS DOING SOME AMAZING THINGS: WE HAVE 580 STUDENTS GRADUATING, ONE OF OUR LARGEST GRADUATING CLASSES IN RECENT MEMORY, AND ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND THIS YEAR? OVER $13. 4 MILLION DOLLARS OF SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS, 20 STUDENTS WERE ACCEPTED INTO UMD (RIGHT HERE! ) NYOMI AND MIA ON THE STAGE WITH ME HAVE RECEIVED THE PRESTIGIOUS BANNEKER KEY SCHOLARSHIP FROM UMD, WHICH MEANS THEY ARE IN THE TOP 2% OF ALL APPLICANTS TO COLLEGE PARK! THERE ARE ALSO TWO OTHER AMAZING STUDENTS WHO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: ALANNA FRANCIS AND CHIKAMDI OKEAKPU -- COULD YOU PLEASE BRIEFLY STAND UP AND GIVE A QUICK WAVE! STAND UP SO WE CAN SEE [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] THESE TWO LADIES HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING WE THINK IS UNPRECEDENTED AT BOWIE: BOTH STUDENTS WERE ACCEPTED INTO NOT ONE, BUT TWO MILITARY ACADEMIES -- BOTH WERE ACCEPTED INTO THE US NAVAL ACADEMY AND THE US AIR FORCE ACADEMY, AND BOTH WILL BE ATTENDING THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY NEXT YEAR. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] THEY SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED NOT ONLY FOR THEIR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, BUT ALSO, FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO SERVING OUR COUNTRY. GREAT JOB, LADIES. GRADUATES, AS YOU SIT HERE TODAY, YOU MIGHT BE REALIZING THE WAY THAT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION MARKS A PASSAGE INTO ADULTHOOD; A SHIFT WHERE YOU ARE INCREASINGLY IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN LIFE. WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU? WHAT KIND OF GOALS DO YOU HAVE, AND WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO SACRIFICE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THEM? IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, YOU WILL BE CONFRONTING EACH OF THOSE QUESTIONS THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. BY BEING HERE TODAY, YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT YOU HAVE THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO GO ANYWHERE YOU WANT IN LIFE. THE REST WILL BE DETERMINED BY YOUR HARD WORK, YOUR DETERMINATION, AND YOUR CARE FOR OTHERS. AS YOU HEAR ME SAY ON THE MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS MOST DAYS: SHOW UP!.. ON TIME. AND TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR WORK, AND I PROMISE GOOD THINGS WILL COME YOUR WAY CLASS OF 2024: I AM SO IMPRESSED BY YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENT HERE TODAY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL THE WAYS YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE OUR WORLD A BETTER PLACE THANK [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] BOWIE HIGH SCHOOL IS AN ACCREDITED MEMBER OF THE MIDDLE STATES ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS. I, PRINCIPAL JOSEPH KAUTZER, AND I DR. ZIPPORAH MILLER AND DR. KENNETH HARRIS HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THESE STUDENTS HAVE COMPLETED THE COURSES REQUIRED BY THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. BY THE POWERS VESTED IN ME, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, AND THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION........... I DECLARE THIS CLASS OF 2024 TO BE GRADUATES FROM BOWIE HIGH SCHOOL [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] AT THIS TIME WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN AWARDING THE GRADUATES DIPLOMAS. "AWARDING OF DIPLOMAS " ≫ "AWARDING OF DIPLOMAS " "AWARDING OF DIPLOMAS " WOULD THE CLASS OF 2024 PLEASE STAND.... [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] THE TURNING OF THE TASSELS SIGNIFIES THE OFFICIAL TRANSITION FROM CANDIDATE TO GRADUATE GRADUATES..... AT THIS TIME, PLEASE TURN YOUR TASSELS FROM RIGHT TO LEFT [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] ≫ ≫ ≫ ≫ ≫["POMP & CIRCUMSTANCE" PLAYING] ♫ ♫ ♫