Keaton Hanson and Rikki Johnson

Rush says …

“Summer’s going fast; summer’s coming fast.

“Nights growing colder; nights are getting bolder.

“Children growing up; us children grew up.

“Old friends growing older; our friends are growing older.

“(Let us) Freeze this moment a little bit longer.

“Make each sensation a little bit stronger.”

They call me Mr. Hansen, but Keaton to most.

I am Rikki Johnson, speaking as a host.

We are here to give our thanks as students of AHS,

To our family, friends, and teachers hearing this address.

Thank you teachers for everything you do

You have guided all us hoodlums who didn’t have a clue.

Thank you to our families who’ve molded who we are,

And set us up for fine lives where we can travel far.

Thank you to our friends for all the fun we’ve had,

Rolling through life with the good times and the bad.

It passed by so fast, this evanescent senior year,

Our future is still hazy, but it’s becoming clear.

Lucky we are, all those seated on the floor,

To be graduating with the class of 2004.

The first out of the new,

After three years in the old.

Our generation has a story to be told.

This school has had its problems,

Ranch, faucets, and fire alarms.

Heinously long lines,

Taking too much time.

“Compact” spaces in the lot,

Too small for a small Fiat.

But it’s been great,

Through our year-long wait.

And we contributed to the fresh personality

Of this new school

That we have touched in totality.

We made it through the senioritis,

Even though it did bite us.

And now we are here,

At the end of the year,

Saying goodbye to all our peers.

We are learning how the real world isn’t as easy as it seems,

How we have to work so hard just to reach our dreams.

Through it all, we’ve persevered,

And we made it through our senior year.

Now we’re off, to great unknowns,

Forced to make new friends and find new homes.

We will make it through,

Of this we are sure.

Because we are the class

Of 2004.