I always have mixed emotions at graduation time. It’s great to see a group of students, products of our school district, head out into the world or on to higher education.

The graduates this year are kids whom I’ve watched in various school activities for about nine years. They are a great group of kids but more importantly, they are a product of their school system and the environment of Snoqualmie Valley.

One key trait I noticed in this group is their ability to interact with adults. It seemed they were able to clearly communicate and look you in the eye when talking. That’s a trait that seems hard to find in teenagers today.

They were also driven. For instance in sports, they may not have had the talent of some past groups, but they were able to channel when needed and excelled beyond expectations.

So to Adam Rothgeb, Amy Trenkamp, Alex Grazda, Kayla Jayne, Ashley Svarthumle, Brandon Sales, Emily White and the rest of the bunch, congratulations. Start paying into Social Security soon so there will be funds when I want to retire.