Bob Fitzgerald Montezuma-Cortez High School Salutatorians, from left, Lindsay Waggoner, Paul Schlafly and Bryce Tanner, hold mementos from their early school days during their speech at the MCHS graduation ceremonies Thursday evening.

From silly string to Dr. Seuss and more time-honored wisdom, the Montezuma-Cortez High School Class of 2000 was sent off in style.

At the standing-room only ceremony at Panther Field Thursday evening, 176 young men and women said goodbye to high school and hello to the future.

Senior Class President Stacy Tanner’s opening remarks likened life to a chain.

"You are a link in our past 18 years ... you have prepared us to approach our life," she said. Tanner thanked parents, teachers and class sponsor Kathy Swope for being a part of that chain.

"You have helped us become what we are today, and what we will be in the future," she said.

Class Salutatorians Paul Schlafly, Bryce Tanner and Lindsay Waggoner shared class memories in a speech punctuated with levity and illustrated by zany props. The "three Rs" got particular attention when the Class of 2000’s elementary school years were recalled. According to Waggoner, the Rs were "reading, ‘riting and recess."

Throughout the ceremony, this same sense of humor prevailed, making it, as one audience member said, "fun filled and happy." Class Valedictorians Shane Chadwick, Janelle Knox, Elizabeth Peck, Margaret Selzer, Katie Smith and Stacy Tanner presented traditional snippets of wisdom — and added their own interpretations. "Fame is the thirst of youth," Knox intoned. "But root beer comes in a close second," Peck countered.

Even among the jokes, the advice remained solid.

"Days of youth are days of glory ... and both are numbered," Knox and Peck reminded their jubilant classmates, who rained down a storm of soapy, rainbow-colored bubbles on each other, along with a few equally harmless beach balls.

Highlighting this milestone event was the presentation of awards. Twenty students were honored for being at the head of the class. These were Shane Chadwick, Beth Peck, Janelle Knox, Margaret Selzer, Katie Smith, Stacy Tanner, Paul Schlafly, Bryce Tanner, Lindsay Waggoner, Amber Sanders, Holly Tanner, Brianna McCabe, Kandle Tate, Jennifer Coleman, Whitney Dean, Lindsey Barnhart, Krissy Thomas, Jef Schrage Jr., David Fisher and Jodi Bitsilly.

The Byron Rowe Fighting Hard Trophy, awarded to outstanding athletes for fortitude in the face of adversity, went to Jacob Collett.

Janelle Knox was honored as the Boettcher Award recipient and received the Wall of Fame Award. The latter is the highest award given to a student by MCHS, and the entire faculty is involved in selecting the recipient.

The 2000 commencement ceremonies also ushered in the Panther Triumph Award, which honors a student who has overcome significant adversity. This year’s recipient was Beau Ayers. Ayers has coped with adversity every day since a tragic car accident in the third grade left him in a coma for a month, and then with lifelong injuries. He was cheered with a thunder of applause from a supportive audience.

"He’s a great little athlete," MCHS Principal Mark Rappe said of Ayers on Friday.

Honored with scholarships by the Native American Parent Committee were Eric Benally and Duane Bradshaw. The committee also honored Shawna Talk, recipient of the Shell Oil Foundation Scholarship.

As individuals, too, several graduates won a variety of awards from different colleges and civic organizations.