2017 Honors Banquet
The Humboldt Rotary Club honored the Top 20 academic seniors from Humboldt High School at Zion Lutheran Church on Wednesday, May 17th. This is the 56th year for the Rotary Top 20 banquet. Pictured in front from left to right are: Marie Sexe, Kate Curran, Ashley Grainger, Kelsey Peters, Elise Dunscombe, Elizabeth Duffield, Sophia Luu and Jessica Kelley. Second row: Ryan Courtney, Johnathon Wergeland, Abigail Zaugg, Madison Smith, Dillon Kirchhoff, Amanda Ferry, Gus Arnold, Quinton Christensen, Avery Terwilliger, Olivia Hildreth, Kody Harris and Ivan Rasmussen.
Rotary President Aaron Olson opened the ceremony and Rotarian and Superintendent of Schools Greg Darling introduced the speaker.
Guest speaker was Kevin Dresser, a 1981 HHS graduate and now the head wrestling coach at Iowa State University. His message to the graduates was “How to Be Great.”
“You’re already good in the classroom. As you move forward, find something you like and be great at it,” Dresser said. It’s also important to have a plan. He told the graduates they need to be tough. “As you go to college, it’s going to get tougher. Are you tough when it gets tough? “I had a coach tell me adversity weakens the weak and strengthens the strong. That translates into anything in life. The hard things you do teach you more,” Dresser said. He said a lot of young people want to make a lot of money. “The only way to make a lot of money is by doing something you love. I challenge you to keep that attitude,” Dresser said.
The Top 20 Banquet included music provided by students of Mike Blair, and an invocation by Pastor Shonda Deranleau of the Congregational United Church of Christ. The meal was served by the Zion LWML. Principal Lori Westhoff talked about each honoree and assistant principal Greg Thomas handed out certificates.