Thank you to The Durango Herald for the overview of Durango High School’s graduation ceremony, which was truly an impressive and progressive expression of our community.
We are lucky to have the educational leaders in our school district administration, the various building level leadership teams, and the talented cadre of educators, paraprofessionals and all support staff on campus.
As said in August 2023, we are lucky in Durango to have a district that embraces diversity, equality and inclusiveness, reflected in the entire graduation ceremony, beginning with the program also printed in Spanish.
Following a land acknowledgment, welcoming addresses in English, Nuchu, Spanish and Dine reflected the diversity of our community. In addition to the impressive number of students in white robes, indicating a 4.0 or higher grade-point average, numerous students displayed the regalia of their ethnic and cultural foundations. Many students also decorated their mortarboards culturally or whimsically.
This graduating class, which experienced the restrictions and pitfalls of COVID-19, and continually adapted to variations of educational deliveries, has certainly shown through its test scores to be one of the top schools in the state.
It has been expertly led of late by the Principal of the Year, John Hoerl, as well as a top-notch staff. Congratulations to the graduating seniors, their parents and all the wonderful people in Durango School District 9-R that make this community so proud.
Gene Orr
Kline
