December 5, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Opening address by Indira Robinson

Hello, it is my pleasure to be able to welcome staff, family, and friends to the Saint Joseph-Ogden class of 2021 commencement ceremony.

Whether you are here in-person or tuning in virtually, thank you all for being here to support us. I know that we never could have predicted our senior year to turn out this way, however, I am thankful that we were able to end our senior year together and to be in a somewhat normal graduation ceremony today.


It may be easy to recognize what we have lost but our struggles do not define who we are. Us being here today has proved how we have been able overcome the struggles of the past year and while I hope there is nothing worse than a global pandemic in our future, there is no doubt of our ability to adapt and overcome anything that comes our way. We also can’t let the past year and a half cloud the good memories of high school either.


For me, some of those have been marching and playing music with some of my best friends, watching Evan fall down the stairs while racing down the hallways, Alec and Mr. Searby’s alien debate, and listening to Mr. Beckett singing with his karaoke machine in the hall. Each and everyone one of us have our own memories that this school has helped us create and I hope all of our future endeavors will do this for us too. Thank you again staff, community, friends, and family for your endless support and encouragement. Congratulations class of 2021.

in Schools
Banner
Related Posts

Sexton uses love of music as motivation

May 1, 2019

May 1, 2019

Joshua Sexton loves band so much he plans on continuing it in college. “It’s one of my passions,” he said....

PVO Junior High 7th grade honor roll

November 8, 2023

November 8, 2023

7th Grade Highest HonorsSydney AbernathyJebb AdenKolbie BusboomElla GerdesElla MohrAlea RashEaston RayCaylah RobertsRyan Schmitz 7th Grade High HonorsAllie BottAvary BuhrMax BuhrChase...

PVO announces Junior High Honor Roll

April 16, 2019

April 16, 2019

Highest Honors– In highest GPA order 7th grade- Miranda Loosa, Caleb Ochs, Talan Miller, Colin Wayland, Brody Hausman, Hayden Williams,...

District asks residents to approve referendum

May 27, 2022

May 27, 2022

The St. Joseph CCSD #169 is asking residents to approve a tax increase. On June 28, the district is asking...

SJO third-quarter high honor roll

March 30, 2022

March 30, 2022

FreshmenBeckett, EJBenoit, AudreyBesson, WillBonny, SarahBrown, LandonClampitt, MadisonDavenport, AerolynDietiker, EllaDitchfield, LukeEnnis, JacksonFranzen, SavannaFunk, AddisonGerdes, TaytonGetty, OliviaHamilton, MakennahHarris, LaurenHesterberg, HaleyHouston, MaebreeKearney, SaraKindle,...

SJO FFA holds petting zoo

February 21, 2019

February 21, 2019

An annual tradition is taking place at St. Joseph-Ogden High School today—the SJO FFA petting zoo to celebrate National FFA...

Live at SJO school board, Oct. 24, 2022

October 24, 2022

October 24, 2022

It’s the special education department and me here at the school board. They are doing a curriculum review. (I seriously...

St. Joseph Middle School 7th grade high honor roll

November 14, 2023

November 14, 2023

FIRST NAME LAST NAME Charlene Barbee Callie Barnett Reid Bewley Brady Blunier Tabbitha Brown Ella Buhs Sophia Chahine Charlotte Christians...

St. Joseph Grade School to stay on hybrid schedule through end of school year

March 11, 2021

March 11, 2021

St. Joseph Grade School Superintendent Todd Pence said he is recommending the grade school and middle school keep their hybrid...

Live at SJO school board, August 22, 2022

August 22, 2022

August 22, 2022

I am here at school board! Greg Smith has volunteered to drive extracurricular. There’s a super long list of personnel...

St. Joseph Grade School updates parents on COVID concerns

August 31, 2021

August 31, 2021

Fifty-five students from St. Joseph Grade School are in quarantine for exposure to COVID-19. Forty-two of those students are related...

Harper finds positive outlet in music

December 10, 2019

December 10, 2019

St. Joseph-Ogden sophomore Lauren Harper loves to sing. That is why she loves the choir. “It’s basically the time where...

SJO announces students who earn Fall Sports Letters

November 19, 2019

November 19, 2019

Golf Joseph Acton, Sr. Payton Grimsley, Sr.Riley Myren, Jr.McGwire Atwood, Fr.Maddux Carter, Fr. Jacob Kern, Fr.Jack Robertson, Fr. Cross CountryAlly...

SJO first quarter honor roll

November 14, 2023

November 14, 2023

Freshman Acosta-Reyes, YadielAlbrecht, SamuelCastro Gutierrez, BrendaEnnis, JamesonGaines, LeahGarrett, ElijahGeorge, GunnarHuls, MorganHundley, AidenIkemire, BrynnJackson, FaithJones, WaylonLewis, JaydonLyttle, AvriannaPalmer, TrippWarns, ShelbyWright, CameronWright,...

Harper brings Wednesday Addams to life

April 2, 2022

April 2, 2022

The characters in the Addams Family are well known. But that didn’t stop the actors at St. Joseph-Ogden from putting...

Comments
Leave a Reply