Skip to main content

Cottonwood, Murray High Students Prepare For Graduation

May 05, 2016 02:09PM ● By Julie Slama

By Julie Slama| [email protected] 

Murray - More than 800 high school seniors will take part in their commencement programs this spring.

At Cottonwood High, Principal Terri Roylance said 395 students will graduate at 1 p.m., Friday, May 27 at their school auditorium, 5715 South 1300 East, Murray. Tickets will be required and each student will have a minimum of six tickets to distribute. Depending on the size of the family, more tickets may be available. The auditorium is wheelchair accessible.

The program will include senior class president Christian Garcia speaking as well as Principal Roylance and a Granite School District Board of Education member. Additionally, five other students will speak and they will be determined on their auditions. 

Joining them on stage will be Granite District board members, as well as the Murray City Mayor Ted Eyre. Commencement will include musical selections from the choir, orchestra and band programs. 

That night, students may attend the official graduation night party, with a Hawaiian luau theme. It will be held at the school from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. and more information will be available at the school as graduation approaches.

“There are lots of activities for our graduates and tons of food,” Roylance said. “It’s a great night for kids to spend safely saying ‘good-bye’ to each other.”

About 400 Murray High School seniors are expected to graduate at 1 p.m., Friday, June 3 at Salt Lake Community College’s Lifetime Activities Center, 4600 S. Redwood Rd., Taylorsville. No tickets are required and there is parking and access for those with special needs.

The ceremony will feature vocal and instrumental numbers by the school’s Madrigal and a cappella choirs and concert band. Student speakers have yet to be announced. 

The motto, “Go B16 (big) or Go Home,” was chosen by the graduating class.

Murray School District Superintendent Steve Hirase, Murray High Principal John Goldhardt and members of the Murray Board of Education will speak.

A Parent-Teacher-Student Association-sponsored post-graduation party will begin at 10 p.m., Friday, June 3 in the Murray High gymnasium, 5440 S. State St., Murray.

Students need to enter the party before 11 p.m. and can’t be re-admitted if they leave early. Parents are notified if students leave before the party is over at 5 a.m., said Cherie Clawson, one of the party organizers.

Tickets will cost $30 in advance and will be available during the last two weeks in May during lunch. The first 350 tickets purchased will include a water bottle. Tickets will be available for $35 at the door. 

“Project Graduation offers MHS Graduates a safe, drug and alcohol free, all-night graduation party,” Clawson said, adding that it is organized and staffed by parents under the direction of the school administration.

Entertainment for the evening includes magician Ryan Loveland, hypnotist Shaun Christensen, Utah Bubble Balls, inflatable slide and four rides, air brush tattoo artists, Utah National Guard’s climbing rock wall, Common Cents Casio that will feature craps, routlette and black jack tables, a cash cube, selfie backdrops created by the school art department, food and prize raffle.

“The school administration want kids to have a safe, fun place to spend all night and morning to have a good time once more with their classmates and it sounds like such a blast, I’m excited,” studentbody president Mitch Clawson said. “I’m super stoked, this is the biggest party of the year and the parents have come up with some great ideas and have done a lot to prepare for it. Last year’s graduates said the magician and hypnotist were hilarious so I’m super excited for it and for graduation.”

Mitch said that several area businesses have donated money or raffle items that will be helpful in college, such as mini-refrigerators, cameras, computers and tablets, televisions, Bluetooth speakers, and other items.

Clawson added that they received numerous donations and as of early April, the amount totaled about $4,000. 

“It’s so cool that businesses in Murray are supporting us. Graduation is huge and will be one of the best moments of my life,” Mitch said.