Steamboat Pilot & Today

Oak Creek — For years, Lauryn Bruggink has worked hard to earn the right to pen a valedictory speech. She’s worked hard to stand in front of her classmates and relay all of their successes to a crowd of parents and teachers.

Now, after successfully balancing the rigorous worlds of academics and athletics, Bruggink is preparing to address her 24 Soroco High School classmates Saturday as Class of 2012 valedictorian.

“It’s exciting to know all of my hard work paid off,” she said Thursday as she worked on her speech. “I prioritized things. I gave up some weekends to do homework instead of going to the movies because I missed school for wrestling and track. But the biggest thing I have is the support from my family and friends. No matter what, they’ve understood that I’m busy.”

She will spend only a few minutes addressing her classmates. But her graduation speech will include memories that date all the way back to preschool.

“It’s kind of one of those happy, teary-eyed sort of moments going back through all the memories,” she said. “It’s going to take a little bit of time to fit everything in.”

Bruggink, who has attended school in South Routt her entire life, plans to wrestle and take pre-medicine classes at Wayland Baptist University in Texas. She is one of several Soroco graduates who excelled academically and athletically.

Salutatorian Shelby Miles played volleyball basketball and track and will head to the University of Wyoming in the fall to study business and psychology.

“I’m really excited,” she said. “I’m thrilled. Saturday is going to be a really good day.”

High school Principal Dennis Alt called his group of seniors “tight knit” and “just really fun to be around.”

“I really like this class,” he said. “They’re accepting of each other and very diversified in their interests.”

He said Soroco’s class of 2012 will go on to pursue diverse careers in fields spanning from athletics to agriculture. He added some intend to study abroad.

“I think it’s pretty exciting they can come from such a small, rural community and move forward with so many diverse interests,” Alt said.

To reach Scott Franz, call 970-871-4210 or scottfranz@SteamboatToday.com