Burket Educational Center had its graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 20, at the Burket Historical Gymnasium. Graduates posed for a picture afterward with Burket staff. From left: Front — Abagale Smith, Logan Wallis, Matthew Lozano, Mayson Cooper, Trinity Backus, Jake Skeens and Trey Hardesty; middle — Brian Snyder, Burket Administrative Assistant Karen Clark, Taylor Threlkel, Catherine Callejas and Hannah Roberts; back — Burket teacher Micah Lukens, Dennis Robinson, Jamie Geib, Chase McLaughlin, Shanda Williams, Burket Building Custodian Jennifer Kimble and Burket Program Director and Assistant Principal Joel Grindle. Not pictured are graduates Eligio Ramos, Janet Ramos, Miguel Ruiz, Michael Sexton, Nicolas Taylor, Andy Tlaxcalteca, William Urbach, Jacob Bailey, Taylor Biltz, Grecia Bravo, Robert Cover, Alex Craft, Nicole Eppelmann, Ulises Jimenez Ramirez, Connor Karkiewicz, Zane Mattern and Benjamin Mikel. InkFreeNews photos by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

BURKET — Burket Educational Center has graduated its largest-ever class.

The center celebrated the completion of 32 students’ high school careers on Thursday, May 20. Family, friends, Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. staff and board members marked the students’ achievements with a ceremony in the Burket Historical Gymnasium.

The group represents the 18th class to graduate from Burket, which serves as Tippecanoe Valley School Corp.’s alternative high school.

Speakers at the event included Micah Lukens, the center’s teacher, and Tippecanoe Valley High School Assistant Principal Joel Grindle, who oversees the center’s program.

“These students that you will meet here shortly have worked very hard to get where they’re at here today,” said Lukens. “They’ve had to overcome many personal obstacles, challenges and other things that got in the way of their passage from youth to adulthood.”

“Whether the students were in tough situations due to circumstances of their control or not, they all did what was important: they graduated from high school,” continued Lukens. “When it came to earning a diploma, these students buckled down to focus on what the task at hand was, a moment that will have changed their lives forever.”

Grindle talked about what he deemed a “historic” year because of the number of students in the class and graduating the “first virtual students” related to the pandemic.

“I think that in looking at this group, the theme would be overcoming adversity. I can’t say it enough,” Grindle said. “As you look at this group each and every one of them has a story and a different story to tell and it’s an individual story to tell.”

“This group right here has just fought and battled through unbelievable adversity, unbelievable circumstances and has truly become … family,” he said.

“I am so proud of all you graduates and congratulations, the whole community is proud of you,” he added.

Lukens also gave some statistics on the group.

“The group has completed 493 courses on Apex Learning, mastered 2,620 units of study, completed 17,694 assessments along the way at 60% or higher,” said Lukens. “Even more staggering, this group has collectively documented over half a million minutes of learning” via the computer.

Each graduate who was present came up on the stage and received a gift. Lukens also shared a bit about each one, including about their time at Burket and future plans.

Following the ceremony, graduates and guests enjoyed a reception with snacks.

Lukens speaks at the ceremony.

Grindle talks at the ceremony.