Support through faith, family and friends

Students were reminded to keep a strong support system of faith, family and friends during Wednesday’s Creston High School baccalaureate service. CHS’s graduation ceremony will be held 2 p.m. Sunday, May 19 at the high school.

Speaker and football coach Brian Morrison spoke to the upcoming graduates about using the past, present and future to be successful in the real world.

“Reflect on the past. You as individuals need to understand what it took for you to get to this point in your life,” Morrison said. “I remind you to take time and reflect on these experiences.”

Morrison’s own past is something Creston students might find disturbing, according to his introduction Wednesday night: he was a student at Lewis Central High School. A 1994 graduate of Lewis Central, Morrison made his way to Creston in 2002. Spending 14 years as the head football coach at CHS, Morrison has taken two teams to the state semifinals and was recently awarded the 4A Coach of the Year in Iowa.

Present accomplishments are something Morrison encouraged the graduates to celebrate.

“The present, right now, is all we truly have,” he said. “Living in the moment, although difficult, will benefit your relationship with God and others, and productivity in your future endeavors.”

Students’ future endeavors is what causes the most anxiety for many graduates.

“For some, the future will seem overwhelming. For others, it will be a cause for excitement. Embrace the future,” Morrison said. “Have goals and strive to achieve those goals. There are no limits to what you can achieve except in your mind.”

Morrison encouraged the students to keep their support system with them in the future, no matter what they face.

“It is much easier to endure the challenges you will face in the future with a strong support system. I repeat, faith, family, friendship,” Morrison said. “If you fail, and in some aspect of your life you will fail, understand it’s OK. Your strong faith, not fear, will allow you to overcome your failure.”

The 2024 CHS Baccalaureate was put together by Pastor Jodi Rushing and led by students. Music was performed by Zoe Ralston, Jocelyn Burkhalter, Grace Travis, Kristi Travis, Emma Bolton, Lilly James, Hope Henderson, Veronica Lents and Faith Burkhalter.