Write it on the road!

(Oops, you can't do that any more.)

Write it on the parking

lot! (Oops, I forgot the 11th Commandment: "Thou

shalt not write on the parking lot!")

Write it on the rock!

(Oops, not every school has a rock.)

Write it on your cars in

your parade! (Oops, your parades have been declared

illegal.)

Write it on your bookbags!

(Oops, they're illegal now, too. Well, sometimes.)

Write it on the grass!

(Oops, NOT a good idea anyway!)

Bummer.

So, will you seniors of

2000 go unrecognized? Will you leave no mark on our

community? Will you depart unnoticed from our midst? Will

you disappear, never to be given another thought again?

NOT!

You see, even if your

"2000" is not plastered all over town, your

"mark" is upon this community in BIG, BOLD

LETTERS FOR ALL TO SEE! And, unlike short-lived spray

paint, your impact and contribution will last as long as

time.

Therefore, on behalf of our

entire community, and in the absence of other places to

put it, I am privileged to give you this space right here

to write it, shout it and flaunt it. Go ahead.

SENIORS 2000 RULE!

SENIORS 2000 RULE!

SENIORS 2000 RULE!

In response, we simply say,

" Yes, you do! " and " Thank

You! "

Thank you for the

multi-mile-long list of contributions and accomplishments

you have been a part of through your lives here. Thank

you for your efforts and performances in academics, band,

chorus, drama, athletics, and all the special activities

blessing to the rest of us!

Thank you for your

collective ministry in the churches in our community. You

have given literally countless hours of work and

discipleship. What a blessing you have been! You probably

will never know how much you have meant to the Lord's

good work among us.

Thank you for your

collective responsible citizenship record. You have been

"good kids" and law-abiding contributors to our

society.

Thank you for your sharing

of your talents to make our community truly a better

place for all of us to live. We stand in awe of your

skills and gifts and how you have used them for the

benefit of others.

Thank you for being our

sons and daughters, whom we love with all our hearts, and

of whom we are so proud! Your "mark" will live

on. Have no worry about that.

As you stay and as you go;

as you settle and as you scatter; whenever you think of

it, look around. In your eyes of faith you'll see your

"2000" written all over the place. It looks

good!

Of course, God loves you!

And so do we!!

We join you to say it one

more time:

SENIORS 2000 RULE!

Kollmeyer

is senior pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in

Fayetteville. Author's note: Jessica Kollmeyer has

attended kindergarten and all 12 grades in the Fayette

County School System and graduates as a part of the Class

of 2000. This article is dedicated especially to her.