Forty Years of Success At Oak Creek Ranch School

On May 12, 2012, parents, family and friends gathered together beside the beautiful banks of Oak Creek to honor the 40th Graduating Class of Oak Creek Ranch School. During the ceremony, graduates shared their stories of personal transformation, expressing their thanks to OCRS and their families for helping them attain their academic and personal goals.

Headmaster David Wick, Jr. welcomed graduates and their families, thanking the faculty, administration and staff for their individual contributions and singleness of purpose in guiding these students to a successful conclusion of their high school years. He then offered a few words of advice to the graduates:

"Use your talents and your education not only for your own personal benefit but for the benefit of others. I hope you have learned the importance of living honorably, living responsibly and living your life with a sense of integrity. Be leaders and positive influences to your friends, your family members and your community."

Andy Galley, OCRS Faculty, told graduates that the key to continued success was to be consistent in their efforts and never be afraid to take risks. He noted that we are all constantly learning from our experiences and that means the education process never stops.

"As Mr. Wick pointed out, commemorate your struggles, just as much as your successes. For it is not where you start but how you finish. We are learning not to fear transitions; for they are a constant and integral part of the human experience which are to be celebrated....Ultimately achievement is your call. Learning really does not ever cease, it comes from the milieu of experiences and emotions that at this moment makes each you who you are. It does not solely exist in a classroom, and we are all surrounded by lessons every nanosecond of our lives. As Mr. Dewey put it 'Education is not just a point of life, education is life itself'."

Salutatorian Mathew Perry, of Paducah, KY will be attending St. Louis University where he received a scholarship to study Aeronautical Engineering. Mathew spoke to his fellow classmates about always pushing forward even after experiencing failure.

"Here is a piece of advice I've always followed. If at first you don't succeed, try and try again. Because if you don't keep trying you will never succeed at the task at hand. I will miss my time here, but life goes on. Now that we are high school graduates we can look back on our lives and examine the good and bad decisions that resulted in us being where we are today. Now I realize that some of the decisions that I thought were the best for me were not as good as they actually seemed at the time. As I move on in life to bigger and better things I will remember my time here and say to myself - WOW, this place actually changed me for the best!"

Megan Malone, of Spring, TX gave the senior address at the OCRS graduation. She will attend Tyler Community College and plans to pursue a career in sports journalism. Megan explained how she was initially reluctant to attend OCRS. However, when she arrived she was 'blown away' by the sincere care and concern of all the adults on campus. Megan thanked the faculty for never giving up on her and for accepting her for herself. Because of the individual attention she received at OCRS, Megan feels she has gained a better understanding of herself and the self-confidence to pursue her dreams.

"Our senior class is definitely unlike any other school's. We aren't just friends--we've become like family. We know so much about each other. Most senior classes have 600 kids and would never get an opportunity like we've had at OCRS."

After the speeches, Principal Nadine O'Brien presented OCRS graduates with their diplomas. Graduates, family and staff ended the day's celebration with an elegant, outdoor brunch on the lower campus of Oak Creek Ranch School. What a perfect ending to a perfect day!

Oak Creek Ranch School is a college preparatory boarding school program for ADD/ADHD and under-motivated teens.