Sawyer Hessler graduates from Ovando School

This year the Ovando School will bid farewell to one graduating student.

The small rural two-room schoolhouse will be sending off one proud graduate this year. Sawyer Hessler is moving on to the relatively big halls of Drummond High. While she will miss the "field trips and opportunities that you get with such a smaller school," she is very much looking forward to joining the basketball team.

"They had tryouts this year and I was able to play on the Drummond Varsity basketball team," Hessler said.

But the trade will have its drawbacks and Hessler said she is sure to miss the friendships she made at the Ovando School and being with kids of all ages.

The graduation ceremony held at the Ovando gym on May 24 was attended by about 60 people who seated around the decorated tables and a musically choreographed slide show of Hessler's childhood.

Ovando's tradition of prophecies shared by the parents brought wisdom from Nick Hessler, Sawyer's father, on finding richness in life through happiness.

"You have to figure out what makes you happy," said the elder Hessler. "No one can do it for you. Try new things, try hard things and things that make you uncomfortable. Make a goal. There will be hiccups and bumps in the road, overcome them and you will reach your goal."