Gallatin High School is Bozeman’s newest school. The doors opened in 2020 and four years later the first class to complete all four years at the school graduated on Saturday.
“We were a brand new school that didn't have any history or any anything built up, really, any school culture. So it was difficult, but it was also really exciting because we got to be a part of that as part of establishing that school spirit, school culture, school traditions,” says Addison Jones.
As the Gallatin High School class of 2024 gets ready to walk across the stage they leave behind plenty of firsts.
“It was just really cool seeing that we were going to be the first, to make all these changes,” says Adelaide Koontz.
“Especially first four years, like, you just really the ones that started,” says Madison McCormick.
They built a new culture, they started new chats, and new traditions.
“It's legacy to have and super proud to be a part of,” says Finn Chumbler.
Their start wasn’t easy; the school opened its doors in 2020 in the midst of a global pandemic.
“Going to school knowing absolutely nobody with the mask on was super hard,” says Chumbler.
Four years later, their legacy is overcoming adversity.
“Grit pretty much exemplifies the whole thing. You got to be grateful and inclusive,” says Jones.
Brand new halls, new teachers, and new faces—these hundreds of graduates built a foundation for future Raptors.
“I'd moved around before that. And whenever you go into a new school, there's always all these preset traditions that you kind of, like, didn't have to follow. But at Gallatin, it was kind of like I was able to fit just right in and start building these new traditions,” says Mars Fagin.
They now walk together once again ready to enter a new unknown.
“For everyone is crazy. Like you're not the same person when you walk for the first time to the store. That the one that you are here today,” says Veronica Mendez.
Being a Gallatin High School graduate now comes with a great sense of pride.
“It feels to be proud of who you are and where you came from and what you want to do in the future, and the people surrounding you,” says Mendez.
As their caps fly through the air, the feeling of accomplishment can be heard.
“My class had a lot of fun, you know, making those traditions ourselves and hopefully we left in a better place than we got there,” says Scott Voight.
