Editor's note – This article was updated to correct the first name of the class president.
Andrews – With the last of May’s drizzles just abating and led by a parade of school board members, faculty, junior marshals and class mascots Aspen Wood and Lawton Lail, Andrews High School’s Class of 2025 took their seats upon a rain-soaked field at Hugh Hamilton Stadium on Thursday.
The 57 students braved the overcast skies for their last time as high school students to a packed stadium audience full of family and friends there to celebrate their accomplishments.
The speeches from each of the senior class officers ranged from recalling those typical high school moments of to much hall traffic, to having been a class who lived and learned through technology during the COVID-19 shutdowns, to retaining memories made with lifelong friends, to the over-arching theme of keeping faith in God to see you through the future life you choose.
Class President Wesley Morgan’s speech included lessons learned about hard work and perseverance – along with the class trip to Washington – while vice president Kylie Donaldson’s focused on a big shout-out to her mother, Suzanne, along with recounting how masks and glasses were part of the struggle during the return to normalcy after COVID and became emotional when recounting how her faith in God along with too many late-night, caffeine-fueled cram session got her to meet seemingly impossible deadlines.
Student government representative Jesus Jimenez’s speech was presented in both passages of English and Spanish wherein he thanked his family along with analogies of both the commonalities and differences that make us each unique as well as connected.
Student body President Ty Clark, also named Senior Boy during the ceremony, reminisced about how something magical happened on that very field with the school’s winning football season. He added how the experience of not only sports, but art and the band’s music, built something special for each student.
Student government representative and Senior Girl Caitlynn Thompson’s speech included a litany of friends who helped spur each other on to be their best, busting the myth that high school is the best time of your life and urging each student to look back fondly, but not let life end there with so much potential ahead.
Dr. Sheryl Rogers thanked Superintendent Keevin Woody and Cherokee County Board of Education members present for their commitment to Andrews students. She reminded the class that indeed though they had faced challenges they have unwaveringly risen to meet those and overcome them as well.
Rogers urged students on the precipice of so many different futures to always have the clearest purpose and to remember that it’s not always the loudest voice in the room that conquers. She ended her speech with, “The future doesn’t stand a chance with all you have to provide and learn to live your best lives.”
Some of those varying futures include two students joining military service branches, as Will Roberts and Braydon Bohannon were recognized by school board member James Ellis.
Following the awarding of diplomas and the traditional pronouncement of graduates complete with tassels to the left, the stadium was light with a fireworks show against the darkening sky. Students then ceremonially tossed their hats and began to spray each other with Silly String as families flooded the field to congratulate the graduates again on their achievements.