Mike Rice and Meletha Walker sing “See you again” by Charlie Puth as part of Tharptown High School’s commencement exercises. Graduation ceremonies took place Thursday and Friday evening across Franklin County.

By Alison James for the FCT

Alison.james@fct.wpengine.com

Tassels turned, caps flew, tears fell and hundreds of students across Franklin County graduated high school and received their diplomas.

Thursday and Friday evenings saw approximately 350 students from the county’s six high schools walk across that stage into the next phase of their lives.

A traditional part of high school commencement ceremonies, the valedictorians and salutatorians at each school shared special words with their fellow students and graduation attendees. They each addressed, in their own ways, the joys and challenges of high school and their hopes and expectations for the future.

“We have always heard that high school would be tough,” shared Phil Campbell High School valedictorian Taylor Pace. “I thought they meant by studying and keeping grades up, but for us the toughest parts were losing those heartbreaking ball games, dating, breaking up and losing friends to other schools. One of the toughest challenges that we have faced was being without a school for three years. We spent three years in the trailer hood plus a couple of months in churches before finally getting to move in to our new school. During those years of having no school, no gym and no auditorium, we still found a way to participate in all of our high school activities.

“We were all excited when we got to play our first basketball game in the new gym this year. After practicing at Northwest and other places throughout the years, it was nice to finally have a place to call our own … We are now going to be the first senior class to graduate from our new school. If we can succeed through all of the hardships we have faced throughout high school, then always know that we can make it through anything that life throws at us.”

Belgreen High School’s salutatorian Jennifer Vandiver drew correlations between the popular Pokémon video games and her graduating class.

“Here we all are – young trainers, about to leave our very own ‘Pallet Town,’” Vandiver said. “We do not have an electric mouse or giant turtle that has a cannon attached to its back, but we still aren’t alone. We have each other, our friends and our family. In a weird way, we do have Pokemon accompanying us in the form of the knowledge we have now.”

Vandiver wrapped up her speech with a quote from the notorious, ultra-strong Pokémon Mewtwo: “I see now that the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant; it is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are.” Vandiver elaborated, in a charge to her classmates, “How you live your life determines who you are. Don’t let others people opinions scare you away from your own. Be you. Live up to your own expectations, not the expectations of others.”

In her valedictory thoughts, Tharptown High School Valedictorian Mikayla Murphree had these words for her classmates: “I challenge each one of you … to never give up until you reach the day where you discover what you are here for. Make your dreams come true. Relentlessly chase them with every fiber of your being. And when you reach that seemingly elusive day in the future, I hope you look back and remember where it all started.”

Russellville High School’s class president Lauren Rebekah Alford’s words to her class could well be said to all graduating seniors: “We made it.”