With what the valedictorian described as "mixed feelings, both happy and sad," the 400 members of the 2008 Bradwell Institute senior class graduated Saturday evening at Olvey Field.
Valedictorian Brittany House acknowledged the help and support of family and friends who helped seniors through school and said, "Soon it will be our turn to give back to them."
She emphasized friendship and said high school need not be the end of friendships formed there.
"Keep your true friends close."
Her speech was followed by the Bradwell Chorus's performance of "Maybe we'll meet again."
Senior Class President Alesha Chapman told her classmates that education is not limited to high school.
"It starts at birth and lasts throughout life," Chapman said.
Salutatorian Antony Jepson's speech compared the high school experience to the students' ID cards. He noted how different seniors looked from the photos on their cards, taken when they entered ninth grade. "How often have you turned your ID so that your face does not show?" he asked his classmates.
"Why hide your identity?" he said. Jepson traced his school career, starting with the culture shock of leaving middle school to come to Bradwell Institute.
Olvey, in its present configuration, holds about 4,800 spectators, and it was near capacity Saturday. The 400 seniors sat on the field with the faculty, band, chorus and others.
An occasional shout from the stands was audible on the field, including one attendee's cry of "We love you, Dr. Albritton!" Dr. Vicki Albritton is Bradwell Institute's current principal.
A brief but hard rain shower passed through the area before the graduation crowd began to gather. The ceremony went off without a hitch, although the large volume of vehicles made directing traffic difficult and slow.
Valedictorian Brittany House acknowledged the help and support of family and friends who helped seniors through school and said, "Soon it will be our turn to give back to them."
She emphasized friendship and said high school need not be the end of friendships formed there.
"Keep your true friends close."
Her speech was followed by the Bradwell Chorus's performance of "Maybe we'll meet again."
Senior Class President Alesha Chapman told her classmates that education is not limited to high school.
"It starts at birth and lasts throughout life," Chapman said.
Salutatorian Antony Jepson's speech compared the high school experience to the students' ID cards. He noted how different seniors looked from the photos on their cards, taken when they entered ninth grade. "How often have you turned your ID so that your face does not show?" he asked his classmates.
"Why hide your identity?" he said. Jepson traced his school career, starting with the culture shock of leaving middle school to come to Bradwell Institute.
Olvey, in its present configuration, holds about 4,800 spectators, and it was near capacity Saturday. The 400 seniors sat on the field with the faculty, band, chorus and others.
An occasional shout from the stands was audible on the field, including one attendee's cry of "We love you, Dr. Albritton!" Dr. Vicki Albritton is Bradwell Institute's current principal.
A brief but hard rain shower passed through the area before the graduation crowd began to gather. The ceremony went off without a hitch, although the large volume of vehicles made directing traffic difficult and slow.