Long County High School’s year ended Friday, as the Class of 2018 walked the stage at Veterans Stadium in Ludowici. It was a historic night as the school graduated 223, the first class with over 200 students, and 55 honor graduates. 

Class President Taryn Lykes reflected on the good and bad times the seniors had through their four years in high school. She also honored fallen classmates, Terrance Johnson Jr. and James Briscoe.

Salutatorian Amria Kuhaneck reminded classmates about what they went through in the school. They were one of the first freshman classes in the new building, which opened in 2012. She saud they went through three different principals, but “Coach (Michael) Taylor remained as our silly assistant principal that everyone seemed to love. The constant screech of his awfully loud whistle may just haunt me in my sleep.”

Kuhaneck listed events that rained on the class’ parade like Hurricane Irma, also known as “Irma-geddon,” which “beat out last year’s Hurricane Matthew by a whirlwind,” and “the miracle of snow in early January.” 

Valedictorian Anthony Olivo reminded classmates that they were being let out into the world, and they had been prepared by the teachers throughout their schooling. He quoted Abraham Lincoln, “…and in the end, it’s not years in your life that count, but the life in your years.” 

He asked classmates to remember they should “never tell yourself that you can’t do it, because you can literally do anything you set your mind to.”

Once the 200-plus students received their diplomas and were accepted by Superintendent Dr. Robert Waters, Hailey Jones gave a tear-filled farewell to her classmates. She reminded them not to forget where they came from and to never forget the memories from high school.