DECATUR -- For parents, the hardest thing to do is letting go of their children. They watch as their sons or daughters take their first steps, or utter their first words, or go out on their first date. And then, in a blink of an eye, the children they so lovingly raised are walking across a stage to accept their high school diplomas and through an open door into the future.
For thirty Decatur High School seniors, that door to the future opened with the words by Superintendent Larry Ben, "I present to you, the class of 2014."
The graduation ceremony took place at Lloyd Peterson Gym May 17.
Music was provided by the Decatur High School Symphonic Band under the direction of Kristin Wages which performed the "Processional," "Star Spangled Banner," and "Alma Mater".
The invocation was led by senior Feng Xiong, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by senior Cordelle Bell.
In her last address as principal of Decatur High, Deborah Coffer advised "her" students to learn from life; to avoid the trap of "knowing everything" and to remember that, someday, their parents really are smart.
Then center stage was given to the salutatorian, Lynlee Witcher, and the valedictorian, Orlando Aquirre Martinez, for their addresses to their classmates.
Then, it was time!
As each name was called by Principal Coffer, the seniors walked up the ramp to have their all too brief moment at center stage. Once they had accepted their diploma from one of the Decatur school board members, the senior made the long walk down the opposite ramp back to their seat. As each graduate reached their seat, they moved their tassels from right to left, signifying that they were now among the thousands from Decatur who have completed the long walk from child to adult.
"School board members, having fulfilled the criteria set forth by the State of Arkansas, I present to you the class of 2014," Ben stated.
With that a big cheer came from the new high school graduates as they launched their caps into the air.
And then it was over. Another class passed through the doors of Decatur High School into the future.
General News on 05/21/2014