Thirty graduate at Decatur High School

DECATUR -- For parents, it is often the hardest thing to let go of their children. They watch as their sons and daughters take their first steps, utter their first words or go out on their first dates. And then, in a blink of an eye, the children so lovingly raised are walking across a stage to accept their high school diplomas and pass through an open door into the future.

For 30 Decatur High School seniors, that door to the future opened with words spoken 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. They performed the "Processional," "Star Spangled Banner," and "Alma Mater."

The invocation was led by senior Feng Xiong, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance by senior Cordelle Bell.

In her last address as principal of Decatur High School, Deborah Coffer advised "her" students to learn from life; to avoid the trap of "knowing everything" and to know, 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 Coffer, the seniors walked up the ramp to a brief moment at center stage to accept their diplomas from one of the Decatur School Board members. As the graduates reached their seats, 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 childhood to adulthood.

"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 and into the future.