DECATUR -- "Having fulfilled the educational requirements of the State of Arkansas," Toby Conrad, Decatur High School principal, said of the graduates; and suddenly the air was filled with a sea of blue caps as the newly graduated seniors celebrated their final act at Decatur High School.
This was the scene at the conclusion of the 2015 Decatur High School Commencement Ceremony at Lloyd Peterson Gym May 15. Thirty-eight seniors walked across the stage, ending a 12-year journey and beginning another.
The final chapter in that 12 years began as the senior class marched into the gym to the processional, "Pomp and Circumstance," performed by the Decatur High School band. The seniors took their seats and it was time to begin.
The ceremony began with the invocation, delivered by Pheng Lee, followed by "The Pledge of Allegiance," led by Jaquelin Vargas. After the Pledge, the Decatur High School band performed the "Star Spangled Banner" and Decatur's alma mater.
Jeff Gravette gave his first high school commencement welcoming address as a school superintendent.
Then, the room went silent as Ger Vang, performing "Syrinx" by Claude Debussy, played his last flute solo as a high school band member. His stirring performance left few in the audience with dry eyes.
The salutatorian address was delivered by Samantha Goble, followed by the valedictorian address by Carlos Ocampo. Both Goble and Ocampo reflected on their lives as students, their final year as seniors, and their dreams for the future.
A popular portion of the pre-graduation ceremony was the 15-minute slide presentation, highlighting each senior as he or she traveled down the road from infancy to the senior year. Parents were asked to choose 10 of their favorite photos and submit them to the school. The seniors were unaware of which photos they would see. Some laughed, some hid their faces, others cried, and a few displayed all three emotions as their photos appeared on the screen.
The finale of the first portion of the program was the presentation of roses to parents. Each senior was provided with several white roses to present to mothers first, then fathers and other beloved family members, and finally to favorite teachers. This was the seniors' way of thanking some of the most important people who made possible the presentation of their diplomas.
Toby Conrad, Decatur High School Principal, presented each candidate for graduation. As their names were called, they made the final walk of their long journey to center stage. The diplomas were presented by school board members Ike Owens, Amy Brooks, Aaron Owens, Keven Smith and Loyd Smith. Each graduate posed briefly for photographs before making the descent from the stage and back to his seat. When every graduate had made that final walk, Lacy Barrett gave the benediction and the ceremony had reached its conclusion with but one more task to complete.
"I present to you the Decatur High School Class of 2015," Conrad said.
And suddenly the air was filled with a sea of blue caps as the newly graduated seniors celebrated their final act as Decatur seniors.
General News on 05/20/2015