Cheers, tears, flowers and a copious amount of airhorns serenaded more than 200 Franklin High School graduates as they received their diplomas in the twilight of Thursday, May 30.
The Class of 2024, who four years ago started their freshman year during a global pandemic marked by fear and isolation, celebrated their high school graduation in front of an overflow crowd filled with joy and adoration.
After marching down from the gym to the tune of “Pomp and Circumstance” and seeing the crowd for the first time, senior class speaker Campbell Tyler spoke about their journey of self-discovery.
“The hard work, the late-night studying and the procrastinated assignments have brought us to this moment,” Tyler said. “To my fellow peers, be proud of yourself today, tomorrow and every day after that. Cherish your high school experience and the person you’ve grown to become. Revel tonight in your accomplishment and your success and who you’ve grown to be.”
Tyler finished by quoting Ferris Bueller, saying “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you can miss it.”
Senior class speaker Emma Breeden said the class stood there “closer to 20 than we are to 14,” and knowing they wouldn’t get any more mornings in the parking lot, last games or last dances.
“Now it’s time to realize, the rest is up to you, you get to choose who you want to be,” Breeden said. “We are just at the beginning of everything else we can be.”
“I remind you today that all of our ‘have a great summer’s’ have turned into ‘have a great future’ and I wish nothing less for any of you,” Breeden closed.
Franklin High School Principal Blair King noted two graduates not in attendance due to already starting their military service: Trevor Averett and Allen Bogar.
Macon County Schools Superintendent Josh Lynch pronounced the students as graduates and FHS administrators conferred the diplomas one at a time. Cheers and yells accompanied each graduate’s name, echoing off the hills surrounding the old stadium.
After the Class of 2024 got their diplomas, King recognized the Class of 2024 as graduates, tassels were shifted from right to left and caps were tossed, launched or yeeted into the sky. Following a march back out of the stadium, parents, families and friends got to congratulate their graduates.
Barring any changes over the next several months, this will be the last graduation ceremony in what is and has been known as The Pit, as construction crews are to tear down and rebuild the stadium after this fall’s football season.