Congratulations to the classes of 2017
ABOVE: Students from Rockmart High School sing their Alma Mater together one last time as a class as graduation wrapped up on Friday.
LEFT: Cedartown graduate Devyn Saunders gets congratulated by interim Superintendent Greg Teems during ceremonies on Saturday morning.
The school year is over for Cedartown students, and a new class of seniors are now making their way out in the world as graduation brought the school year officially to a close over the weekend.
Bulldog seniors walked across the field on Saturday morning to receive diplomas and brought their careers at Cedartown High School to an end.
And delivering a message of Bulldog pride to his fellow classmates this year was valedictorian JW Perry, who said that his class can look back on four years of accomplishment with pride.
“This class and this school has produced numerous, successful, and amazing students that we have all had the pleasure of witnessing grow into fine young men and women,” Perry said. “We have produced extraordinary actors, musicians, scholars, state champions, and we have no lack of extremely talented and outstanding graduates. I would like to congratulate each and every one of you sitting here.”
“We started this year with this day in mind, but our journey does not end here,” he said.
With that in mind, Perry said that the Class of 2017 has a lot of life to look forward to and should always remember that whether it’s destiny or free will, his peers will continue to push forward for a better future.
“I believe that our class not only has the ability to do impossible feats, but that we are destined to do just that and even more. I believe in this class sitting before me, and I know each and everyone sitting here with us, and those here in spirit do as well,” he said. “So, on behalf of the class of 2017, thank you. Thank you faculty and administration for pushing us to do our best always and creating an educational environment for us, as well as supporting us in many ways that we didn’t know we needed.”
Students finished up the year with many accomplishments to praise. Sports seasons saw athletes make it into state competition, individuals brought home championships in a variety of fields, and the school is sending out yet another graduating class ready to tackle the world.
Salutatorian Jodi Kelley previously said she was looking forward to what the Class of 2017 will do in the future as well.
She had thanked “the class of 2017 for allowing our class to strive to high achievements and become one of the best of the best! I can’t wait to see where life takes everybody, and I wish luck to all!”
The top dogs this year were Perry, Kelley, and followed by Karen Flores, Maddie Bowman, and Miles Minge.
The Class of 2017’s graduation brought the school year to a close for all students in the Cedartown area from the elementary school age on up, with Bulldogs of all ages heading back to school for the coming 2017-18 calendar year in early August.