Neelyville graduates told to chase their dreams

Friends and family packed the Neelyville High School gym Saturday evening to honor 33 seniors for an important and significant achievement. The class of 2019 turned their tassels and left the campus as high school graduates.

“This is a truly awesome group of young people and I couldn’t be more proud of them,” NHS Principal Justin Dobbins said. “They are going to do great things.”

While preparing to speak to the graduating class, Dobbins said one thing continued to come to the forefront of his mind.

“Everything is temporary,” he said. “Whether you loved school or hated it, the fact is it’s temporary.”

The emotional evening was lightened when Warren Griffin’s quote appeared on the screen during the senior video.

“Don’t put anything stupid for your senior quote,” attributed to Griffin’s mother displayed on the screen.

Cheryl Evans, Griffin’s mother, explained sometimes she never knows what will be said by her son, so she just warned him the traditional video quote could follow him for the rest of his life.

“He keeps everyone laughing,” father Jimmy Griffin said.

Before the laughter of the quote, Evans said she was nervous as graduation day approached at the thought of her son growing up and entering adulthood.

“I thought I would be more emotional tonight, but I’m happy for him and glad to see the day come,” she said. “I know he is too.”

Ashlynn Prince speaks with graduation attendees during the Neelyville graduation.DAR/Caleb H. Swallows

Kim Morgeson was also proud of her son, Cody, and excited to see what was in store for his future.

With her daughter graduating eight years earlier, Kim said the feeling of Cody being her last graduate hit her, but she also knew a college graduation would be in the future.

“I look at it as a celebration along the way,” she said. “He’s upset because I didn’t cry.”

After helping with all the planning and rehearsing of the ceremony, Cody realized this could be one of the last times his entire class would all be together.

“It’s fun, but it’s sad,” he said. “It’s bittersweet.”

Salutatorian Nicole Smith told the crowd she had one phrase to sum up all the great things of high school.

“It’s a great day to be a tiger,” she said.

Every time Smith turned around, there was another reason to celebrate being a tiger.

She encouraged the underclassmen to continue to grow and earn their stripes.

“One of my favorite quotes is ‘it’s exciting to think some of the best moments of our lives haven’t happened yet,” Smith said. “Even after all the wonderful things that have happened to us in our lives, the best is yet to come.”

Valedictorian Amanda Moore shared with her fellow classmates something her father told her when she was younger.

“Expectation plus determination equals destination,” she said.

She challenged not only the class of 2019 to figure out the expectation of what they wanted to be, but also those in attendance and to set it high.

“Determination means sacrifice and commitment,” she said. “With any dream comes struggles and it’s up to us to decide whether we will push through those hardships or give up on that dream.”

Expectation and determination decide your destination.

“We are sitting here because of our own expectation and determination to walk across the stage to have our diploma handed to us and graduate from Neelyville High School,” Moore said.

Emmalee Casinger hugs High School Counselor Julie Cloud after receiving her scholarships during the Neelyville graduation.DAR/Caleb H. Swallows

Fourth grade teacher at Neelyville and mother to a graduate, Billie Robinson, said she felt like she was “going in every direction” graduation evening.

Seeing the children grow up through the school system and with her son, Nicholas, Robinson said she will miss the students stopping by and hanging out with her.

Robinson has one child who has already graduated and another who will in a couple years.

“The first graduation was hard,” she said. “I didn’t think today would be as hard, but it was.”

Leading up to the ceremony, Nicholas described the day as “nerve wracking,” in addition to other emotions once graduation concluded.

“I’m excited, but also sad because I’m leaving a place I have been my whole life,” he said.

Planning to attend Three Rivers College and pursue forestry, Nicholas and his mother said the evening was topped with learning he was awarded scholarships to further his education.

In addition to Robinson, the Neelyville seniors racked up $745,000 in scholarship money.

According to Counselor Julie Cloud, 16 seniors received the A+ Scholarship.

“Thank you all for working so hard and I hope you are finally realizing your hard work paid off,” Cloud said.

Two students who will be joining the military were also recognized. Wyatt Russom will be joining the Air Force and Brenden Newcomb will be joining the Marines.

“Chase your dreams with everything you have in you,” Dobbins told the new graduates. “Make choices you can live with the rest of your life and be a tireless worker.”