By Jenna Oden

Graduates were advised to pause for a minute and take it all in Wednesday morning during the Charles Henderson High School graduation.

“I urge you to cherish this moment,” Principal Brock Kelley said. “Live your life in the moment…adversity will test you and temptation will tempt you. You must live life in the present…you have made it this far and your future is at bright as you want it to be.”

A total of 142 seniors stepped into the Trojan Arena for the first CHHS graduation to be held there. This is not the first time the class of 2018 experienced new changes.   

“Even today we start something new,” valedictorian Abbie Barron said. “We had to face as eighth graders being moved to the high school and starting high school essentially early. We have faced changes in the curriculum.”

Barron said they are used to changes and adversity and that the class is ready for the next step in their lives.

“We will all face challenges in our life,” Barron said. “But it is your job to find good; and if you can’t find it, then make good.”

Family, friends and attendees tried to hold back tears as a graduating senior, Kathleen Deal, sang the class’s senior song, “Waiting on the World to Change” by John Mayer.

Salutatorian Princess Wright told her classmates that she knew they would be a great class, but that they need to continue to be great.

“We didn’t know for sure if we were going to make it to this point,” Wright said. “We laughed until we cried and being here today is a remarkable moment for all of us. Together we are brilliant, so always count yourself to be great.”

Kelley told the students that they will always have a home in the “gem on top of the hill.”

“This is the day where you will share one more smile, share one more tear and share one more hug together before you part ways forever,” Kelley said.

Before the seniors crossed the threshold from Trojans to graduates and received their diplomas, Wright asked them, “Are you ready?”

Ready they were as some walked, excitedly hurried and even danced as they got their diplomas.