More than 100 students began the next stage of their lives Sunday afternoon as the Carroll High School (CHS) Class of 2019 celebrated their graduation. Parents, grandparents and friends filled the high school gymnasium to watch them walk across the stage and receive their diplomas. Principal, Tammie McKenzie, encouraged the soon-to-be alumni to be proud of the many milestones they achieved as Tigers.
Those cords included gold to signify a 3.0 GPA or higher for their high school careers, blue and gold for National Honor Society members, silver for outstanding volunteerism and much more. McKenzie then recognized the top 10 students from the Class of 2019, including Salutatorian, Joelle Cheney, and Valedictorian, Julia LaRue. LaRue said it is easy to get caught up looking towards the future, but she told them that remembering how they got there is just as important.
Dennis McCartan, the high school guidance counselor and coach, was chosen as this year’s commencement speaker. He spoke of dedication, perseverance and being a positive influence on those around you. He related it to Winnie the Pooh and said there are two types of people: Tiggers and Eeyores. McCartan invited students to emulate Tigger by putting all of their effort into whatever they do and told them to be excited about the little things.
Seven other schools also held commencement ceremonies on Sunday, including: Ar-We-Va, Audubon, Coon Rapids-Bayard, East Sac County, Glidden-Ralston, IKM-Manning and South Central Calhoun.
