- November 2, 2024
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The Booker High School class of 2017 and their loved ones recently proved that it’s possible to be brought to tears at a graduation celebration where you don’t know a single graduate.
There was a particular spirit in the air at Booker High School’s 83rd Commencement Ceremony on June 3, and it was evident the second spectators walked through the doors of Robarts Arena.
After a quick walk around the arena it became evident that the pride these families and friends of the 2017 BHS seniors have for their graduates is truly immeasurable. From the custom “Congratulations ____!” t-shirts to the way their screams echoed throughout the event venue when their loved one crossed the stage (which even resulted in a joyous cartwheel by one spectator), the unconditional love shown for the 292 graduating BHS seniors was both palpable and moving.
But it wasn’t just the spectators who were showing the love. The BHS Gospel Choir’s rendition of “Can’t Give Up Now” and SarahBeth Wheeler’s performance of “Make Them Hear You” were followed by a roar of applause by the student performers’ classmates, the former of which brought the class of 2017 to their feet.
This spirit continued with the speeches, given by students who all faced — and overcame — great adversity before and during their time at BHS. Bailey Lovesky explained how one teacher became the mentor that completely changed her attitude and outlook. Brenda Nunez spoke of her immigrant parents’ relentless efforts to give their children a better education by moving to the U.S. Daquone Tirene told his story of overcoming negative influences in his native Newtown thanks to his multiple “mothers” looking out for him.
Principal Dr. Rachel Shelley summed it up well when she shared the statistic that this graduating class has earned almost $3.3 million in scholarships — that’s something to cheer about.