Graduates in the Patrick County High School (PCHS) Class of 2023 tossed their caps high in the sky amidst a cloud of multicolored confetti at the commencement ceremony on Friday evening.
This year marks the 53rd graduation from PCHS and the class graduated 163 students, three of whom also graduated with associate degree from Patrick and Henry Community College and two who graduated with certificates from P&HCC.
“Tonight we all recognize and celebrate the culmination of 13 years of academic achievement in awarding of high school diplomas to our students,” PCHS Principal Hope Perry said. “This very special class of our Cougar nation has experienced tremendous success.”
Seniors walked to their seats, watched by family and friends on either side of them on the field, to the Procession played by the PCHS band.
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“We have been counting down the days to graduation since the first week of eighth grade, but now we are finally here,” PCHS Student Government Association Vice President Emma Grace Nickelston said. “All the days flew by in the blink of an eye.”
“Throughout our countdown we have been through so much as a class between the pandemic and losing classmates,” Nickelston added. “It has really taught us to enjoy every day and stop wishing it was over.”
“I am forever grateful for all the memories I have here and I will hold all of them so close to my heart,” she said. “Each teacher taught me something new for inside the classroom and the real world, and I am beyond grateful for that.”
PCHS Student Government Association President Elian Lee Pendleton gave a speech titled “Thumbs,” saying that each student is as unique as the lines on his or her thumbs.
“Not one person in the entire world has the same lines,” Pendleton said. “A fingerprint can either confirm or disprove someone’s identify. All of us sitting here today have accomplished the same thing, but we are not the same.”
“You don’t have to look at your fingerprint just to see that. You can tell by the activities, sports or even the classes you chose to take throughout high school,” Pendleton said.
“I am proud to call myself a band kid, but that is only what I was called to do. There are hundreds and even thousands of careers and pathways for you to discover,” he said. “We are all about to step into a chapter of our lives that isn’t written out for us.”
“What we do today is completely a mystery but it all ties back into our fingerprints,” Pendleton said. “Those small lines may determine your identity but you are the only one who can determine who you are and what you decide to do with your life.”
The PCHS Senior Choir sang the Alma Mater before PCHS Senior Class President Mia Min Jing Stowe spoke to the audience.
“To my fellow graduates, it went by fast – just like our parents said it would,” Stowe said. “So, I hope that each one of you soaked up the amazing memories made throughout our time together.”
“It has been a long five years and a short five years,” Stowe said. “Mostly a very short five years because of the lifelong friendships, the lasting memories and all the fun activities.”
“Growing up is a journey that we all must take and it is a journey that lasts a lifetime,” Stowe said. “It’s a journey that is filled with ups and downs, twists and turns and unexpected surprises. But it’s also a journey that is filled with wonder, discovery and growth.”
“After this point in our lives we will continue to learn more about ourselves and the world around us,” she said. “As we grow up, let’s remember to be kind to ourselves and others. Let’s remember to be patient, take risks and to try new things.”
The graduates then lined up to receive their diplomas, switched over their tassels and then tossed their caps to commemorate the end of their high school careers.
Monique Holland is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. She can be reached at monique.holland@martinsvillebulletin.com or at 276-734-9603.
