Mortars take flight after the Spring Hill High Graduates of 2023 are presented by Spring Hill High School Principal Ronald Smead (standing behind the podium to the right).

Thirty-five senior Spring Hill Bears in night-blue tunics were officially graduated last night in a rose-laden ceremony that featured student speeches, a showing of childhood photos and widespread applause in the UAHT’s spacious Hempstead Hall.

Of the 35, six graduated with highest honors and six graduated with honors. All these graduates wore gold cords.

Arnetta Bradford gave the National Anthem a stirring rendition before Bo Revels, soon-to-be graduate with honors provided the Invocation.

Spring Hill High Principal Ronald Smead issued the welcome and said “These 35 seniors have been looking forward to this moment for quite some time. The time is now, and this is their time to shine.”

College and Career Counselor Presley Capps spoke on the seniors’ future plans.  “Our goal for you is to go out and succeed in life,” she said.  “We know you will be successful.  You will always be a part of Spring Hill High School. Equally, I want to say how proud I am of the Class of 2023 They have earned a possible four-year total of over $800,000 in scholarships … We hope that when you leave here tonight that you will reach your highest potential, and we will be rooting for you every step of the way.”

Giving the Salutatory Address, soon-to-be Highest Honors Graduate Isabella Lewallen listed a few memories she had of her classmates: “There was the time in fourth grade when Tucker [Runion] flipped the desk over on Libby [Flowers], then the time when Darci Jane [Clayton] flipped over in her desk trying to pick up something off the floor in Mrs. Plant’s class, and we couldn’t stop laughing,” Lewallen said. “And we can’t forget about the time when Dalton [Glover] got his tongue stuck on the pole during the winter.”

Lewallen also recounted the support she and her classmates felt on Friday nights during football games, more specifically when the team faced adversity and when the student body faced it, too. Her advice to current Spring Hill underclassmen was to “take it all in when you can,” adding that “you will never find a place like Spring Hill.”

In her Class Address, soon-to-be Highest Honors graduate Emmie Fuller thanked teachers, parents, friends and family members for having a “profound impact on the development of our graduating class.” She also advised her classmates of the value of simply “being kind to others around you” and to “make kindness a lifestyle.” She closed by saying to her classmates, “Every one of you has something special.”

As the Presentation of Roses took place, each graduate-to-be left the stage to award single roses to persons of their choice. At the same time, the screen on the Hempstead Hall stage lowered and onto it was projected multiple childhood photos of each of the graduates. Music played that included Mark Harris’ “Find Your Wings” and The Piano Guys’ “A Thousand Years.”

After this, the presentation of diplomas by Spring Hill Superintendent Jeffrey Steed began. Once the names had been read from William Wade Applegate to Ryan Sinclair Whatley, and each of the 35 had each come forward, picked up their diplomas, posed with them and took their seats again, High School Principal Smead came to the podium for the second time in the ceremony to officially pronounce the Spring Hill Class of 2023 to be graduates. They could move their tassels from their right to their left now.  When they were presented, blue mortars took to the air.

Darci Durham, graduate with honors, gave the Benediction prayer, in which she said “Thank [you, the Lord] for blessing us with a school that has allowed us to keep you as our main focus and for the fellowship we have found here at SHS. Thank you for blessing us with like-minded staff, teachers and students … I pray that each of us leaving this building walks out of here and into the world as a light for your word … Thank you for sending Jesus Christ who died on the cross for forgiveness of our sins. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.”

At this, the graduates began filing away to stage left, likely eager to rejoin families and embark on what’s next.