Cherokee High School held its annual commencement on June 17 for more than 500 graduates in the Class of 2024.
Speaker and graduate Elena Kelly opened the ceremony by welcoming friends and family.
“I would like to start by sharing a quote from a childhood friend,” she said. “Winnie the Pooh once said, ‘How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.’ Today marks the end of our high-school journey, a day we’ve anticipated since our first steps into (Cherokee High School).”
“(Graduating) is just a starting point for our lives ahead,” she added. “Once we have our diplomas in hand, we’ll turn the page and forever cherish the memories we’ve created within the brick and mortar of this wonderful school. Every high and low has sculpted, (and led) us to who we are now.”
“We must never forget once a chief, always a chief.”
Principal Donna Charlesworth addressed the graduates’ consistent support of each other demonstrated by event attendance, as well as the senior class trip and prom.
“The Class of 2024 packed the bleachers, the gyms, and our performing arts center for our sports teams, concerts, and shows,” Charlesworth explained. “The magical trip to Disney capped off four years of adventures.
“You danced the night away at prom,” she reminded the graduates. “You earned statewide recognition in art, jazz band, marching band, strings, and choir, and your fall and spring productions of ‘Annie’ and ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ held audiences in awe of your talents.”
Charlesworth also reflected on the graduates’ future connection to Cherokee High.
“You started this senior year at sunrise,” she noted, “and now being moments away from sunset, your high-school journey draws to a close, your hearts will forever bleed orange, because once a chief, always a chief. Congratulations to the incredible Class of 2024.”
Graduate Jenna Spagnolia delivered the commencement’s closing remarks.
“Today marks the closing of a chapter,” she remarked. “This closing does not mean you can never go back and reread the pages from your high-school novel. When I go back and open the first page of my own personal Cherokee story, I am flooded with memories: happy, sad, embarrassing at points, but overall, wonderful memories.”
“Today is the day we are gathered here in our beautiful stadium to celebrate our achievements as graduating seniors,” Spagnolia continued. “Whether you have soared, crawled, climbed, or wandered through your years at Cherokee, we all walk across this stage dressed in the same cap and gown, celebrating even the smallest victories.”
Spagnolia ended with a quote from the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
“If there is one thing I will leave you with, it is the words of Ferris Bueller: ‘Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
“With that,” she emphasized, “I say congrats to the Class of 2024.”
