Graduation 2019: Weather forces commencement ceremonies indoors

Published 5:20 pm Thursday, June 6, 2019

SALISBURY — With rain on the horizon for the weekend, educators made a call late Thursday to move  Saturday’s graduation ceremonies indoors at five area high schools.

The ceremonies will conclude the secondary academic journeys for many across Rowan-Salisbury Schools, as more than 1,200 seniors receive high school diplomas.

The shift indoors will limit seating and potential guests, as original plans called for outdoor commencements.

By late afternoon Thursday, East Rowan, West Rowan, South Rowan, Salisbury and Carson High School had all made the call, each providing details about ticket allotments. North Rowan’s graduation was held earlier than others because of a choice to use calendar flexibility.

Tickets will be distributed to seniors during graduation practice Friday.

Here are details of commencement plans at Rowan-Salisbury and surrounding schools:

A.L. Brown High School will graduate more than 340 seniors. More than 100 will graduate summa cum laude, magna cum laude or cum laude.

Jamal Smith, the student council president, will make the welcome speech. The keynote speaker will be A.L. Brown English teacher Larry Efird, who was selected by the graduates.

Junior marshals are Lilly Beaver, Thomas Bitler, Abigail Breeggemann, Jillian Brim, Billy Burris, Michael DaCosta, William Fullerton, Yvette Garduno-Pina, Murphey Kennerly, Dakoda Lemelin, Trey Morton, Corbin Richardson, Anna Roche, Eshan Shah and Mary Brook Watson.

Graduation will be held in the A.L. Brown Memorial Stadium at 9 a.m June 15, weather permitting.

East Rowan High School will hold graduation at 8 a.m. Saturday in the school gym. Seniors will receive six tickets for the gym and three tickets for the auditorium, where the ceremony will be streamed.

Doors to the gym will open at 7 a.m. and to the auditorium, at 7:30 a.m. Tickets will be distributed at 10 a.m. Friday during graduation practice.

Junior marshals are Sierra Braun, Sarah Margaret Dyer, Colby Goodman, Dylan Goodnight, Victoria Halpin, Anna Hester, Tyler Johnson, Jacob Kisamore, Brooke Kongmany, Jennifer Lohmeyer, Mason Pryor, Athena Thomas and Melinda Thompson.

Gray Stone Day School held its graduation for 105 on May 24 at H.E. Singletary Jr. Gymnasium.

Student speakers were Joseph Clark, Reagan Burch, Mariah Helms, Hensey  Hunt, Alexa Bolin-Santiago and Emily Culp. The commencement speaker was Pfeiffer University President Colleen Keith.

Alexa Cranford and Kevin Agner provided music. Junior marshals were Taylor Query, Lauren Wetmore, Bryce Biehle, Caroline Chandler, Caitlin Hattaway, Dania Kanawati, Emma Nantz, Chole Bell and Connor Morin.

Carson High School will graduate 284 seniors at 8 a.m. Saturday in the school gym. Students will receive four tickets for the gym and two for the auditorium. Tickets will be distributed at 2 p.m. Friday during graduation practice.

The gym will open for seating at 7 a.m., and the auditorium will open at 7:30 a.m.

Henderson Independent High School will graduate eight seniors. The ceremony begins at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Wallace Educational Forum Board Room.

Ushers from the school are William Goble, Dehmariel Ausbrook, Anlea Hutchins, Patrick Duren, S’Maryea Graham and Andrew Manus.  

North Hills Christian School graduated 16 students on May 24. The ceremony was held at Helen-Kelley Smith Gymnasium.

The valedictorian speaker was Colby Edmonds, and the salutatorian speaker was Audrey McGrail. Junior marshals were Natalee Adkins and Tyler Hunt.

North Rowan High School awarded 135 diplomas May 25, with commencement speakers Spencer Everhart, Jared Hensley and Hans Roemer.

Junior marshals were Travis Berry, Jacob Davis, Allen Hicks, Lizbeth Jaimes-Lopez, Benjamin King,Ashley Lore, Itzel Nunez-Ariza, Caelan Stinson, Kayla Swicegood (Chief) and Jacob Vang.

Salisbury High School will hold graduation at 8 a.m. Saturday in the school gym. Students will receive four tickets for the gym and four for an overflow area with live-streaming in the auditorium. There will also be a live feed on the Salisbury High School athletics Facebook page.

The graduating class is 200 students.

The valedictorian is Ellen Frances Simons; salutatorians are Roarke William Burton and Olivia Nicole Dagenhart. Student program participants are Mary-Catherine Hope Berger, Jackson Ennis Fisher, Makayla Monique Dillard and Sydney Elizabeth Edwards.

Roshen Amin (chief), Luke Brady, Kerry Campion, Dominic Capito, Caroline Colwell, Archie Dees, Brody Dillon, Walker Hartpence, Jaliyah Oats, Nicholas Peltz, Sydney Sims and Anna Grace Woolly.

South Rowan High School will award 242 diplomas. Commencement will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday in the gym. Each graduate will receive five tickets for the gym and five tickets for a video feed in the auditorium

Commencement speakers are Gavin Thompson and Bailee Elliott. Junior marshals are Corina Caskey, Corey Snodgrass, Nolan Eudy, Madison McGuire, Payton Sloop, Makenzie McGuire, Michaela Hallman, Tyler Sheet, Austin Peacock, Peyton Rohletter and Kira Rymer.

Rockwell Christian School graduated 13 seniors May 25.

Rowan County Early College awarded 61 diplomas May 24 in the Carson High School auditorium. Academic student speakers were Bobby Cain, valedictorian, and Sarah Clifton, salutatorian. Eisa Cox of Rowan-Salisbury Schools provided the welcome and Principal Patrick Hosey spoke.

Junior marshals fwere Slaven Brborovic, Sean Eswards, Samantha Brown, Grissel Medina Hernandez, Claire Allen, Jasmine Finger, Jacqueline Moore, Parkston Myers, Virginia Star Dula and Diana Sanchez.

The Rowan County Home School Association held its graduation ceremony for 22 on May 18 at First Baptist Church of Salisbury.

The speaker was David Edwards, and junior marshals were Matthew Bunts, Alayna Collins, Dalton Ellis, Hannah Kayali, MaryEvelyn Murray, Zachary Wilhelm and Kieran Wilson.

West Rowan High School will graduate 261 seniors. Commencement begins at 8 a.m. Saturday in the school gym. Students will be given five tickets for the gym and two tickets for a video streaming in the auditorium.

Commencement speakers are Chloe Lanelle Patterson, Kacy Lauren Cole, Matthew Henry Ramsay, Sage Alexandra Staley and Alanna Nicole Keys.

Junior marshals are Noah David Arntsen, Grace Elizabeth Blackwelder, Mackenna Rae Clifton, Sarah Grace Day, Skylar Loraine Jahnke, Trevor Allen Mervine, Angela Madison Smith, Daja Tauna Snipes, Kevin Matthew Sullivan, Carly Elizabeth Stiller, Meredith Nicole Swaim, Steven Michael Wilmot, Grace Elizabeth Webb and Abigail Grace Wilson.