Grafton High School graduates 125

Grafton High school graduated 125 students on Tuesday, May 29, 2012.

GRAFTON – The Grafton High School Band accompanied the procession of students, who are starting the next chapter in their lives, into the Scotty Hamilton Gymnasium with the traditional “Hail, Land All Glorious.” This is the 117th graduation ceremony at Grafton High School, these graduates now join a prestigious list of those who have graduated through many generations.

Grafton High School Principal, Dr. Joseph Findley welcomed the students, guests and parents to the commencement ceremony that marks the transition of these 125 graduates from school to careers or higher education.

Dr. Findley introduced the Grafton High school Class of 2012 Valedictorian, Andriana Elizabeth Mayle, who spoke to her peers about their next step after graduation. Jillann Rochelle Mayle, Grafton High School Class of 2012 Salutatorian took to the podium to encourage her classmates, as well.

Dr. Findley stated “Once, a schoolboy wrote ‘Socrates was a man who walked around giving people advise and they poisoned him.’ Well today, I do not mean to stand up and give you advice, I just want to share some ideas with you.

“J.K. Rowling, who wrote the Harry Potter series said, ‘You might never fail on a huge scale. But some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing in something, unless you live life so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all. In which case, you fail by default.’”

Dr. Findley went on to tell of different stories of inspiration such as, the little girl who was drawing a picture. Her teacher asked her what she was drawing and she replied “God.” The teacher said “no one knows what God looks like,” and the little girl replied, “they will now.” The story encouraged the graduates to always have a sense of confidence in their abilities.

Dr. Findley went on to explain that the only thing he remembered about the commencement speech at his own graduation was two words, “be flexible.”

“That is so true,” Dr. Findley explained. “Your generation, unlike others, will never hold the same job for 30 years and receive a pension like mine has. Things have changed and you must always be flexible and adjust with the times.

“At one moment in history, a graduation address was given that everybody there remembers word for word. The speaker was Winston Churchill. By this time, he was a very old man, very feeble of body. He’d been asked to give this address, and they had to help him up on the stand because he was so weak. In fact, it was the last time he ever appeared in public. When he was introduced, they had to help him to the podium, and those there said that he stood for a long time gripping the podium. They weren’t even sure he had strength enough to speak.

“But then, they said, he lifted that great head of his and in that voice that had called England back from the very brink of despair during World War II, that great voice said the last public words that he ever uttered. ‘Never, never give up.’ And with that, he just turned and took his seat.

“They said he was absolutely electric. If you know Churchill’s career, time and again he’d been knocked to the ground by failure. Time and again when it would have been easy to give up; when he could have become complacent, he continued to press toward the goal.

“Mr, Maynard, it is a great honor and privilege to present the Grafton High School Graduating Class of 2012. These young people before you have completed all of the graduation requirements necessary to earn a high school diploma in the state of West Virginia,” Dr. Findley concluded.

The announcement of graduates, was given by assistant principals, Lori Shumaker and Arthur Moore.

The Grafton High School Graduating Class of 2012 consists of:

Andriana Elizabeth Mayle, Valedictorian; Jillann Rochelle Mayle, Salutatorian; high honor graduates, Steven Daniel Hunt, Nancy Diane Isner, Shelby Lynn Harman, Alexandria Elizabeth Gregory, Cassandra Leigh Linn, James Paul Harr, III, Marshall Philip Harding, Angel Brielle Hickman, Matthew E. Griffin, Jason Blair Wagner, Haely Nicole Moyer, Abby Elizabeth Rowand, John Alex Ray Burke, and Jesse Dylan Opel; honor graduates, Ann Marie Witkowski, Cole Scott Delawder, Shelby Christine Donnelly, Amber Nicole Bradley, Devin Elaine Pryor, Joshua Marshall Bobela, Eli Jeremiah Peters, Charles Lucas Marshall, Zachary Eli Gower, Tori Jo McDaniel, Nicholas Alan Dixon, Drew Hill, and Sarah Elaine White.

Grafton High School graduates Amanda Lynn Baker, Kelly Tosha Lynn Baker, Kendra Nicole Bland, Nathan Philip Bolton, Emily Marie Bolyard, Mariah Nikkia Je Mai Brown, David Frederick Carder, Anissa Marilyn Sue Cline, Zane Allen Cox, Amanda Lee Dalton, Joshua Devin Dalton, Caitlin Reid Davis, Jeremiah Scott Deem, Adam John Demopoulos, Ryan Matthew Denkenberger, Cody Lee Dillon, Micheala Marie Dowling, Christian Michael Cole Durrett, Joe Michael Evans, II, Savannah Leighann Fairley, Hunter Dylan Felix, Kaitlyn Paige Fernandez, Dallas Zachariah Freeman, Sara Ann Freeze, Justin O’Neal Fuller, Jonathan Kelsey Gilbert, James D. Gordon, Juanita Joy Gray, Zachary Thomas-Scott Gray, Jonah Michael Griffin, Rachelanna Gump, Sadi Marie Gutshall, Ashley N. Hays, Lynessa Mae Henderson, Tanya Sue Hershman, Nathan Matthew Hoover, Tyler Elizabeth-Thorn Hussion, Cierra Jo Keaton, Maverick Wade Kerns, Christian Tyler Kite, Ashley Kay Knotts, Cody Bron Koontz, Aryn Nicole Lafferty, Alexander Scott Lafontaine, Olivia Marie Lanham, Dakota James Larew, Dekota Curtis Lipscomb, Cody Adam Mayle, Matthew Ryan Mayle, William Taylor McDaniel, Chad McDonald, Everett Lee McKinney, Bryan Joseph Michael, Brian Wesley Miller, Travis Dean Minnick, Courtni Elaine Moats, Richard Keith Moran, Andrew Cole Musgrove, John P. Nestor, Logan Shane Nose, Brandon Alexander Oates, Benjamin Seth Peters, Stephen C. Poling, Jacob L. Poole, Richard James Powell, Jeremiah Tanner Price, Kirsten Marie Reneau, Jenny Elizabeth Roach, Megan Renee Robinson, Corina Brooke Rogers, Korey Ann Rucker, Zachary Thomas Schotf, Sierra Morgan Schultz, Tiffany Marie Scott, Trevor Zane Shafferman, Jacob Wyatt Shahan, Alec Hunter Sherlock, Jessica Danielle Smith, Jacob Roy Sparks, Nathaniel David Streets, Brittany Nicole Summers, Cierra Michelle Swiger, Ella Nicole Swiger, Gregory Tenney, David Martin Thompson, John Floyd Thompson, James Winford Twyman, II, Tyler Cole Upton, Michael Iven Warnick, Mark Anthony Watton, Tyler Welch, Tyler Ray Wentz, Briana Nicole Wilfong, Melissa Wilson, Joseph Alan Zavilla, and Catharine Paige Zeck.

Congratulations to the Grafton High School Graduating Class of 2012.