Jemison High School’s Class of 2018 are officially graduates following a ceremony at the Clanton Conference and Performing Arts Center on May 22.

Principal Diane Calloway shook hands and handed certificates to 149 students as they walked across the stage to put a cap on their high school careers.

“We started out as nervous freshmen, and now here we are as graduating seniors,” senior class president Hailey Blanchard said. “You can’t help but think, where did the time go?”

Of the graduates, 10 held the honor of valedictorian.

Each of the valedictorians and salutatorians addressed their fellow classmates along with the many family members and friends in attendance.

“This is a night to enjoy,” Blanchard said. “I cannot wait to see the impact that we make on this imperfect world.”

Judge Amy Hayes Naylor, a Jemison alum, was the guest speaker. She graduated from JHS in 1990.

“I want to encourage you to think for yourself,” Naylor said. “If you have that skill, it will take you through life.”

Naylor talked about her time as a student while giving advice to the outgoing group of seniors.

“Every job is on the job training,” Naylor said. “Be humble, dig in there and work.”

According to Noah Glenn, explaining fist bumps to coach Robert George and running onto the field on football Friday nights were some of the things that he will miss the most from his time in high school.

“We’re done with high school, where senioritis is an understatement,” Lauren Broussard said.