BY DONNA SWICEGOOD
Everyone seated on the football field at Greyhound Hollow on Friday night added something special to Statesville High School during their time at the school.
That was the message delivered by honor speaker Baker Collins during the school’s 134th Commencement Ceremony.
“We have a lot to be proud of,” Collins said. “Everyone here added something to this school whether it was in the classroom, on the field, on the stage or just showing up.”
Collins was one of two honor speakers for the Class of 2026. Lilianna Billings was the first honor speaker. Malia Hunter was also a special speaker at the graduation.
The graduation was originally scheduled to be held Saturday morning but officials made the decision to move it to Friday night in the hopes of beating the rain.
That decision allowed the Class of 2026 to walk across the stage outdoors, which meant more family and friends were able to cheer them on. A light mist started falling just as the ceremony was ending.
Despite their varied interests, Hunter the Class of 2026 has remained a cohesive unit.
“We could have stayed separate but we didn’t,” she said. “Instead we found each other anyway on the field, in sports, at ceremonies, in club meetings. These are the places where specialties didn’t divide us. They gave us a reason to come together.”
Billings said everyone in the class has a unique story.
“Some people here showed resilience,” she said.
Billings said being salutatorian came with a lot of stress and self-doubt. “I became obsessed with the pressure of trying to be the best,” she said.
She said she realized success is more than about a title.
Their high school success is not measured in transcripts, she said. “It’s measured in memories, relationships and the bonds we’ve built along the way,” she said.
She encouraged her classmates to define success for themselves.
Collins told his classmates their plans for the future might change along the way.
“Life will throw unexpected obstacles at us that make it difficult to stay on track,” he said.
He said the key is to success can mean choosing what’s harder and showing up when it’s not convenient.
“To the Class of 2026, take a moment to look around you. We’ve shared a lot more than we probably realize,” he said.
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