Photos by Jennifer Fike
Jared Box tries to capture a picture of the graduates as they make their way to their seats in Collinwood Hall.

 

 

Thursday, June 4, 30 minutes before seven the graduates began lining up in a spacious room at the Plano Centre. 

 

Hidden away from the mass of family and friends gathering in Collinwood Hall, the grads helped each other adjust their mortar boards, laughed and prepared to face the world, or at least the crowd of more than 2,000 people who had gathered to witness their commencement.

 

Many of the graduates were full of laughter and smiles, but there were those with somber faces as they prepared to take one of the biggest steps of their lives. 

 

Honor grad Diana DeLeon said she was nervous. She said she was most concerned about falling, and made motion to her heels. The graduates closest to her chuckled and offered encouragement.

 

The kind words didn’t come from Diana’s closest friends as she waited to walk the stage, but her alphabetical buddies Daniel Dehoyos and Maria Delgado. 

 

“I think we’re all friends today,” Diana said as the group leaned together for a photo.

 

With seven o’clock approaching, the grads began making their way down the hallways where they again lined themselves up in a single file, the act in itself proof of what the students had learned since beginning school 13 years ago.

 

While the classmates prepared for their grand entrance, the crowd inside seemed to grow anxious as well, awaiting the arrival of the 2009 class.

 

Parents hopped on chairs to get a better look at the graduates and it seemed everyone pushed in to catch a glimpse of the students in their cap and gown glory.

 

Somewhere in between the row of graduates filing in from the back, and the stage at the front of the large hall, Jared Box pushed to an opening and prepared his camera.

 

Like hundreds of other family and friends, Jared waited impatiently for the grads to enter his lens, and then he tried desperately to capture an allusive perfect shot as they made their way down the narrow aisle.

 

A recent kindergarten graduate himself, Jared seemed to take his job as photographer seriously. 

 

The smile, the nod, the graduate in his shining moment, Jared seemed as determined to get his picture as the students were to get to the stage.

 

As the grads filed quietly down, “Pomp and Circumstance Military Marches” played loudly and ominously through the speakers.

When the song concluded James Erger began the service with a prayer, and then following a short introduction by Principal Bob Lovelady, Salutatorian Travis Brashear made his way to the podium to share his final thoughts about high school with the crowd.

 

“Friends and family have been the constant in our lives,” Brashear said, adding that he and his classmates should be grateful for their support and for many good memories.

 

He concluded his address with a quote from Mark Twain who famously said, “20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did.” And on that note Brashear threw in a Gig’ Em Aggies before returning to his seat on stage.

 

Lovelady then introduced Valedictorian Sarah Ivy, who began her address with some comic relief.

Ivy said she knew the best speech she could give would be a short one, and so she used a simple acrostic “Senior” to share advice with her peers.

 

From “Senioritis” and “Ending,” Ivy went on to talk about the “new beginnings” she and her fellow graduates would soon face.

 

“When I look at each one of you I see the future,” Ivy said, and there are some “Important decisions” to be made.

Though she and her fellow graduates might feel “Overwhelmed” Ivy said they are “Ready” for what awaits, and she urged her classmates to never settle.

 

“Nobody is born successful,” Ivy said. 

Success comes through hard work, she said.

 

Following the students’ speeches, Lovelady asked the graduates to rise, and then began calling the names of the 161 graduates, including 63 honor grads, who were to walk the stage. 

 

PISD trustees helped hand out diplomas as each of the students made their way up to the stage, carefully across and then back down again. Like all of her classmates DeLeon made it across gracefully, and without any falls.

 

For their accomplishments each graduate received ample applause, and several were greeted by the honk of air horns, but no grad was welcomed with a louder show of support than Jose Olvera.

 

Prom king and a clear class-favorite, the audience gave Olvera a standing ovation as he proudly crossed the stage and turned his tassel.

 

Like each of his classmates Olvera smiled extra wide as cameras flashed and witnesses cheered his achievement.

After the graduates had returned to their seats, Justin McCrainie closed the service in prayer.

 

Lovelady then introduced the Class of 2009 which sang the school song and threw their hats in the air.

 

With less formality than their entrance, the grads were then dismissed.

 

Their first stop, the lobby for pictures. And then?

 

When asked what his plans were for post graduation, Timothy Bagert said he was ready to take over the world. But first, Bagert said, he will start with college.

 

Mary Clay and Timothy Clark prepare to enter their commencement service.

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