As graduates from local schools turned their tassels throughout the last several weeks, many shed tears as they said goodbye to classmates they’d known since childhood.

It was touching to see the magnitude of the bond so many of these students shared with the people they’d shared classrooms with for, in many cases, the last 13 years, but we want to remind those students that while they are closing one chapter, an exciting new one has yet to be written.

At each of the six schools in our coverage area, the vast majority of students have plans lined up for their future. Many will attend community college or a four-year university. A small group have enlisted in the armed forces and a number of individuals have opted to head straight into the workforce.

We understand that these plans are vague and much of the path is still uncharted. Graduates might be thinking, ‘sure, I’m going to college, but what will I study?’ or ‘I might have enlisted in the military, but what will I specialize in? Where will I be based?’

These indefinites may seem scary, but we encourage all graduates to embrace the promise of possibility. Although they may not know what the future holds, the opportunities are endless for adventure and success.

So many students shared inspiring messages at their commencement ceremonies, and plenty were excited to share their hopes and dreams with their peers. As all of the recent graduates head out into their chosen directions, we can’t wait to keep track of these goals and find out all that they contribute to the world.

 

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of Publisher Michael Caldwell and editors Ambrosia Neldon, Craig Haupert, Ted Yoakum and Scott Novak.