Rosewood High School graduation
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on June 10, 2007 2:01 AM
Newly graduated Chandra Meadows is ready to take on the world.
Sh, along with the other 116 members of the Rosewood High School Class of 2007, received their diplomas during graduation ceremonies -- the culmination of their high school careers.
Their class motto? "Live, laugh and love."
Chandra plans to become a defense lawyer when she finishes at East Carolina University.
Others, like Helen Thorn's granddaughter, Brittney Davis, have already gotten a jump-start on their college careers.
Brittney received her diploma in December and is already attending Mount Olive College to go into business management. Her grandmother describes her as "an intelligent, very independent young lady."
Alex Durham already has plans for his future after he earns a degree from East Carolina University and enters the pharmaceutical research field.
"I want to help create a drug that is affordable but helps people at the same time," he said.
He has known his future for a while now. Science is his passion.
"I like the chemical make up of it and putting stuff together," said Durham, who starts soon on the Succeed Sooner program, which will enable him to earn his bachelor's degree in three years and his doctorate in under seven years.
Kasie Kinsler hopes to make her mark in the field of emergency medicine. She found out Thursday she has been accepted by the Johnston Community College nursing school.
But first, there was that diploma -- a long time coming and even tougher to wait for outside at Branch Pope Field.
"It's exciting, and I'm glad it's finally here," Kasie said. "It's 100 degrees. We're all going to melt," she said as the seniors prepared to march into "the real world."
Barbara Blackman waited for her daughter, Nicole Boyette, to march onto the field.
Nicole has already enrolled at Wayne Community College on top of her full-time job at Kmart.
"I think she's leaning toward something medical," said her mom.
How does she feel about Nicole leaving the nest?
"I'm happy. I don't have to get her up in the morning."
Amelia Humphrey understood, but she was a little sad, too.
Her little girl is off to college.
She has a couple more years with her daughter, Kourtney, who will attend Wayne Community College to pick up some transfer courses before she heads off to prepare for a career in elementary education.
"She's been accepted at (N.C.) State, so she will probably transfer there," her mom said.
The graduation is a milestone for them both, she said.
"It's a very emotional time, but I'm very proud and happy she has achieved her goal. I have mixed emotions," said Mrs. Humphrey, who works at Rosewood High as the distance learning facilitator. "It's hard to believe. These kids were just in kindergarten, it seems, and here they are. It's been an honor to watch these kids grow up. They're a unique group. They're all friends, very close knit. I think it's because this is a small community school. Most of them have gone from kindergarten to 12th grade together."
Kasie Braswell said she was "ready to move on with her life," which translates to studying business and technology education at East Carolina University. Her career goal is to one day teach, she said.
Valedictorian Daniel Ellis urged his classmates to use whatever mistakes they might make as stepping stones in life.
Salutatorian Carrissa Morrison challenged her classmates to look ahead to the future.
"I want you to take all of your regrets, everything you can muster and leave them here, right here on this field," she said. "We start tomorrow anew."