Closing the book on the class of 2017
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on July 18, 2017 8:52 PM
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The 13 seniors participating in the first ever Wayne County Schools Summer Commencement Exercise pose for a photo at Wayne Community College Tuesday night before graduating. Three schools including Charles B. Aycock, Goldsboro and Southern Wayne high schools participated in the inaugural event.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Brennan Matthew Quinn shakes the hand of Superintendent Dr. Michael Dunsmore as he walks across the stage as the first graduate to receive a diploma at the Wayne County Public Schools Summer Commencement Tuesday night.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Nicholas Rajan Parks points at his loved ones in attendance as he walks across the stage as a graduate of Goldsboro High School during Tuesday night's countywide summer commencement.
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Inessa Mattiex and other students from across Wayne County turn their tassels together during the first ever Wayne County Public Schools Summer Commencement Exercises Tuesday night at Wayne Community College. Thirteen students from three schools walked during the graduation.
Wayne County Public Schools' first-ever all-county summer graduation took place Tuesday evening in Moffatt Auditorium at Wayne Community College, with 16 candidates from three schools earning high school diplomas.
The event was for students who may not have completed their work or other requirements in time to participate in June ceremonies with their classmates, said Beverly Boltinhouse, WCPS director of career and technical education.
"In the past, they would go on the school their last day of completing the assignments, or finish online and the diploma was mailed to them," she explained.
Historically, students who wrap things up in December return to graduate with their class in June, she said. Offering a summer ceremony allows them to receive all the amenities they earned.
Graduates represented Charles B. Aycock, Goldsboro and Southern Wayne high schools. Each wore the cap and gown colors from their respective schools and principals from those schools called out their own students' names and handed out the diplomas.
The idea behind the all-county ceremony came from assistant superintendent Tamara Ishee.
"This is a true graduation," Mrs. Boltinhouse said. "We've tried to do everything -- the programs, we called the high schools that had graduates and asked about marshals, because we still needed people to march them in and escort them off the stage."
Carson Smitherman was one of the three marshals. He had already served as assistant chief marshal at CBA and when rose to the occasion when asked by his guidance counselor.
"I was happy to help," he said. "They deserve it just as much as the ones that graduated at the regular time."
Brennan Quinn, representing CBA, was first in line to receive his diploma. His plans now include going into the Air Force, he said.
LaPleasure Artis showed up to support her son, Jhaileel Artis, now a GHS graduate.
"I'm proud of him," she said, adding that she thought it was nice for the district to have the additional ceremony.
Jhaileel has aspirations of pursuing studies in graphic design.
"To be honest with you, I'm excited to be getting out of high school and getting on with the bigger things I'm going to do with my life," he said.
Proud mom Marie Drawhorn was there to see Tyrie Drawhorn from GHS receive his diploma.
"I am happy -- my firstborn is graduating," she said.
"It feels good," said GHS grad Quadarius Davis.
Classmate Edgar Bronfield is thinking about going to school to study 2-D animation, he said.
"I want to do art. What I mostly want to do is comics because I love to draw and I like to tell stories," he said.
Raquel Rubio, from Southern Wayne, has some important plans for the immediate future.
"I'm expecting a baby," she said. Due in October, she said she plans to pursue her education in the future.
She was happy to officially be recognized for completing high school.
"It's an accomplishment I have made," she said. "I think it's nice that they (the district) did this for us."
Commencement speaker was Judge Ericka James of the Eighth Judicial District.