'Take a chance'
By Steve Herring
Published in News on June 10, 2018 3:05 AM
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Madison Jones' hands are a blur as she celebrates being declared a graduate Saturday morning during Spring Creek High School's commencement exercise. At right is Nathan Jones.
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News-Argus/STEVE HERRING
Rebecca Edmundson holds her "Congrats Graduate" balloon as she poses for photos Saturday morning following the Spring Creek High School graduation ceremony at Kornegay Arena on the University of Mount Olive campus.
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Teacher Suzanne Kemp, left, makes a tada gesture after adjusting a student's mortarboard prior to the Spring Creek High School graduation ceremony Saturday morning. Watching is marshal Mikayla Price.
MOUNT OLIVE -- Tanya Avila Diaz said she wasn't ready to wake up Saturday morning and be an adult.
But after receiving her diploma during the Spring Creek High School graduation ceremony, Diaz said she was happy she decided to wake up.
Diaz, of Goldsboro, was among the 149 students to receive their diplomas during the school's commencement exercises held at Kornegay Arena on the University of Mount Olive campus.
Following the ceremony, the freshly minted graduates exchanged hugs and took selfies, while surrounded by family and friends.
"This morning I was like no, I don't want to wake up," Diaz said. "I don't want to graduate any more. But throughout the year I was like I want to graduate. But when it came to it, I am going to miss it (school).
"I kind of didn't want to graduate because I don't want to be an adult now. I have been in school with these people my entire life, and I am never going to see them again. It is sad. It is a bittersweet moment."
To help celebrate the day, her mother had brought her a large bouquet of colorful balloons that Diaz said she planned to show off as she walked around.
Diaz said her mother is "extra."
"I am kind of glad she did though -- I am extra, too," she said.
Diaz said she plans to work this summer and that when she turns 18, she will get a job as a certified nursing assistant since she already has the necessary certification.
She plans to attend Wayne Community College and then transfer to a university.
Daquan Flowers, of Mount Olive, had his cellphone pressed to his right ear as he looked, stretched and waved his left arm over his head as he signaled his location to a friend.
"They found me now," he said.
Flowers said he felt good, but nervous at the same time.
"You never know what you are going to do unless you already have it planned out," he said.
Flowers said that while he did not have life after high school all planned out, he did have a good idea of what he would be doing. He plans to attend Wayne Community College first and will then go to a four-year college to major in architecture.
"I was a little nervous walking across the stage, but after that I felt great," he said. "I am going to remember all of it. It was just a great day for me and all the people who graduated with me. I appreciate everybody, and all of my classmates, and I'm just glad we all made it."
Graduation is not an end goal in itself, Spencer Jameson, senior class president, told his classmates just after Principal Stephen Clingan had made his declaration of graduation.
"Instead, it is part of the larger journey of life," Jameson said. "In the famous words of Lao Tzu, 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.' Our graduation is that first step."
It should serve as the launching point for where they will go after school -- technical school, college, work or the military, he said.
"Wherever your future takes you, let it take you somewhere," he said. "Life is about growing, and that doesn't end today. It is really just the beginning. Let's begin the march toward our 10th year reunion."
Valedictorian Veronica Ortiz began her comments with quote by Albert Einstein, "A person who never made a mistake, never tried anything."
"I want everyone in this room to know, if you fail, at least you failed trying to better yourself," she said. "You will always be faced with difficulties in anything you do. You will make a mistake, but when that happens, you need to learn from it and keep on trying. This is what high school has taught us.
"Not only has high school taught us about failure, it has taught us about change as well. Changes can be very difficult to handle at times and sometimes it can feel like nothing gets better."
However, she told her classmates they will be able to overcome whatever the issue is even though it might take days, months or even years.
"But I believe everything gets better," she said. "Personally, I pray to deal with difficult situations in my life. It gives me a sense of calmness and peace that makes me know that everything will fall into place one day.
"We can do anything and overcome everything that we set your minds to. All of these challenges have made us who we are today."
But she reminded her classmates not to forget the changes ahead of them -- whether it means entering the military, taking a year off, going to work or going to college.
She told them they are all about to embark on the rest of their lives -- something that can be scary and challenging.
"As we are closing this chapter of our lives, it is both exciting and scary," Ortiz said. "It's OK. Remember, change is a good thing. After all, we must make a choice to take a chance or our lives will never change.
"Class of 2018, I challenge you to strive to be the best you can be, make the choice to take a chance, and be the positive change in the world. We should be proud of all our graduates for all their hard work and accomplishments."
Salutatorian Gabriel Barfield said that over his four years at Spring Creek High School he had shared countless experiences with his fellow classmates that he will never forget, for better or for worse.
"I don't think many of us would be willing to admit it, but I'll be the first say that I'm sad it was over so soon," he said. "Throughout the years we've struggled together through various projects, papers, and tests that I'm sure we'll be begging to go back to once we've experienced what the real world has to offer.
"We've cheered each other on in our academic and athletic pursuits. We've scolded each other for waiting until the last minute to write our speeches for graduation. But most importantly, we've supported each other regardless of whether we felt on top of the world or nearly crushed by it."
However, no matter how much the graduates like to believe it, they didn't all transform into such great people entirely on their own, he said.
Rather it was through many years spent under the care of tremendous teachers and family that they were able to reach this stage in their lives, and without their support, it's doubtful that they would have even made it through the first day of freshman year, he said.
"Our families and teachers played huge parts in getting us here today, but from here on it is ultimately up to us," Barfield said. "Even as I am sad that we're all leaving Spring Creek behind, I can't help but to be excited to see what the future holds for all of us.
"I am confident that my classmates and I will go on to make all sorts of positive contributions to the world, no matter how great or small, and I know that if we all use what we have learned from our time at Spring Creek, then we will find success in whatever we choose to do. I couldn't be prouder to be a part of Spring Creek High School's class of 2018."