FILE PHOTO Centerville ISD logo

CENTERVILLE — Centerville High School's Project Celebration Committee is seeking partnerships in the community for an after-graduation celebration.

The goal of this event is to provide an exciting party that is free of alcohol and drugs, where students can celebrate their achievement in a truly safe environment.

Further, this is an all-night event that keeps students off the roads on an evening that traditionally has a higher risk of motor vehicle accidents. The entire evening will be free to the graduating seniors and their dates.

Students will enjoy many activities, music, dancing, games, food and prizes. This is the last big event for seniors before they graduate.

The Project Celebration Committee works to raise the funds necessary and gain the donations needed to pull off this event. Although monetary help is requested from many individuals and organizations; this community-directed event to keep our children safe is well worth supporting.

If you are interested in making a donation of any kind to the Centerville Project Celebration, please send or contact Centerville Project Celebration, attention Karen Mott, 10327 N. Highway 94, Groveton, TX 75845, or call (936) 642-1597. Any donation will help make this event a success.

Project Celebration will be held after High School Graduation on Thursday, May 27. The students who benefit from this event and the Centerville project Celebration Committee thank you in advance for your consideration of a donation.

The graduating seniors from Centerville are Amber Castle, Weston Dial, Eryn Forrest, James Lee, Alexis May, Gracie May, Kayla Mott, Colton Shank, Garrett Smith, Ethan Rutledge and Logan Villanueva.

Courtesy photo | Martha Mericle Groveton ISD seniors celebrate their commencement with the traditional tossing of the mortarboards at the High School graduation on Friday.

GROVETON — The Groveton High School on Friday celebrated the first post-pandemic graduation in style, and said farewell to 63 seniors with righteous pomp and circumstance.

Family and friends cheered and hollered in the red-bedecked gymnasium, as the event was moved from the stadium due to weather, and the excitement was palatable.

After a recitation of negativity that many students may feel, Valedictorian Emily Ecord said that students can be so focused on reaching the final goal that they lose sight of the importance of the individual moments.

“It undermines the value you have in yourself, and the value you have in each of your peers,” she said. “Those moments make up your life.”

Ecord also thanked the many people that have helped her find those moments throughout her high-school career.

Salutatorian Cole Sullivan congratulated his fellow classmates in the best way possible, by evoking Dr. Seuss.

“He teaches us life lessons — friendships, bonds, achievements, the hiccups, the failures, successes and relations,” he said. “Even though most people think of the ugly hairy cat in the red-and-white striped hat, Dr. Seuss went way beyond that.”

Sullivan listed the five “simple” life lessons that he and his classmates could use from now on:

• “Today, you are you, that’s truer than true. There is no one alive that is you-er than you.”
• “Why fit in when you are born to stand out.”
• “You have brains in your head, and feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself in any direction you choose.”
• “Be who you are, and say what you think, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”
• “Today, I shall behave as if this is the day I will be remembered.”

TONY FARKAS | TCNS Valedictorian Hunter Cassidy addresses the crowd and assembled students during the Trinity High School Graduation on Saturday at Sam Houston State University.

72 cross the stage

HUNTSVILLE — “I LOVE YOU, JIMMY” rang out, along with other exclamations of praise and congratulations, laughter and not a few tears, after the Trinity High School seniors’ processional.

THS held its graduation ceremony Saturday at Sam Houston State University’s Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville.

In all, 72 students tossed the mortarboards as they were declared graduates by Principal Brittaney Cassidy.

Salutatorian Emilio Cleveland thanked those in attendance for being there for the students’ final steps in their high-school careers, and the first steps into bright futures.

“The start of this year was different than any year we have experienced,” he said. “It was the first year back from the pandemic, and we had to adapt to the new life at school. Luckily, the faculty supported us the entire way, and on behalf of the class, I would like to thank you for that dedication.”

Cleveland also thanked his coaches for their inspiration, with a coach quoting Zig Ziglar to him: “You can’t have million-dollar dreams with a minimum-wage mindset.”

Hunter Cassidy, the valedictorian, said the year was not an easy one for students or faculty, but the dedication of the faculty help see it through.

“It has taken us 12 years to get to this chapter in our lives, and as this one concludes, I am thankful for all the good times we’ve had together, and to all the memories we have made,” he said. “The friendships we have made will stay with us for the rest of our lives.”

Sitting here today is proof, Hunter said, that they are capable of rising to any challenge.

“Time keeps moving forward no matter what we do,” he said. “Remember, when life gets hard, throws a few curveballs our way, keep your head up and look to the future, because before you know it, you will be there.”

TONY FARKAS | TCNS Trinity High School seniors celebrate their graduation on Saturday by tossing their hats in the air.