Cross Creek High School celebrated 270 graduates during its spring commencement ceremony late in the morning of May 29.
Bright futures and bittersweet goodbyes
Graduate Kalissa Dowdell was beaming with excitement following the ceremony, citing her enthusiasm toward attending Albany State University in the fall to major in forensic science.
“I’m looking forward to going to college,” she said. “I’m just excited to go on with my career and explore new things!”
For graduate Gregory Gordon, the farewell felt a bit more bittersweet.
“I’m going to miss my friends, some teachers and mostly my track team,” he said.
“You’ve been with these people all your life and you’ll mostly never see some of these people again so, it’s good but it’s also kind of sad,” Gordon added.
Gordon plans to attend Georgia Southern University where he will study marketing.
Salutatorian and valedictorian addresses
Salutatorian Jayla Wimberly humorously recounted the “countless all-nighters” and “caffeine-fueled mornings” that made up her high school experience.
“High school was a journey. Not a cute, road trip kind of journey. More like a Google Maps took us through a swamp and the car is making weird noises kind of journey,” she said, laughing. “But hey, we survived, and some of us even passed calculus!”
Her salutatory address soon took on a more serious tone.
“We don’t talk about it enough, but mental health matters. And to every student that pushed through, even when it felt impossible – this moment is yours,” she said. “You didn’t just pass classes, you overcame battles no one else could see.”
Wimberly plans to attend Georgia Southern University where she will pursue a dual degree in radiology and biomedical sciences.
Valedictorian Taylor Corley focused her speech on holding high school memories close and appreciating how T.W. Josey helped shape them for the future.
“As we sit here today, let us reflect on the fond memories we made together, the memories of our youth, the memories that remind us just how much we’ve grown,” she said. “Let us remember being part of that team or that club, remember hitting that home run or that touchdown or goal. Let us remember winning that competition. Look back at when you first met that friend that now you can’t imagine life without. Every second, every moment, every interaction has helped shape us into who we are, into the graduates and scholars that we see today.”
Corley plans to attend Georgia Southern University where she will major in psychology.
