“We are Harlem.”
These were the words spoken during the Harlem High School graduation Thursday morning by Simone Davis, senior class president.
Davis reminisced about all the hard work, dedication and determination that the seniors put in to making it to graduation and how the graduation was the end of one chapter and beginning of the next.
“Let us embrace the endless possibilities before us, while also taking a moment to celebrate our accomplishments,” Davis said. “Whether our paths lead us to further education, the workforce or chasing our own wildest dreams, let us approach each opportunity with perseverance. Perseverance isn’t just about pushing through the tough times; it is also about being kind to ourselves and allowing room for growth and learning along the way. It is about acknowledging that setbacks are a natural part of our journey and using them as steppingstones toward success. So, be patient with yourself and celebrate your victories no matter how small and when you face challenges, remember that each obstacle is an opportunity to grow stronger.”
Gideon Horak, salutatorian, spoke about how he was shy when he first started at Harlem High School, but took steps to change that. In doing so, he overcame his anxiety and fears and became the person he is today.
“Our graduation isn’t just about the individual diplomas we will hold,” Horak. “It’s the result of years spent learning alongside our friends, being guided by teachers, supported by our family and ultimately building and growing bonds with each other. I would like to celebrate not just our own achievements, but the collective effort that brought us all to this moment. Today we gather here to celebrate a few small steps to cross the stage, one giant leap in our lives.”
Columbia County School District Dr. Superintendent Dr. Steven Flynt spoke about the accomplishments of the graduating class, including that out of the 300 graduating students, 143 are eligible for the HOPE Scholarship and 89 are honor graduates. There were 30 student athletes graduating and 10 had signed scholarships to play in college.
“Included in this class is more than $800,000 in earned scholarships, $200,000 of that was earned by our student athletes,” Flynt said.
One student will be attending the United State Military Academy at West Point, Flynt said. Several students participated in district and state honor bands, the wind ensemble and concert bands earned superior and excellent rating. The drama department had students receive best actress, best supporting actor and two all-star cast awards in the region one act play.
“In athletics, Harlem High School student athletes have celebrated a monumental win this year in the second consecutive (Georgia High School Association) GHSA class 3A state baseball championship…the accolades don’t end there though,” Flynt said. “The Harlem High School softball team played a successful season that ended with a fourth-place state finish and the game day cheer team made an appearance at the state competition. In football, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, volleyball, wrestling, track and golf each advanced to compete in the playoffs.”
For student Sheridan Carrier, who plans on attending Augusta University to major in kinesiology, said it didn’t feel real to be graduating, but does feel great. As for her time at Harlem High School, she loved it.
“It felt like a family,” Carrier said. “It just felt great, it was awesome.”
Najee Wilson, who plans to attend Morehouse College and major in sociology and minor in public health, said it felt amazing to be graduating.
“It feels great, it feels like time has finally come,” Wilson said.
For Emma Jacobs, graduating felt “like a dream come true.” After high school she plans to attend AU in the pre-nursing program so she can become a nurse practitioner. As for her time at Harlem High School, she said it “was amazing.”
“The students, the teachers, the faculty, administration, everything is just amazing. It truly is home,” Jacobs said.
Stephanie Hill is the managing editor and covers Columbia County government for The Augusta Press. Reach her at stephanie@theaugustapress.com.
