27 Graduate from Piedmont Academy
Last Saturday, May 24, 27 members of Piedmont Academy’s Class of 2014 celebrated their graduation ceremony. Headmaster Tony Tanner, the Board of Trustees, faculty, junior class ushers, and senior class mascots led the processional to Handel’s “Largo.”
“Pomp and Circumstance” by Elgar was the opening theme as the 27 graduates entered the gymnasium.
Austin Hunter Bass, Katherine Elizabeth Odegaard, and Ashley Marie Young were the three special distinction graduates wearing a white cord to represent a 95 or above cumulative average in the core area high school classes.
Seventeen honor graduates, wearing a gold cord, represented students who achieved a cumulative average of 85 to 94 in their core area high school classes. Those included Britton Glen Bailey, Addie Kathleen Barnes, Jordon Victoria Blackmon, McKenzie Ray Brittain, Lynne Marie Edwards, Joseph Gabriel Hestad, Jordan Leigh Hicks, Anna Haley Jones, Emily Anne Kelly, Beth Anne Mahaffey, Carla Michelle Martin, Savannah Jean McGinnis, Morgan Shayne Rodgers, Jared Edwin Smith, Zachary Kenneth Whitwell, Ansley Marie Wood, and Jacob Henry Younker.
The remaining eight graduates included Evan Philip Harvey, James Robert Marks, Branson Ronald Parish, Christopher Malik Reid, Mills Harper Smith, Malcom Richard Tyler, and Barrett Chandler Whitaker.
Parents, family members and friends listened to the invocation given by Bailey. This year’s class salutatorian, Bass, delivered his speech and reflected on the past from the first days of school until graduation. Bass shared the experiences of school and friendships that shaped the lives of the Class of 2014.
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He quoted Ann Landers, “Nobody gets to live life backward. Look ahead for that is where your future lies.” Bass closed his speech by saying, “As you leave here today, do not worry or grieve about what you are leaving behind. Do not waste precious time wishing that you could do things differently. Face the future and keep what you have learned close to your heart. The future offers a blank page. Embrace the past and write your own future.”
McGinnis performed a solo, “Landslide” by Stevie Nicks, followed by Odegaard’s valedictory speech in which she discussed the future of the Class of 2014. She quoted Walt Disney, “Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious…and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
Odegaard went on to encourage the graduates to make smart choices as they walk their future paths and to urge them “not to take the ‘easy way’ as they begin this new chapter in their lives.” She also quoted J.R.R. Tolkien in The Hobbit, “The greatest adventure is what lies ahead. Today and tomorrow are yet to be said. The chances, the changes are all yours to make. The mold of your life is in your hands to break.”
Mr. Tanner reflected on the many accomplishments presented during the senior honor’s ceremony on May 22. Odegaard recognized the faculty and staff of Piedmont Academy and thanked them for their dedication and endless hours given to the school for students to succeed and to encompass the mission of Piedmont Academy by helping to develop their minds, bodies, and spirits.
She quoted Douglas Adams, “To give real service, you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.”
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mitch McEwen, and Headmaster Tony Tanner, presented the 27 graduates with their diplomas in accordance with the requirements of the State of Georgia and the by-laws of Piedmont Academy. As the graduates names were called, parents and family members were asked to stand.
Future college, career, and life plans were announced for each graduate: Bailey – North Georgia College & State University, mechanical engineering; Barnes – Gordon State College, nursing; Bass – Mercer University, pre-medicine; Blackmon – Auburn University, veterinary science; Brittain – Georgia College & State University, sports medicine; Edwards – University of North Georgia, nursing; Harvey – Georgia Military College, undecided; Hestad – Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College, civil engineering; Hicks – United States Air Force, active duty; Jones – Georgia College & State University, undecided; Kelly – West Georgia College & State University, business; Mahaffey – Georgia College & State University, elementary education; Marks – Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College, golf course maintenance; Martin – Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College, physical therapy; McGinnis – University of Georgia, international relations; Odegaard – Gordon State College, biochemistry; Parish – Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College, golf course management; Reid – Georgia Military College, business; Rodgers – Georgia Perimeter College, radiology; J. Smith – Georgia College & State University, economics; M. Smith – Georgia Military College, physical therapy; Tyler – Flagler College, environmental science; Whitaker – Georgia Military College, undecided; Whitwell – Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College, animal science; Wood – Georgia Military College, biology;Young – Gordon State College, graphic arts and animation; and Younker – Kennesaw State College, biology.
McGinnis thanked the parents for the life lessons they had taught, their support, love and for letting them fall when they needed to fall but attending their children with diligence when they needed guidance. Hicks introduced the video presentation of the Class of 2014, and Bass acknowledged the many people who had contributed to the success of this ceremony.
He included members of the junior class who served as ushers: Cheyenne Galloway, P.J. Leonetti, and Marissa Mooneyham; senior mascots, Natalie Sanders and Mark Myles; pianist Nancy Gunn; decorations by the Alex Stanton family; room mothers Rebecca Bailey and Melissa Harvey; Ralph Hickman, who the senior class chose to dedicate the 2013/2014 Retrospect yearbook; all faculty and staff but especially Tanner, Sauls, Allen, Brady, Cook, Goodman, Nelson, Tyler and Wood.
Odegaard led the class in its tassel-turning ceremony. Young led the Alma Mater, and Edwards closed the ceremony with the benediction. The graduation recessional was led by “Triumphal March” from Aida by Verdi. The school’s Board of Trustees and faculty lined the aisle and applauded the graduates who then took part in the annual cap toss to conclude the graduation ceremony.
