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Leyton graduates 25 in commencement ceremony

By Anthony Ruiz

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The town of Dalton tripled in size Saturday afternoon as hundreds of people filled the Leyton High School gymnasium to witness 25 of the school's seniors cross the stage and receive their diplomas during the Class of 2016 commencement ceremony.

Soon-to-be graduates filed into the gym wearing alternating gold and black gowns to the sound of "Pomp and Circumstance" and made their way to the stage before Leyton Superintendent Greg Brenner gave the welcome address.

Senior Jacob Ernest then led the audience in a prayer before turning the stage over to Class of 2016 Salutatorian Caitlyn Deal for her address.

In her speech, Deal shared with her fellow classmates the things she learned during her high school journey.

"I hope that each of you will remember these things as you continue your own life journey," she said.

Deal said she learned to never forget the people who helped her along the way, to love one another and build strong relationships, and to never compromise morals and values to reach her goals.

"Remember that the most difficult times often lead to the greatest moments in your life," she said.

Valedictorian Katelyn Higgins followed with her address, telling the audience that graduation came a lot quicker than she expected, but she feels "truly blessed" with the experiences she had.

"I'm also grateful to have these extraordinary people as my classmates," Higgins said.

Higgins struggled to hold back tears as she thanked her fellow seniors. She then talked about how one measures success, remarking how amazing it was that one unit of measurement can separate the mundane from the remarkable.

"Class of 2016, I urge each and every one of you to strive for that extra degree," Higgins said. "To drive yourself one second faster and push yourself a little bit farther than you thought possible."

Higgins said the margin between success and failure is minuscule, and oftentimes many will give up rather than achieve their goal. She said she wanted everyone to push for that extra second.

"It's your life," she said. "It's your future, so make it extraordinary."

The seniors then left the stage and presented white roses with gold glitter to friends and family who helped them on their path to graduation. A slideshow presentation followed, chronicling the lives of each senior from infancy to adulthood.

Counselor Mary Matsutani was next with the presentation of scholarships to the students. She said 20 of the soon-to-be graduates in the Class of 2016 earned nearly $200,000 in scholarships, with four of them receiving enough to fully cover tuition.

The seniors were then presented with diplomas before exiting the gym.

 

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