Putnam County High School (PCHS) celebrated its largest-ever senior class when 202 graduates were named in a ceremony May 26, at Al Reaves Field in Eatonton.
PCHS Principal Dr. Andrew Cooper expressed immense pride when discussing the accomplishments of the graduates. He singled out Morgan Collins for receiving a full ride to Georgia College in Milledgeville for chemistry and referred to Eren Banks graduating to play Division 1 basketball at Georgia Southern University, plus Jalon Kilgore as a Division 1 football player at South Carolina.
Several other students also earned academic or athletic monetary aid for college.
Valedictorian Emily Pressley described admiration for her classmates and provided words of wisdom to take with them to the future.
“As children, our hopes and dreams changed. Maybe one day you wanted to be an astronaut or a future president, maybe you still do. But your past self built you up to be who you are now, someone who is about to step into a new era," Pressley said. "We’re all standing on the precipice of adulthood. Your future self is going to think about this moment, you’re going to think about where you came from, and how much you’ve grown … who you are today may not be the same person you are 20 years from now, and that’s a good thing.
"Experiences are going to change you, the people around you are going to influence you. My advice to each of you is to find people who will change you for the better.'
Pressley’s speech also displayed vulnerability as she discussed an impactful experience most people will eventually face.
"I would like to take this time to thank those who were my support system," Pressley said. "When my mother died during the 10th-grade year, it was an extremely difficult time. But I would not be in the position I am today without those who helped me during that time. My family, my friends, teachers, faculty. People who were kind to me when I needed kindness."
It was a message that all graduates could relate to and carry with them going forward in college, career, and life itself.