FCHS Class of 2012 Commencement Ceremony

The Fannin County High School class of 2012 graduated on Friday, May 25th. The class of 184 students completed it’s matriculation in front of friends, family, and the Fannin County community in the football stadium.Following the graduates’ processional, featuring “Pomp and Circumstance” played by the FCHS band, Kyle Michael Miller led the audience in the pledge of allegiance.

After the pledge, Austin Edward Vest led the inspirational opening; which was followed by the band performing the national anthem.

Laina Burgess, welcomed the gathered crowd as well as the distinguish guests in attendance.

Sally Ann Jones introduced Salutatorian, Kristina Bralee Stuart. Stuart told her classmates to “set your expectations high.” She also advised her class to “keep your relationship with God first.” Her final thought was,

“Above all, love your life. It’s the only one you’ve got.”

Burgess returned to the podium to introduce Valedictorian, Paul Ray Luke Adams. Adams’ speech was humorous and full of incite. He began by telling the crowd,

“Personally I can not stand to listen to speeches.”

He advised that if one wants to sleep through speeches it is often best to arrive late, in order to sit in the back. He also spoke to his classmates about how he did not want to give the stereotypical “just be you” speeches, but instead wanted to let them know how juvenile the need to be “cool” is.

“Don’t change yourself just to fit in.”

He told an antic dote about hearing a girl complaining about another girl wearing the same shirt; pointing out how companies must sell more than one shirt to make a profit. He also spoke of how being cool was more important to the underclassmen, seeing as how only the juniors and seniors ever celebrated at pep rallies.

He left the crowd with four main points: enjoy pep rallies; if one is going to fall asleep then one should come late; companies make more than one shirt; and “always be yourself.”

FCHS principal, Erick Cioffi, addressed the audience after Adams speech. In his address he let the crowd know some interesting statistics about the class of 2012 as well as FCHS overall.

The class of 2012 had 96% attendance, as well as having 75% participation in extracurricular activities. Cioffi also told the crowd that FCHS was one of only eight high schools in Georgia to receive the Platinum Award.

FCHS also placed in the top 8% of the High School Challenge by the Washington Post. The class of 2012 was awarded $543,849 in scholarship money, with $187,845 coming from local business. The total scholarship number will grow to $1,487,861 over a four year period.

The class of 184 had 103 students qualify for the Hope Scholarship, with 22 students having a GPA of 3.7 or higher. 81 students had a GPA of 3.0 or higher. There were 27 honor graduates.

Cioffi pointed out that the class members had many family members and friends that were proud of them in the audience, and that

“Now is the time to ask them for money.”

The graduates were then awarded their diplomas and the commencement exercise came to a close.