‘This is our day’

By April Taylor, Record Editor
Published: June 12, 2008

At 8:55 a.m., Saturday’s sizzling heat was hitting an obnoxious point.
Family members and friends awaiting Commencement 2008 repeatedly mopped sweat from their faces and fanned themselves with the ceremony’s programs. 
But then they appeared—a regal sea of caps and gowns, girls in white, boys in green, making their way down the school’s hill.
And as the WMHS band played “Pomp and Circumstance,” the audience - if for just a moment—forget how darn hot it was as they stood and clapped enthusiastically for the deserving graduates.
William Monroe High School principal Michael Jamerson welcomed the crowd of well-wishers to the ceremony. Class historian Darlene Sandridge followed; then class president Shadiah Lahham and vice president Maria Oliveri came to the stage to share messages with their fellow classmates.
Speeches were mercifully short.
And it didn’t take long to discover that the Class of 2008 was in a light-hearted mood. Bubbles, confetti, noisemakers and beach toys appeared before the third speech of the day.  Even the audience roared into laughter as an inflatable man circulated among the caps and gowners.
Still, in the midst of the frivolity, speakers shared heartfelt messages and memories.
“Our experiences and memories will always be with us,” said Shadiah Lahham. “Jeff Cason doing the worm at pep rally, James Cowan strutting his stuff at the Miss Madison Beauty contest” She added, “Never forget the gas leak, or the fire in the new wing.”
Class vice president and salutatorian Maria Oliveri thanked her family, friends and nursing teacher, Mrs. Harlow, for their influence and support.
“I am proud and humbled to be a part of you,” she told her classmates. “I’m here today to ask you to take a part of yourself, and leave it with each person you meet.”
Valedictorian Amy Oliver began by reminding the Class of 2008 “this is our day!” She shared a poem by Robert Fulghum entitled “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”
Valedictorian Josh Hickman shared his spiritual beliefs with his classmates and encouraged them to “stand firm on what you believe…if there is ever any question, you can always ask God what is right and what is wrong.”
Hickman said. “You have to have faith in what you believe because you can’t always prove what you believe.”
Rachel Reynolds, spraying confetti on her way up to the microphone, sang the tune “Say,” accompanied on the piano by Bruce Johnson, Jr.
Mallory Lamb sang “I’m Not Gonna Cry.”
In his address to students, principal Mike Jamerson told the graduates “remember to stick to your goals and your dreams, and work hard to achieve them.”
In his message to the graduating class, retiring school superintendent Ray Dingledine, who is leaving the school system after 18 years as superintendent and 38 years in all with Greene schools, declared that he was “proud to be the oldest member of the Class of 2008.”
Beginning his address to the seniors, Dingledine, grinning, asked, “How many of you would like me to give the shortest graduation speech in history?”
At one point, Dingledine said, “This is my favorite class… after 38 years, I will finally graduate from Greene County Schools.”
He said jokingly: “I’m disappointed that no one has invited me to go to Beach Week. This is my graduation, too. I’m a fun guy.”
On a more serious note, he left the graduates with a word of advice: “don’t let anyone tell you that you could never be successful.”
Then it was time for the estimated 187 graduates to take their much-awaited walks across the stage.
WMHS senior Jeff Cason raised his arms in the air and exclaimed, “I got it!” while making his walk. Jermaine Davis got confetti sprayed by the front row before returning to his seat. Justin Lacey let out a “whoo hoo!” after receiving his graduation papers. And Victoria Proffitt, decked in colorful high top tennis shoes, said “I hope there are Dairy Queen coupons in here!”
In all, the most popular exclamation was made by Dingledine at approximately 10:55 am: “Class of 2008, you may turn your tassels.”