PHOTOS: See 19 photos from the 2014 Crestview High School Graduation Ceremony>>
This year’s valedictorian, Joe Printy summed up his feelings on graduating in one word “finally.”
“That is all I can say right now,” he said.
Realizing that he is about to leave the school for the last time occurred on Friday morning, during the ceremony's rehearsal, Printy said.
Fellow graduate Foster Lux − this year’s salutatorian – said she will miss her classmates.
“There are over 300 of us, but were really like one big family, Foster said. “It’s going to be really sad to not see them anymore.”
Foster’s mother, Niccole, hopes her only daughter will remember Friday night's ceremony for years to come.
I’m excited about everything she has accomplished, but I also excited to see what is next for her,” Niccole said. “I hope she takes a moment to soak it in and enjoy it.”
Joe’s mother, Sheila Printy said she will miss not having her only son around the house after he goes off to college.
“It’s exciting, they are going off to college and their lives are changing, but they are not going to be there (at home),” Sheila said. “There is going to be no more breakfast to fix for them and making sure they get to where they are going.”
This year's graduation is also bittersweet for Bob Jones, sent off the graduates for the last time as their principal.
“I could not have asked for a better group of students to be the last seniors of my career,” Jones said. “I have been blessed to know a lot of them since they were sixth-graders at Shoal River (Middle School).”
Jones previous served as the principal at Shoal River, prior to taking the same position at Crestview High School.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Students, parents and retiring principal celebrate CHS graduation (PHOTOS)