LAUREL HILL — Laurel Hill School graduates have big plans for their futures.
Jonathan Welsh plans to never work (or at least feel like he's working) another day in his life; he wants to turn his hobby into a career by becoming a game warden, someone who fishes and hunts for a living.
Later this month, Austin Stokes heads to the Army's infantry, fighting on the ground with other soldiers.
Bridget Zessin, who has attended Laurel Hill since pre-kindergarten, is headed to Jefferson Davis College in Brewton, Ala., for volleyball. Her plan is to major in education and come back to teach at Laurel Hill.
Samantha Henderson and Annie King, who will attend Northwest Florida State College in the fall, said they are excited to graduate and start their next chapter.
Family and friends squeezed into the gym to see loved ones graduate.
Class president Ashley Hatfield and vice president Bridget Zessin welcomed everyone to the ceremony and took a second to thank teachers for what they have done for them over the last couple of years.
Summer Lewis asked fellow graduates to “never forget where you came from.”
The graduates had final words for their classmates and friends before they parted ways.
“Don’t give up and always pursue your goals in life,” said Chris Saylom who will attend Northwest Florida.
The class president had one more thing to tell her classmates.
“Don’t take any day for granted,” Zessin said. “Each day is memorable, whether it’s your bad day and you came to school late, or whether you showed up on time and everything was perfect.”
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill graduates share their plans for the future