Aiken County high school commencements got underway at the USC Aiken Convocation Center on Thursday.
Silver Bluff, Midland Valley and North Augusta high school students received their diplomas, drawing cheers and tears from their families.
Aiken High School's ceremony is scheduled for today at 9 a.m., followed by Ridge Spring-Monetta High at noon, South Aiken High at 3 p.m. and Wagener-Salley High School at 6 p.m.
Silver Bluff High School
A total of 132 Silver Bluff seniors happily tossed their caps after receiving their diplomas at the USC Aiken Convocation Center on Thursday.
Addressing their classmate were valedictorian John Eaves and salutatorian Jared Stephens. Senior class President Kippen Wallace led the Pledge of Allegiance.
The Silver Bluff faculty members have a tradition during commencement - lining up after the ceremony to congratulate the seniors. For honor graduate Shyanne Atkinson, that opportunity was meaningful as she tearfully hugged some of her teachers with gratitude.
"I was poor and didn't have anything," she said. "People had doubts about me, but I made it. Now I want to go to college and become a special-education teacher."
Carneal Hall, headed to Chowan University to play football, also appreciated that his favorite teachers were in the line to congratulate him.
For English teacher Patti Powell, the line of teachers was especially poignant - getting a chance to hug her own twin graduates, Eleanor and Jeffrey. Both took English from their mom as juniors "and it worked out pretty well," Eleanor said.
Did they compete much during school? Oh, a little, Eleanor said.
"There was always a competition," Jeffrey said and smiled.
Midland Valley
Midland Valley High School continues to grow, as 242 seniors hugged each other after receiving their diplomas on Thursday
Movingly, the students had their arms around each other throughout their performance of the alma mater.
"We've always done this at pep rallies," said Tracy Gartrel, "so it's been natural for us. It was the best feeling ever."
In her salutatory address, Britney Allen said the seniors have acquired knowledge that they will continue to use. Yet, it's also "the friendships we've made and the struggles we've faced that have made this experience unforgettable," Allen said.
Graduate Baleigh Padgett plans to major in biology, but music will have a role in her life. For her classmates, she performed Carrie Underwood's "Don't Forget to Remember Me."
Valedictorian David Welsh drew laughter from his classmates - suggesting that the graduates are now 100 percent respectful and mature. They will always get home by curfew and never, ever do anything immature again.
But "Always seize the day," Welsh said, "and always be the best version of yourself. Through it all, remember where you came from and that people here care about you."
Marshal Wise, a 21-year-old special needs student, drew applause from his appreciative classmates when he received his graduation certificate with the help of his aide, Olivia Curry.
Lauren Johnson joined Wise for a photograph just as three other seniors came up, too. Johnson shed tears in saying good-bye to her friend.
"I've known Marshall for three years," she said. "I've learned so much from him. He's one of the sweetest kids you'll ever see."
North Augusta
Family and friends filled the Convocation Center to near capacity to celebrate North Augusta High's 304 graduating seniors.
Valedictorian Jackson Poole is headed to Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee, as a physics and pre-engineering major and plans to minor in some field of music.
Poole said he will miss the people he has met and the friends he has made while at North Augusta High.
"I'll miss the friends who left impressions in my heart and the teachers who left impressions on my mind," he said.
Co-salutatorian Christian Bull will study biology and minor in music at Clemson University. He, too, will miss his friends and teachers from North Augusta.
"They've all been really supportive," he said
Co-salutatorian Erin Spivey said she will miss the familiarity she's come to know at North Augusta as she prepares to enroll in the Honors College at USC Columbia to study chemical engineering.
"Today feels totally surreal," Spivey said. "I hope I'm prepared for what's coming up."
Brianna Moment, who wants to be a sportscaster, is moving to North Carolina to attend Central Piedmont Technical College and then plans to transfer to a four-year school to study journalism.
She summed up the end of high school and beginning of her new lift.
"It's official," she said.