Quitman grads walk across the stage

By Larry Tucker
editor@wood.cm
Posted 6/1/22

A capacity crowd gathered Friday night at Delbert Ballard Memorial Gym to honor 79 Quitman High School graduates. 

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Quitman grads walk across the stage

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A capacity crowd gathered Friday night at Delbert Ballard Memorial Gym to honor 79 Quitman High School graduates. 

The entire program moved smoothly through the hour-long commencement exercises which got off to a solid start with an inspired national anthem sung by Vannessa Boren. She was followed by Senior Class officers Vice President Sara Cross and President Brooklyn Marcee leading the pledges. Other class officers were Christian Adamson, secretary; Ava Burroughs, treasurer; and Rebecca Wood, historian.

Burroughs gave the opening invocation followed by speeches from salutatorian Jazmin Rojas and valedictorian Diego Osornio-Rios.

Rojas gave her speech in English and Spanish for the large gathering of parents, families and friends. “I hope everyone will accomplish their goals. We are all different, but if we were all the same it would be boring,” Rojas noted. 

Valedictorian Osornio-Rios offered thanks. “On behalf of the Class of 2022, I would like to thank the faculty, board members, family, friends and alumni for this year’s graduation,” Osornio-Rios said. “Make your life meaningful and live with a purpose. Make your life a good one.” 

In a special presentation Superintendent Rhonda Turner made longtime school board member Jane Herring an honorary Quitman High graduate. “After serving 20 years on the Quitman ISD board of trustees, she will now be an official Quitman alumni,” Turner said. “I am proud to present a Quitman High School diploma, with all the rights and privileges of a Quitman alumni, to Mrs. Jane Herring.” Herring is a graduate of Avery High School where ironically the school mascot is a Bulldog.

Christian Adamson, Rebecca Wood and Brooklyn Marcee took the graduates on a stroll down memory lane with stories from kindergarten through their senior year delighting the crowd. 

Graduates who were in the top 10% of the 2022 class were Christian Adamson, Sara Cross, Delaney Flanagan, Mitchell Fry, Reiny Luman, Diego Osornio-Rios, Jazmin Rojas and Matthew Smith.

Ethan Reynolds and Dalton Waters were asked to stand and given a standing ovation from their classmates and the crowd in the gym. They will be serving the country in the Air Force.

The seniors stood and were joined by the crowd as they sang the alma mater. Christian Adamson gave the benediction and Brooklyn Marcee tearfully dismissed the Class of 2022.

The QHS Class of 2022 received over $1 million in scholarship money this year.