West Caldwell High School celebrates graduates in 2024 commencement ceremony

Shelby Powell, News-Topic, Lenoir, N.C.
·3 min read

May 24—CALDWELL COUNTY — The gym at West Caldwell High School was filled with blue and gold on Thursday, May 23, as students and faculty, family and friends gathered to celebrate the class of 2024's graduates. The students filed into the room to a hail of cheers and applause just in time for the 6 p.m. ceremony

The ceremony began with the usual trimmings: "Pomp and Circumstance," the pledge of allegiance and national anthem, the introduction of school board members. Faculty proceeded to issue special awards to the students.

Dr. Richard Griffin, WCHS principal, presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to teacher Evette Hagan for exemplary service to students, faculty and the broader community. Hagan is West Caldwell's second recipient of the award.

Dr. Jason Attig presented the Spirit of the Warrior Award to Lyndsey Brookshire and Rakeem Smith. Recipients of the award are selected based on "personal character, service to the school and community, academics, and involvement in extracurricular activities," said Attig.

If there was a common theme for Caldwell County Schools' graduations in 2024 it was the endurance and persistence of students through adversity. This theme was on display at West Caldwell as well. The students faced great difficulty through the pandemic, through testing, through academics and through personal hardships, but also the loss of a friend.

Isaiah Ferree, then a sophomore at West Caldwell, passed away from suicide on March 11, 2022. His loss greatly impacted his classmates, and the graduation ceremony set aside a special tribute to his loss that he may be present with the rest of the grade.

"The West Caldwell community is one warrior," said English teacher Kristen Bowman. "One warrior stands for community and personal fairness ... this graduation is not complete without Isaiah." Bowman presented a senior yearbook to Ferree's family in his honor.

And yet, they persisted. Of the 159 graduates 25 graduated Cum Laude, 13 graduated Magna Cum Laude and 11 graduated Summa Cum Laude. 25 students were North Carolina Scholars and 2 earned the President's Award for Educational Excellence. Through their classes the seniors earned 665 credit hours, which could save up to $55,540 in college courses at $76 per hour.

Choral Director Bethany Wolfe introduced class President Amauris Peña, who gave his president's address.

"Do I look nervous?" Peña said. "I am nervous."

"We have all overcome many challenges, many of which are personal obstacles for use, and others that we have dealt with together. In freshman year it was COVID, involving masks, restrictions and the division of classes .... In sophomore year it was the mourning of a classmate and friend. May Isaiah rest in peace."

To the school faculty, staff, and volunteers, Peña said: "Thank you for putting up with us all these four years as we struggled to pull our lives together for this very moment"

To family: "Thank you for creating lifelong memories we will never forget."

And to his classmates: "Thank you for allowing me to be a friend ... thank you for all the smiles, for all the tears shed, for all the laughter. But most of all thank you for all the joyous memories we shared. You have made these the four best years of my life."

After collecting their diplomas and a little advice from Griffin, the graduates were declared. They moved their tassels and threw their caps into the air (video here), closing with a final alma mater.