Change is a good thing — and so is failure.

That’s the message Boyle County senior Sarah Burns had for her Rebel classmates at Friday night’s 2018 commencement.

“Failure is worth the risk if you’re lucky enough to have the opportunity to follow your dreams,” she said.

She encouraged her classmates to stand up for their passions and realize that change is a good thing.

Burns was introduced by Mia Kendrick, who shared the variety of extracurriculars that Burns had been involved with in high school, including having attended the Governor’s Scholar program and the Governor’s School for the Arts.

Burns, Kendrick said, “is living proof that it must be possible to be in two places at once.”

The two embraced as Burns took the stage.

Following Burns, Trey Gilliland introduced Chance Naylor.

“Chance has contributed so much to the atmosphere of Boyle County High School,” Gilliland said, sharing more of Naylor’s activities. Naylor was also a Governor’s Scholar.

Naylor shared some of his class’ achievements, including winning the first football state title for the district in several years; multiple state championships for the girls’ track team; and the distinction of the class of 2018 having the highest ACT average in school history.

Naylor told his classmates it was up to them to decide their futures.

“The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the future as — actually, who cares? So what if people think they know what the rest of your life will look like? So what that others have plans about where they’re heading? So what if your future looks cloudy right now? So what?” Naylor asked.

He encouraged his classmates to blaze their own trails to the future.

“You don’t have to be what anyone else wants you to be. You have unlimited freedom to be what you want,” Naylor said. “So be something great.”

Earlier in the program, students recognized all teachers by having them stand. Graduate Danielle Roney said it was especially important to recognize teachers in light of “the year teachers around the state have had.”

“You are loved, you are appreciated, you are valued and we are very grateful. When we hug you tonight and tell you ‘Thank you,’ know that we mean it from the bottom of our hearts,” Roney said.

One teacher in particular, Paula Thomason, was recognized. Thomason is retiring this year. Graduate Rebecca Tarter said Thomason was the perfect mix of “class and sass,” and that she had been much more than a teacher to all of her students.

Students Hannah Sharp and Summer Allahham opened the ceremony; Sharp thanked God, while Allahham thanked everyone else.

There were 242 students who graduated Friday night:

Christina Michelle Alcorn, Bailey Kathryn Alexander, Jason Eric Alexander Jr., Malik Twain Allahham, Summer Jordan Allahham, Michael Tyler Anderson, Alyson Paige Asbury, Channing Danielle Baker, Lane Austin Ballard, Sarah Amanda Belcher, Brianna Paige Bell, Shaylee Nicole Belt, Derek Connor Bernard, Cheyenne Jean Berry, Joseph Braxton Berry, Casey Michelle Black, Cobey Gage Blackwell, Hana Christine Blank, Matthew Cole Bodner, Kaitlyn Madison Bottoms, Haley Nicole Bowles, Destiny Marie Boyd, Jarett Zachary Boyd, Hunter M. Bradley, Nicholas Chase Bradshaw, William Bentley Bramel, Hailey Renee Brogle, Brangina Reanne Brown, Sarah Katelyn Brown, James Ryan Bugg, Austin Edward Clay Burchfield, Riley Thomas Burke, Sarah Lynn Burns, Katelin M. Byrd, Johnny Byrd-Devine, Julie Ann Byrd-Orcutt, Brittany Renee Carrier, Chase Dalton Chadwell, Cameron Bailey Chambers, Logan Cole Cheatham, Kazandra D. F. Clark, Samuel Forrest Clark, Kaylee Denise Cloud, Shelby Lynn Cochran, Brooke Elizabeth Coffman, Ashley Nicole Conatser, Michaela Rose Confer, Payton Olivia Conley, Hayley Nicole Conner, Sidney Madison Coulter, Cameron Blake Courtwright, Ashton Brooke Cox, Emily Kyla Craft, Emily Sue Craig, Sarah Grace Cress, Adriana B. Crockett, Nathan Samuel Cunningham, Cameron Michael Davis, Ethan S. Davis, Zachary Dale Deaton, Cameron Alexander Derringer, James Samuel Dickison, Jared Blake Downey, Nicholas Ty Dragan, Dustin Thomas Dragoo, James Luke Duncan, Gracie Lynn Edmiston, Madison Taylor Elliott, Jared Andrew Phillips England, Garland Fisher Evans, Hunter Lee Everett, Hope Lorraine Farmer, Juan Carlos Flores, Amelia Grace Fogle, Micah S. Fowler, Zachary Robert Frazier, Christopher D. Frondal, Kelsey Nicole Gaddis, Landon Michael Gatton, Kaden Glenn Conley Gervacio,

Courtney Leigh Gibson, Lucas Dane Gibson, Will Christian Gibson, Joseph “Trey” Lynn Gilliland III, Katherine Imelda Gilpin, Kylee M. Godbey, Anna Christine Goggin, Natalia Ellen Gonzalez, Zackary James Gosser, Gabriel Andrew Graham, Madelyn Brooke Grubbs, Reana Blake Harmon, Hanna Lynn Harrison, Kevin Anderson Hatfield, Hunter I. Hayes, Natalie Faith Hayes, Clete Len Hellyer, Tristen Dean Helton, Kandace Nicole Hodge, Savannah Paige Hodge, Zachery Shane Hodge, Isaac Christopher Holderman, Ethan W. Houghton, Haley Autumn Hubbard, Logan Dawn Hughes, Lukas D. Irvin, Isaiah William Isaac, Kagen Tyler Jackson, Kimmee Cierra Johnson, Mandy Evelyn Keeton, Mia Kathryn Jin Kendrick, Brittney Nichole Kincaid, Isaiah Michael King, Jackson Allan King, Savannah Grace King, Anela Rose Kinkade, Bobbie Gale Kitchen, Scotty Lee Klingsmith, Emily Katherine Knetsche, Jacob Alexander Kramp, Loren Michelle Ladd, Juliana Taylor Lamb, McKenzie Anne Langford, Kacey Breann Lanham, Michael S. Larson, Kelly Nicole Lay, Elizabeth Loreia LeDonne, Myranda Cheyanne Lee, Faith H. Leigh, Tevin Todd Leigh, McKaylen Breze LeSaux, Courtney Daniele Lister, Erica Ann Lister, Logan Michael Lynch, Meredith Murphy Lyverse, Jessica Morgan Majors, Daniel Rafe Marshall, Hunter Mason, Haleigh Elizabeth Matherly, Eleanor L. McClellan, Ryan Daniel McClelland, Alex W. McMann, Jordan MacKenzie McMullin, Madeline Grace McWhorter, Shelby Kohle Meade, Sergio Mercado, Harrison W. Mesplay, Jackson Graham Mesplay, Clarence Shelton Miller, III, Makaylee Danialle Miller, Mark Patrick Missildine, Micaela Ann Missildine, Daniel Romines Montgomery, Larkin Elaine Montgomery, Rebecca LeAnna Mae Montgomery, Chelsea Taylor Moore, Donavan Chase Moore, Christian Blake Murphy, Jasmine Cassandra Musick, Chance Robinson Naylor, Celina Joy Ness, Annika Maria Nimtz, James Daniel Notter, Madison Michele Oiler, Iona Francis Orcutt, Hayden Michael Jedediah Padgett, Mitchell A. Paycheck, Darby Pendygraft, Kaitlynn L. Ragan, Alexander Michael Rahbany, Sarah Ann Randall, William O’Neil Ray, Taya Louise Reed, James Owen Reid, Taylor A. Reynolds, Makayla Ann Richter, Briley Madison Robbins, Camille Alyssa Rodelli, Danielle E. Roney, Lucas Shayne Ross, Nikola Hayes Ruby, Lakayla Amber Russell, Dakoda C. Sallee, John A. Sanders, Cheyanna Nicole Satterly, Thomas C. Satterly, Jacob Joseph Schorr, Kaylee Renee Scott, Geena Marie Sears, Clayton J. Senn, Alex Taylor Sergent, Samantha Scott Sexton, Alexis Nicole Shannon, Hunter B. Shannon, Hannah Elizabeth Sharp, Justin H. Sheegog, Haley Breanna Sheperson, Hayden D. Shepherd, Peter O’Shea Shipley, James Hunter Simmons, Delaney Grace Simpson, Alan Scott Miller Sinkhorn, Trinity Alexis Sinkhorn, Bryce I. Slone, Nathaniel Kirby Smith, Stephen Tyler Smith, Jacob Smolinsky, Alexis Nicole Sosh, Cailey Juliana Sotelo, Abbygail Peaches Sparks, Chase Alexander Spinks, Madison Katherine Staed, Marcus Earl Staton, Tyler Mason Stayton, Amber Nicole Sultzbach, Kevin A. Moreno Tapia, Rebecca Faith Tarter, Kyle Gregory Taylor, Trevor Austin Taylor, Benjamin Kelly Thompson, Samuel Todd Tiller, Jacob Riley Turner, Israel Valencia, Madeline Sue Von Linger, Cameron Neal Waford, Nicholas Maurice Walker, Lindsey Morgan Walls, Jackson Prewitt Ward, Bradley Matthew Watson, Desiree Storm Webb, Rebecca Rae Weldon, Makali Jo West-Daugherty, Ethan Matthew White, Channing Elizabeth Whitehouse, Hagan S. Wilburn, Makenna Breann Wilson, Derrick Slater Witmer, Gary Braydyn Quinn Wood, JoHannah Mayleigh Worthington, John Thomas Yeager and Zane Thomas Wyatt Young.

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See more photos from Friday night’s graduation.