BISBEE — Though Friday’s chilly weather moved the Bisbee High School graduation indoors and caused the guest list for graduates to be limited, nothing could stop the pride family and friends had for the Class of 2008.

As the students walked down the aisles of the school’s auditorium, the crowd erupted in cheers and the students walked by with smiles on their faces, celebrities for the evening.

Jodie Bristow was on the verge of tears as soon as principal Jim Gordon announced the ceremony would be starting shortly. Her daughter, Emily, was the fifth of six children to graduate, and she said it has always been an emotional occasion.

“I’m so proud,” she said. “I was a single mom, so they had a lot of rough times but they pushed through.

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“Emily’s the one who excelled.”

As the students walked up onto the stage, Emily was seated front row almost directly across from Bristow, and they exchanged smiles as the ceremony got under way.

The roar of the crowd would only stop briefly to hear what the speakers had to say and, as the students walked across the stage, long enough to hear each one of the 86 graduates’ names read.

Paulette Yates, one of the class’ two valedictorians, reminded the other graduates that, though they were preparing to venture out on their own, they would always have the support of their families.

“All of us are ready to close this chapter and start a new one. Many of us turned the age of consent, meaning we’re considered legally adults, while some of us are still waiting,” she said. “We still have much more to learn, to see and to give.

“Real world, here we come.”

Sarah Michalek, the salutatorian, promised the class that she wouldn’t share sappy stories. Instead, she chose to discuss lessons they had all learned during high school.

“Number one, flatter your boss,” she said, joking they all knew the way out of trouble was to talk about past school achievements.

But most important of all the rules was “always remember where you’re from, what you learned and who taught it to you,” she said.

The second valedictorian, Fiona Foster, encouraged her fellow graduates to dream big and not think that anything is impossible.

“The world is not permanently skewed,” she said. “All it takes is the voice of one that cares.”

And as Foster read the final words of her speech, the crowd couldn’t contain its excitement.

“Now we’re just moments away from a simple transition,” she said. “Where we’ll stand as seniors and sit down as graduates.”

After receiving their diplomas, the seniors celebrated with Silly String and streamers and then watched a slide show of their high school years.

Reporter Katie Evans can be reached at 515-4611 or by e-mail at katie.evans@svherald.com.

BISBEE CLASS OF 2008

The following people were listed as having graduated with the Bisbee High School Class of 2008.

A-L

Alan Acosta, Jose Aguero II, Jonathan Aguirre, Andrea Allen, Hope Allmon, Cecilia Alvarez, Mayra Alvarez, Manuel Avechuco, Uvana Ballesteros, Matthew Becking, Yahaira Beltran, Courtney Benavidez, Emily Bristow, Courtney Bustamante, Andres Campillo, Antonio Carbajal, Nicholas Cardella, Albert Cardenas, Andrea Castro, Carlos Castro, Pasqual Chavez, Evalynne Cox, Dalton Cyphers, Alonso Dagnino, Jesus Dagnino, Stephanie DeCastro, Bryan Earnest, Maria Encinas, Oscar Encinas, Adrianna Flores, Crystal Flores, Robert Flores, Fiona Foster, Juan Franco Jr., Carlos Garcia, Luis Guerrero, Dominic Gunsauley, Anthony Hanf Jeremy Heiss, Andrew Herbert, Belkis    Hernly, Ashley Johns, Mason Jones, Cassidy Kline, Craig Kost, Fabry Lane, Danny LaRue, Carlos Lopez

M-Z

Adrian Madrid, Hector Madrid, Nathan Manigault, Martin Mares, Zachary McCabe, Kayla McClean, Amelia McCoy, Mario McCoy, Eduardo Mendez, Vincent Mendez, Lionel Mercado, Matthew Metli, Sarah Michalek, Jenny Moots, Yurico Morales, Carlo Moreno, Christopher Munsey, Alejandro    Navarrete, Darrell Negron, Persylla Perez, Pamela Polanco, Aushriel Rascon, William Rivera, Ashley Rodriguez, Estrella Romero, Melissa Romero, Eliani Romo, Kristina Schaefer, Eric Soriano, Nabil Sosa, Alan Stewart, Myranda Symons, Heather Taylor, Sean Tomlinson, Michael Torrez, Nancy Ultreras, Maria Ileana Valdez, Angela Veloz, Charles Wise, Paulette Yates, Zac Young

Source: Bisbee High School