Elyse's Graduation from Pearl River High School

May 3, 2023

Elyse's graduation from Pearl River High School was scheduled for the evening of May 3 at the Southeastern Louisiana University Center Arena in Hammond, LA, about 50 miles from Pearl River. Brenda and Rod drove down to Pearl River on Tuesday, May 2. Jeff drove us and Judy Moyle over to Hammond for the event on Wednesday evening.

Inside the arena the faculty lined up and then the students entered in procession. Our family was seated near the top, where there was a place for Judy in her wheelchair. With us and Jeff were Jeff and Leslie, Jonathan and Corinne, Diane and Caleb. Darla as faculty was robed and on the floor.

The lines of graduates entered from opposite directions and then in pairs through the line of faculty.

The graduates were seated on the floor of the large arena, surrounded by the large crowd. I understood there to be 158 graduates. The group of honor graduates was seated on one side of the stage with the special guests on the other side.

With the main body of graduates seated on the main floor, the group of honor graduates were seated on the stage for the first part of the program. We were proud to see Elyse and her friend Lilly among the honor graduates.

Elyse and Lilly were on the second row left of the stage honor group. In retrospect we take special note of the big guy in front of them, because he played a starring role in the drama we saw the next day, in which Elyse and Lilly also performed.

Lilly and Elyse and their co-performer during the time of recognition of the various honors.

In this part of the program, the different special recognitions for accomplishments were read, and the students who had achieved them stood along with their parents in the audience. Lilly and Elyse and several others of the honor group stood for this one. Jeff was sitting beside me, and he got to stand several times with Elyse.

For specific awards, the students were called to the front from the honors group. Elyse here is awarded a medal.

We were proud to see the recognitions that Elyse received.

After all the special awards, the honor graduates returned to their places in the main seating area. Finally, the column of students began toward the stage for the awarding of diplomas.

They marched in alphabetical order, but from our distance we had to watch carefully to catch Elyse in line. She is third from left here. She walked across the stage and received her diploma and congratulations from her teachers.

Finally the last diploma was awarded and they were pronounced high school graduates. Time for the traditional tossing of the caps into the air!

With the Graduation completed, we watched as Elyse marched out in the recessional.

The special recognitions that Elyse won were: Top Ten Graduate Top 10% of Class Industry Based Certification Honor Graduate: 3.5 GPA or Higher Dual Enrolled Credit 120 Hours Community Service Endorsement Superintendent's Advisory Panel Gray Stole: Top Ten Silver Cord: Top 10% of Class Red Cord: 30+ on ACT Black Cord: Onyx Rewards

On the graduation program, there were special symbols placed by the graduate's name to indicate special honors that they had received. We were all proud to see the number of symbols by Elyse's name. When those special honors were announced, those who had won them and their parents were to stand. Elyse stood a lot, and Jeff, who was seated beside me, also stood a lot. I couldn't see Darla down in the Faculty seats on the floor, but I presume she stood also.

Our family made our way out of the coliseum and paused at the door to greet each other. We got the opportunity to have a picture with Elyse in her robe.

We had arrived at the Graduation at different times and just sat in a group for the ceremony. Afterward we hung around for a bit of family fellowship outside the arena. Moving clockwise from upper left in the composite above: 1. Jeff and Darla with Judy Moyle and Jonathan and Corinne Ringo. 2. Elyse hugs Grandmother Brenda Nave with Darla and Jeff Moyle in the background. 3. Proud parents Darla and Jeff with Elyse. 4. Elyse with Diane and Caleb Wells, Grammy Judy at right. 5. Elyse with Grammy Judy Moyle 6. Elyse with Leslie and Jeff Moyle.