BISHOP HALLCHARTER SCHOOL GRADUATION WINTER 2013
THOMASVILLE CENTER FOR THE ARTS
6:30 PM DECEMBER 19TH, 2013
SUPERINTENDENT: DR. DUSTY KORNEGAY
HEADMASTER: MR. RICHARD JOHNSON
SEVEN students received their high school diplomas Thursday night, December 19th, as Bishop Hall Charter School conducted commencement exercises for the Winter Graduating Class of 2013. The graduation was held before an emotional crowd at the Thomasville Center for the Arts. The evening’s ceremony was dedicated to Mr. Jim Sickler, a founding member of the Bishop Hall faculty (15 years), who is currently waging a serious medical battle. The audience was asked to send their love and prayers his way to support his courageous effort. This graduation ceremony was hosted by Thomas County’s superintendent of schools, Dr. Dusty Kornegay.
A moving invocation was delivered by Bishop Hall graduating senior, Kenny Linton. Kenny quoted Greek philosopher, Heraclitus. “ The only constant is change.” He cautioned his graduating peers “…This ceremony marks the change from an academic student to a student of life..”Michael Smith, also a graduating senior and soon to join the U.S. Army, led the pledge to the flag.
Several students were singled out for recognition. Alexis Kilgore received the $100 Headmaster’s BH award. Kenny Linton received the $100 student laureate award. Derrika Reynolds received the $100 Luke:15 award. Kenny Linton, Alexis Kilgore, Derrika Reynolds and Michael Smith all received honor cords for maintaining at least a 3.0 grade point average for their high school career. All seven grads received awards for participating in Bishop Hall’s S.T.E.P. (Students Taking Education Positively) program. These students have spent the school year helping Head Start pre-schoolers develop pre-reading and reading skills and have worked as classroom assistants to Scott Elementary, Garrison Pilcher and Harper teachers under the direction of Ms. Verna Wiggins, Bishop Hall guidance counselor/graduation coach, Marcus Parsley, Debra Bryant and Mr. Jeremy Rich, all teachers at Bishop Hall.
All seven students received honor cords from Southwest Georgia Technical College, signifying completion of dual-enrollment coursework completed on the SWGTC campus.
Four students also wore honor cords signifying their attaining a grade point average of at least a 3.0 (B) throughout the course of their high school career.
The senior farewells were delivered by Fredreka Peterson and Alexis Kilgore. Ms. Peterson thanked the Bishop Hall staff and Dr. Kornegay for providing the non-traditional opportunity to complete her journey to graduation. She exhorted her fellow grads to “..believe in yourself and keep the faith…We finally made it!!!Yeaaa!!!”
The Bishop Hall keynote speaker for this semester’s ceremony, graduating senior Alexis Kilgore, paid tribute to each of the teachers on stage and offered Mr. Johnson his own “personal” BH award. She talked about the experiential field trips, senior projects, and community service projects in which they had all participated. Her closing line quoted Dr. Seuss: “…you have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where you go.”Ms. Kilgore then led her fellow graduates in reciting the Bishop Hall creed, “The choices we make, dictate the lives we lead!” The graduates then tossed their hats in the air and proceeded out of the hall to join family and friends in the reception room. Graduate Kenny Linton was the only senior that managed to sail his mortarboard into the balcony, thereby garnering the twenty-five dollar reward for accomplishing that difficult feat.