Hands clapped, air horns sounded, and tears flood as the graduating class of 2010 at GSU Laboratory High School marched into their places to begin the end of a long road. Families and friends gathered in the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center to give their support.”From kittens to full grown Tigers,” Porsha Kennedy, salutatorian, addressed her class with an eye opening speech that indeed announced she and her classmates made it to the end. Many view graduation as just a day you are rewarded with a piece of paper that indicates you’re done. Undeniable too some extent you are, but not with the whole book, just an important chapter, Kennedy said.
Guest speaker Harrison O. Tribble agreed with as her.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step,” Tribble said.
Tribble spoke knowledge and words of encouragement to the future doctors, teachers and leaders.
“The speech by Tribble really caught my eye and the scholarships awarded highlighted the night,” said Addie-Ruth Wyatt, a Grambling resident.
Following Tribble’s speech was a special recognition to the 1960 graduating class lead by GHS’s librarian and graduate Marvis Anderson. With the class motto “every man is the architect of his life” the 1960 class embraced the concept and wanted to share with the graduating class of 2010.
“This graduation was something to look back on from 1975,” said Ricky bridges, an GHS alumni. Without a doubt the class will always have something to look back on, even as the years of living in the real world go by, high school is a period no one forgets.
“For me personally knowing I graduated from Grambling High seven years ago was a good feeling to see the students do the same,” said alumni T.J. Giles.
A special tribute was presented by student Erin Graham and the class of 2010 for Jalissa Cooper, a class member, who was unable to walk across the stage physically but spiritually. The class spoke highly of Cooper as her aunt revealed salutatorian Porsha Kennedy as the first winner of the Jalissa Cooper scholarship award.
“Seeing all of my classmates walk was the best part,” said graduate Antoine Stringfellow.
Walking right into the next step was exactly what the class did as they proudly switched their tassels, officially making them truly the 2010 class of GSU Laboratory High School.