One Lighthouse Preparatory Academy graduate among the 15 presented with their high school diplomas Sunday reflected on how the Jefferson City school has been a part of his life since before he was even enrolled in it.
"Out of all the graduates this year, I have the honor to say that I've been here longer than any of them," Matthew Hart said.
Hart said he is the last child to graduate from one of Lighthouse's founding families. The school enrolls students in grades 6 through 12, opened its doors to students in August 2007 and graduated its first class in May 2011.
"I've had the blessing to be at Lighthouse for every day of school for the last 11 years," Hart said. He was just a second-grader when his family was involved in starting Lighthouse.
He reminisced about his memories of Lighthouse during the "class memories" part of the graduation ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda.
"I remember going to school with my mom every day - she was an administrator - and I was in the office, under her desk, doing my homework. I remember sitting through Algebra II for four years before I actually took the class," he said. "I remember watching my sisters and all the other original students graduate. We were sad to see them go, but happy to see them move on to a better thing in life."
"It's easy to get close to these people," he said before the ceremony, looking down at the Rotunda floor from one of the balconies above it. He said he's enjoyed that with being in a small class he was able to watch his peers grow, and grow with them.
He added that of the 15 graduates, there are six, including him, who've been together since entering Lighthouse in the sixth grade.
As close-knit as a small class may be, though, "I do believe it's time for another adventure," as the words of an unknown speaker put it in the class's chosen quote.
Here are the post-graduation plans of Lighthouse's class of 2018, according to the ceremony's program:
Mackenzie Andrews plans to attend Ozark Technical College to pursue a career in social work.
Ariona Batiste plans to attend Fontbonne University in St. Louis to pursue a degree in dietetics.
Grant Broeker plans to attend Missouri Welding Institute in Nevada to pursue a career as a master pipe welder and fitter in a power plant or a pipeline crew.
Savannah Burgess plans to attend Moberly Area Community College and then the University of Missouri-Columbia to pursue a career as an agricultural professor.
Anna Deutsch plans to attend Truman State University to study German and creative writing. Deutsch hopes to become an interpreter and published author.
Matthew Hart plans to attend "Kanakuck's Link Year" and then College of the Ozarks to pursue a career in mechanical engineering.
Simon Herndon plans to attend Lindenwood University to pursue a career in video game design.
Darrin Holliday plans to attend Truman State to study business administration and computer science.
Tayla Hughes plans to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology to pursue a career in engineering management, but she also plans to "continue her love of dance and music in college."
Hannah Hyde plans to attend State Technical College to pursue a career in radiology.
Elle Koelling plans to attend Bethel University in McKenzie, Tennessee, on a full scholarship "to sing in the elite Renaissance choir program and will be pursuing global missions."
Alec Land plans to attend College of the Ozarks to study political science, communications and military science. "He hopes to join the ROTC and pursue a military career in the special forces, and one-day serve as an Army chaplain."
Nathaniel Marsh plans to join the United States Marine Corps Reserve. After training, he plans to attend State Technical College to study electrical distribution systems.
Arika Striegel plans to attend the University of Central Missouri to study criminal justice and social work before pursuing a career in law enforcement.
Carter Thomson plans to attend Southwest Baptist University to student Christian ministry.
Rep. Jay Barnes, R-Jefferson City, gave the charge to the Lighthouse class of 2018 to live with grit and moral fortitude in their post-graduation lives.
Barnes defined grit as "the quality of never giving up," and moral fortitude as "the willingness and the ability to do what is morally right, no matter if it's unpopular, no matter if it's difficult, no matter if it's embarrassing."
"My challenge to you is that you not only keep those qualities, but you grow them and make them stronger," he said to the Lighthouse family gathered in the rotunda.
He cited Angela Duckworth's "Grit Scale" - a self-reported character measurement test anyone can take - but added that positive character traits are not things anyone is born with or without.
"It is up to you whether you are going to be successful or not - not your parents, not your teachers, only you," he said.
"Be honest, be earnest in everything you do," he added.