The Jefferson City High School graduating class of 2018 added 592 members to the Jay alumni body Sunday, adorned in robes of red that symbolizes Jay Pride.
A somewhat steady wind offered some relief in the stands and on the field of Adkins Stadium from the day's heat, but the breeze also could be viewed as symbolic of the winds of change coming to graduates' lives as they embark on their greatest journeys - their lives.
"All we can do is look forward to the excitement of life after high school," the class's student council president Katelyn Sluder told her classmates.
Change takes many forms.
Some JCHS class of 2018 graduates will leave the familiarities of Jefferson City to travel to places as far as California, Texas, the Carolinas, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Italy and Thailand for the next phases of their lives - and that's not including the 39 members of the class who joined the military and soon enough may find themselves deployed overseas.
"To me, turning the tassel represents change," class president Cole Biesemeyer said as he prepared to lead his peers in making the symbolic gesture of formality.
"We're here. We're queer. Get used to it," Biesemeyer proudly added on behalf of LGBT folks.
"Become the change we want to see in the world," he said earlier as he welcomed his peers at the start of the ceremony.
He added at tassel-turning time that it no longer matters what students were in high school, because "we have the power to go somewhere, do something big with ourselves.
"We'll have to change the way we view the task in order to overcome it."
Change will also come in just a matter of a few days to JCHS as a building itself.
"We don't have to go through renovations," Sluder said before the ceremony of the work that will start on the building as soon as school lets out later this week - the beginning of the full renovation of the building, and half of the historic change for the community of a second high school planned to have its doors open for class in just a year and three months.
"We get to take in JC as it is," Sluder added of being the last class to graduate before JCHS's transformation.
Even as change comes and adaptations have to be made, some things remain constants.
"The people at JC are truly what makes it a wonderful school," class valedictorian Bailey Patrick said.
"I have so many people I would like to thank. First of all, I would like to thank God for everything. Without him, this would not be possible. This day truly could not happen without all the support we've had in our lives. Thank you to all the families, friends, teachers, administrators and all the staff members who have helped us along the way," Patrick said.
JCHS's Principal Bob James also noted the 144th class also contributed more than 20,000 hours of service to "Jay Nation," the community and beyond in its time.
Twenty-six students were recognized as salutatorians for having maintained 4.0 or higher grade point averages throughout high school:
Sindhu Balakumar, who plans to attend the University of Missouri-Kansas City to study biology.
Kelsey B. Bartlett, who plans to attend George Washington University to study political communication.
Lauren C. Bergstrom, who plans to attend Columbia College to study sports psychology.
Catherine M. Blotevogel, who plans to do the AmeriCorps national volunteer community service program before college.
Grace R. Christian, who plans to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology to study biological sciences and bio-medical engineering.
Michael B. Craighead, who plans to attend Baylor University to study philosophy and political science.
Madison M. Creach, who plans to attend the University of Missouri-Columbia to study biology.
Elizabeth E. Cremer, who plans to attend Truman State University to study health sciences.
Malcolm H. DeBroeck, who plans to attend Southeast Missouri State University to study wildlife conservation.
Alexa L. DeSha, who plans to attend Evangel University to study pre-med biology.
Erica L. Dunn, who plans to attend Missouri Western State University to study business management and finance.
Nathaniel A. Erickson, who plans to attend Missouri S&T to study aerospace and mechanical engineering.
Sydney E. Farris, who plans to attend Missouri State University to study cellular and molecular biology.
Noah J. Gernander, who plans to attend Bethany Lutheran College to study mechanical engineering.
Marie E. Gillam, who plans to attend Lindenwood University to study dance and elementary education.
Addisyn K. Henley, who plans to attend University of Missouri-Columbia to study biology.
Christa R. Kiesling, who plans to attend Truman State University to study business management and communications.
Katie Liu, who plans to attend the University of Southern California to study biochemistry.
Rakesh Natarajan, who plans to attend Johns Hopkins University to study molecular and cellular biology.
Lauren E. Neubauer, who plans to attend University of Missouri-Columbia to study psychology with a pre-med emphasis.
Ayla R. Nitz, who plans to attend Missouri S&T to study computer science.
Jessica R. Rhoads, who plans to attend Missouri S&T to study civil engineering.
Caitlin D. Ruth, who plans to attend University of Missouri-Columbia to study health sciences on a pre-med track.
Elizabeth A. Vasko, who plans to be in Thailand for a year and then go to college.
Audrey R. Warbritton, who plans to attend University of Missouri-Columbia to study biology.
Hannah R. Watson, who plans to go Italy as part of the Rotary Youth Exchange program, and then attend University of Missouri-Columbia.
Valedictorian Bailey Patrick had a GPA of 4.204.
Seven students were recognized for having GPAs of 3.95-3.99 upon graduation - Abigail M. Bennett, Kurtis D. Boucher, Aubrie Cardon, Puja Halder, Dawson F. Jobe, Hannah V. Kempker and Samantha L. Murray.
Elijah D. Jackson and Tori A. LePage received an American Legion merit award. Blotevogel and Craighead received a VFW award, and Dunn and Erickson received All-School Service Awards decided by majority votes of faculty.
Katelyn Sluder's advice to underclassmen was to make the most of their time in high school. "You don't want to regret not going to anything," she said.