As rain clouds threatened to open up overhead, 104 Blair Oaks High School 2020 graduates crossed the stage and received their diplomas Saturday night.
Through speeches peppered with inside jokes and light-hearted teases of specific students, the staff and students of Blair Oaks celebrated their accomplishments.
Of the graduates, 42 plan to attend a four-year college or university, 47 are headed to a two-year college or technical school, 12 plan to enter the workforce and three are military bound.
The Class of 2020 earned more than $1.5 million in scholarships combined, not including 40 seniors who also earned A+ Scholarships to receive two years of education at a community college or technical school for free.
Blair Oaks Superintendent Jim Jones opened the ceremony by reflecting on the odd school year the 2020 graduates had. After a winter full of late starts and snow days, the district was happy to see March arrive.
Then, on March 18, the school dismissed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the students never returned to in-person classes.
"Although it may not have gone exactly as expected, I am so proud of our students, parents, families, faculty, staff and administrators for the manner in which you handled every challenging situation," Jones said.
The commencement speaker was Todd Luebbering, plant manager at Cole County Industries, a Class of 1986 graduate from Blair Oaks and the father of a graduating senior.
In his speech, Luebbering hoped to instill several lessons into the graduates: Be kind, have a positive attitude and never forget where you came from.
Luebbering told the graduates to look around and remember the bonds they have with their classmates as they move forward.
"The bonds you have created and what you have learned in these four short years will help you write the next chapters of your life," Luebbering said. "Life really is a book of open pages, and you are the only ones who can fill them. The next chapter of your book is all open and ready for you to write."
After the diplomas were awarded, senior class president and valedictorian Caleb Meeks addressed his classmates.
"'Prey with long pointed wings and a notched beak' - that's how the dictionary defines falcon," Meeks said, referencing the school's mascot. "But to me, that word means so much more. To me, Falcon means someone who perseveres against all odds. Someone who pushes towards excellence. Someone who is courageous. Someone who refuses to give up."
Meeks, who moved to the Blair Oaks district as a freshman, said the school welcomed him with open arms and made sure he wasn't left out.
"Most importantly, the word Falcon means family," Meeks said. "I know sometimes we joke around that we have it rough here at Blair Oaks, but the truth is there's nowhere else I would have rather spent these last four years. While our time here at Blair Oaks is now over, our time as a Falcon is far from it."