High school-age students attend Polk County Early College to earn college credits while in high school.

On Saturday, May 28, 18 such students graduated from PCEC, the ceremony held at Tryon Fine Arts Center.

Class salutatorian Kerigan Nicole Sullivan told the guests that she’s learned to “always think of others,” a philosophy she adopted while working in a nursing home. There, she learned that some residents/patients had no family to visit them.

“It’s about helping others,” Sullivan said, “and being a blessing to them.” Sullivan pointed out that her parents taught her to be “kind, caring and considerate.”

Valedictorian Callie LeAnne Keeter, believes she has “grown into the person I want to be,” crediting PCEC’s students and faculty with making the Early College “my second family.”

For Keeter, “it all boils down to two words, ‘thank you.’”

She began by thanking her grandparents, who took her in as a child.

“What makes a family is love,” Keeter emphasized.

Keeter also remarked that at PCEC, “we develop bonds . . . that can never be broken.”

Keeter extended a special thanks to PCEC Director Mary M. Greene, and said, “Thank you for believing in me, when I didn’t believe in myself.”

Keeter recognized her classmates, pointing out, “You have given me the freedom to be myself.” She added that she felt blessed to have formed so many relationships with her fellow students.

In her address to the graduates, faculty member Heather Wright highlighted notable and often endearing characteristics of each of the graduates.

To each one, she began by saying his or her name, along with, “remember, you are loved the most,” and brought them more to life with her observations.

Polk County School Superintendent William Miller; Geoffrey M. Tennant, Chairman of the Polk County School Board; and Mary Green, awarded diplomas to each graduate.

This year’s graduates were Taylor Nicole Brodie, Adam Robert Buchanan, Harlie Kay Burrell, Carigan Marie Carson, Mireya Socorro Casas, Hunter Christian Davis, Vincent Michael Gage, George Grayson Greene, Zachary Tyler Holdcraft, Meredith Elise Jones, Isabella Page Karabelski, Callie LeAnne Keeter, Stephen Lide Morris, Lucas Christian Nelson, John David Ridings, Daniel B. Smith, Kerigan Nichole Sullivan, and Nathaniel Christian Watkins.

Of those, Gage, Greene, Holdcraft, Keeter, Ridings and Sullivan earned gold medallions for graduating from Isothermal Community College with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.