On the evening of Friday, May 31 hundreds of onlookers in a packed Panther Stadium watched the Blanco High School Class of 2019 cross the stage and receive their diplomas.
Amid a Texas sunset backdrop that lead into a warm and muggy evening, the Panther Band played the graduates to their seats to the tune of Pomp and Circumstance while the Board of Trustees watched from the stage.
Though graduating senior Joshua Neill was not in attendance after a major car accident that happened right after school let out Thursday, May 30. He and the other victims who remained in the hospital were heavy on the minds and hearts of everyone.
An oversized picture of Neill was placed near the stage on an easel with a graduation cap atop and each speaker of the night offered kind words and encouragement to the missing friend.
High School Principal Keitha St. Clair welcomed the crowd and introduced the first student speaker of the evening, Brynn Kirkland who gave the Invocation followed by Aurora Miranda, who recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
After the National Anthem was played, Salutatorian Johanna Villarreal addressed her classmates and the audience.
“If high school wasn’t your thing, then I wish that you find something that is,” Villareal stated. “If you loved it, then I hope you find something you love even more.”
St. Clair then recognized all scholarship recipients stating that BHS seniors received a collective total of $2,249,266 in scholarship monies. She then thanked the seven students who have chosen to serve their country by enlisting in the military for their future service.
Taylor Kotfas, class valedictorian, took the stage next to speak to the graduation students. A true product of the Blanco ISD school system, Kotfas was enrolled with BISD since kindergarten finished her primary career with a finishing GPA of 101.4.
“So tonight, I am going to ask you to take advantage of this youth we have been given,” Kotfas said. “Explore everything that fascinates you and twists your brain. Watch the world with a sparking eye and love all you encounter no matter who they are because we are really only young once.”
Baseball coach and teacher Bryan Wyatt and parent Terry Neill were chosen by the
class to give commencement speeches. Neill sent love and kind words from his son’s bedside, thanking the golden class for the golden memories.
Wyatt, a self-admitted procrastinator owned up to writing his speech just hours before the ceremony on the bus home from the play-off baseball game. His speech was playful and full of friendly jabs to the students including pelting them with rubber balls--his classroom teaching tactic. He claimed he wouldn’t be like Socrates and be killed by his friends for his long speech, so he moved on to congratulating them all for their hard work and wished them good luck on their future endeavors.
The seniors joined the band for one last song as BISD students, their choice being "Rhythm" by Luke McMillian.
After the class history was read by Counselor Linsey Balmos the diplomas were presented by President Kirk Felps and Superintendent Clay Rosenbaum.
The crowd erupted with celebration when Gaitan “Alex” Martinez crossed the stage, after surviving the vehicle crash the previous day.
Camila Manriquez accepted the diplomas on behalf of the class, thanking parents and teachers of the entire class for supporting them through the years. Crista Townsley followed with the closing remarks.
“We may all be going on to different things, but we all came from the same place and that means something,” Townsley said. “This place shaped us to the people we are today, and our experiences will continue to shape us, and we’ll likely become vastly different people but some part of will always be Blanco’s graduating class of 2019.”
After one last final rendition of the Panther alma mater, the seniors tossed their caps in celebration.
