PR2017 Apr 27
By Drew Taylor Staff Writer
Apr 27, 2017 at 6:35 PM Apr 27, 2017 at 10:48 PM
Bryant High School Students Commit to Goals After Graduation
Sydney Hughes wants to do something no one in her family has done: graduate from college.
On Thursday morning, Hughes announced her plans to make that a reality as she stood on a stage in front of hundreds of classmates during the third annual College and Career Commitment ceremony at Paul W. Bryant High School.
“My name is Sydney Hughes and I will be attending the University of Alabama as a first generation scholar,” Hughes said as she was greeted with cheers.
Hughes was one of 240 Bryant High seniors to take part in the program, holding up the colors of their chosen college or job as they announced what they would be doing after high school. Common answers students gave ranged from going to college to joining the armed forces.
Around 99 percent of this year’s graduating class have either been accepted to a college or have lined up a job after high school.
“This is something I have always wanted to do,” said Hughes, who plans to major in pre-medical studies at UA.
During the ceremony, Bryant principal Linda Harper congratulated the group for its commitment to set goals after high school.
“Today, we celebrate the beginning, not the end, of a bright future,” Harper said.
The ceremony started out as an annual event in 2015 as a way to meet a need, Harper said.
“Before, some students would get a diploma and have nowhere to go,” she said.
During the last couple of years, school counselors have worked with outgoing seniors to establish what they wanted to do after college and set goals to accomplish what they wanted to do.
“Our kids are now motivated and are excited about their futures,” she said.
One student, Aquaeuious Gibbs, made the commitment to join the Air Force and will be leaving for Texas this summer to begin training.
“It was something I always wanted to do since I was little,” said Gibbs, adding that both her aunt and uncle served in the Air Force.
Laquarius Aaron, another senior at Bryant, said he would be studying at Alabama State University to become a teacher.
“Nobody gave me a good education growing up,” he said. “I just want to give back to my people.”
Joe Eatmon, head basketball coach at Shelton State Community College, briefly spoke at the ceremony, where he encouraged the graduating class to continue pushing forward with their goals.
“The thing about commitment is that once you commit, that’s where the real work begins,” Eatmon said. “Once you commit and the journey begins, then you have to go to work.”
Gibbs said she loved the commitment ceremony and that it was an integral part of Bryant High’s traditions.
“I’m just glad I got to be here with my friends,” Gibbs said.
Harper said that since starting the commitment ceremony in 2015, there has been a change in how students prepare for the future.
“There are ninth-graders who are now studying to take the ACT,” she said. “There are kids now discussing where they want to go to college.”
Before ending the ceremony, Harper offered the graduating class a word of advice.
“Don’t let anyone tell you something is too tough or has never been done before,” she said. “Just do it.”
Bryant’s graduation will be held May 20.
Reach Drew Taylor at drew.taylor@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0204.