Bethel Christian Academy graduates 15

The Bethel Christian Academy Class of 2019. Submitted photo

Fifteen students crossed the stage at Bethel Christian Academy’s commencement exercises at Bethel Free Will Baptist Church on Friday to receive their high school diploma.

Though the class size was small, the group of academically-gifted graduates accumulated more than $150,000 in college scholarships. 

This year’s class valedictorian was Sarah White and class salutatorian was Landon Whitley. Marshals were juniors Trista Stevens and Rachel Turner, sophomores Laura Fulcher and Gabe Gurley and freshmen Reagan Radford and Kimberly Speelman. 

The commencement speaker for Friday’s ceremony was Pastor Chris Truett, Senior Pastor of Bethel Free Will Baptist Church. Truett encouraged the graduates as they enter the race of life and as they begin to feel the race is not going well or they begin to feel like a failure, to remember they are not running alone and to run hard, finish strong, give it all they’ve got, and to finish the course. 

Students were also reminded their God is a God of second chances should they “drop the baton” and will allow them to pick it back up and run again. 

Principal Doug Phillips turned the students’ tassels and following the Pomp and Circumstance Recessional, graduates tossed their caps in triumphant celebration of their hard-earned achievement.

“Bethel has opened my eyes in so many ways, taught me so many things and has also made me different,” senior Cody Dunk said.