Stone High grads ‘look ahead’ with $1.7M in scholarships

Stone County High School seniors will miss the known, but are ready to head into the unknown.

Graduating seniors had plenty to say before they marched into A.L. May Memorial Stadium on Friday evening.

Jitters aside, they spoke of how they will miss their friends and extracurricular activities.

But they were excited about the next chapter in their lives as they straightened their royal-blue caps, gowns and tassels before receiving their diplomas on the Perkinston campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

“I’ll be going to Perk for EMT or phlebotomy,” said Madison Webb, a volunteer firefighter for the South Central Fire Station.

Valedictorian Haley Smith, a soccer player, and Salutatorian Timothy Reaux, a trumpet player, are both heading to Mississippi State University on scholarships in computing.

Stone High grads collectively have been offered nearly $1,759,167 in scholarships. They include academic, athletic, technical, band, choral and cheerleading scholarships.

O’Mira Breland has joined the U.S. Army. Tyler Johnson has enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Stone High coach Joel Bowman, also a 12th-grade English and literature teacher, greeted each graduating senior as they gathered at the MGCCC Athletic Center before it was time for the band began to play “Pomp and Circumstance.”

“I’ll miss my friends,” Christian Roach said.

“I’ll miss the school lunch,” said Kevin Meadows.

And with that, their time had come to end one chapter in their lives and start another.

This story was originally published May 19, 2017 at 9:23 PM with the headline "Stone High grads ‘look ahead’ with $1.7M in scholarships."