Holcomb High School held its 2008 commencement ceremony last night honoring 30 graduating seniors including Salutatorian Brittani Nash, left, and Valedictorian Tiffani Weaver, right. [Click to enlarge]

HOLCOMB, Mo. -- The ceremony began with people filling the Hornets' gymnasium as a musical slideshow played telling the story of the class of 2008, and ended with 30 young adults receiving diplomas, marking the end of the first 13 chapters of their lives which had been written in small-town Holcomb, Mo.

The graduates of Holcomb High School were celebrated during a commencement ceremony last night, where administration, faculty, peers, family and friends gathered to recognize the accomplishments of the class of 2008 from pre-school through senior year.

The song "This Used to Be Our Playground," echoed throughout the gymnasium as images were projected on a large screen of the students as preschoolers gathered around a sign that read, "Welcome Class of 2008!," followed by another photo of the class as teenagers gathered around that same sign which now reads: "Good-bye Class of 2008!"

Sentimental, as most graduations are, few had dry eyes, which was fitting considering the class motto was, "I always knew looking back on my tears would make me laugh, but I never knew looking back on my laughter would make me cry."

Valedictorian Tiffani Weaver was the first to speak at the event.

Weaver told her classmates that Webster's dictionary could not have been more wrong when it defined the term graduation as the act of acceptance of an academic degree or diploma.

"Graduation is not just a ceremony," Weaver said. "It's the peak of 12 years of hard work, friendships, and the little memories that still make us smile."

For Weaver, school provided many more lessons than those they received through classroom course work.

"It taught us about friendships, life, and how to become a well-rounded person," Weaver noted.

In recognizing that her class had built a reputation of going above and beyond in everything it does, Weaver challenged her fellow graduates to continue to strive for the top in everything they set their minds to.

"You can accomplish anything," Weaver proclaimed.

"It's hard to believe that after walking the halls of Holcomb schools for 13 years, being with your friends everyday, and seeing the same teachers over and over again, after tonight it will all come to an end," Weaver continued. "Dr. Suess once said, 'Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.'"

The class salutatorian, Brittani Nash, also spoke during the ceremony.

After poking fun at a few of her favorite teachers, Nash said that she still remembers her first day at Holcomb preschool, and that between that time and now she has developed a theory about school and how it correlates with life.

"I realize that life is like a school," Nash explained. "The big yellow bus represents opportunity. It reminds us that there is always a way to get where you need to be.

"The studying represents the never-ending need to know more than you already do, whether it be in college or your career.

"The grades represent criticism. No one will ever think you are great unless you give them a reason to believe so.

"The tardy Bell represents deadlines. As you move on to the workplace, the punishment changes from getting a swat, to getting fired.

"And finally, the clubs and sports represent family and friends. You don't have to be involved with them, but life is all the sweeter if you are."

For its graduation ceremony, the class of 2008 chose to have faculty member Tracy Broglin as the keynote speaker.

Through her speech, Broglin and the graduates reminisced about years spent at Holcomb schools and how memorable those times had become.

Following Broglin's tearful tribute to her students, High School Principal Ashley McMillian conducted the presentation of scholarships.

The scholarships presented by McMillian were as follows:

Tiffani Don Weaver received the Holcomb Alumni Scholarship, Holcomb Beta Club Scholarship, Holcomb Board of Education Scholarship, and Holcomb Future Farmers of America Scholarship.

Brittani Shea Nash was awarded the Peach Orchard Gin Scholarship, Holcomb Alumni Scholarship, and Holcomb Beta Club Scholarship.

Meagan Emily Clark received the Senath State Bank Scholarship, Holcomb Beta Club Scholarship, Holcomb Future Farmers of America Scholarship, National Wild Turkey Federation Scholarship, and Briggs & Stratton Corporation Foundation Scholarship.

Christy LeeAnn Smallmon was awarded the Malden American Legion Post 293 Scholarship, Missouri State University Multicultural Leadership Scholarship and Holcomb Beta Club Scholarship.

Lauren Elizabeth Shipman was awarded the John C. Casper Memorial Scholarship Beta Club Scholarship, Holcomb Booster Club Scholarship and Holcomb Beta Club Scholarship.

Megan LeeAnn Crawford received the Kent Blackman Award.

Laura Ann Watson was awarded the Holcomb Certified Teachers Association Scholarship, Holcomb Alumni Scholarship, and Holcomb Beta Club Scholarship

Tonia Nicole Anthony was awarded the Holcomb Senior Class Scholarship and Three Rivers Community College Incentive Scholarship.

Heath Wayne Murdock received the Semo Little Theater Scholarship.

John Thomas Mansfield was awarded the Bootheel Education Center Incentive Scholarship.

Justin Lynn Copeland received the Holcomb Senior Class Scholarship.

Michael Jared Casey was awarded the Holcomb Youth Soccer League Scholarship.

Nora Maricruz Garza received the Holcomb Family Career and Community Leaders of America Award.

David Colby Ward was awarded the Holcomb Farmers & Merchants Scholarship and Tyson Foods Scholarship.

Jonathan Michael McComb received the Ag Distributors Scholarship.

Three Rivers Community College presented a scholarship to Tonia Nicole Anthony.

Richard Ross, on behalf of Holcomb youth soccer awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Michael Jared Casey.

A scholarship from the Holcomb Fellowship of Christian Athletes was awarded to Tiffani Don Weaver, per presenter, Gentry Vancil.

Ruth Ann Shelton, on behalf of Kennett National Bank, presented a $4,000 scholarship to Weaver as well.

Megan Clark was names the recipient of a $1,000 scholarship from Southern Missouri Bank and Trust, which was presented by John Robertson.

After the scholarships were presented, Superintendent of Schools Jeff Bullock presented the class of 2008, who received diplomas from Board of Education President Jeff Bullock.

The class of 2008 included Tonia Nicole Anthony, Breanna Marie Buchanan, Jakeb Scott Burgess, Michael Jared Casey, Meagan Emily Clark, Ashley Dawn Clavier, Justin Lynn Copeland, Megan LeeAnn Crawford, Amber Nicole Crouch, Tiffany Ann Davis, Nora Maricruz Garza, Luke Alan Gibson, Sarah Michelle Goodman, Nicholas Anthony Gossard, Sharon Katlyn Houart, John Thomas Mansfield, Jonathan Michael McComb, Brandy Su'ella McElwrath, Heath Wayne Murdock, Frankie Joe Murphy, Brittani Shea Nash, Lauren Elizabeth Shipman, Christy LeeAnn Smallmon, John Daniel Swims, David Colby Ward, Kevin Ryan Ward, Laura Ann Watson, Tiffani Don Weaver, Ashley Ann Williams, and Jessica Lynn Willoughby.

The class flower was the Calla Lilly and class colors were turquoise and silver.