JAY — Friends and family filled the Jay High School gymnasium to support the 2017 graduating seniors.
Here are some facts about Jay's graduates:
- The class of 2017 had 72 graduating seniors and in total earned roughly $1.7 million in scholarships and financial aid.
- The class motto is "Go show 'em how it's done," by Brad Marcilliat.
- The class colors are blue, black and silver.
- The class flower is the sunflower.
- The class song is "It's Time" by Imagine Dragons.
Rebecca Boutwell and Dalton Bradley were co-valedictorians, a first for Jay High School.
The class of 2017 included other firsts such as being the first graduates who started at Jay Elementary School as well as the first graduating seniors from the school’s middle school, according to Bradley’s speech.
“You hear about cliques, but that’s not true in my class,” he said.
Bradley also quoted F. Scott Fitzgerald saying, “I hope you live a life you're proud of, and if you're not, I hope you have the courage to start over again.”
Boutwell praised her class’ unity.
“Maybe we all know each other because Jay is such a small school, but I like to think it’s because we all look out for each other.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Jay High class graduates with $1.7 million in financial aid