16th Annual Senior High Graduate Recognition Night
A Review by Mitzi Wisely, Sr. High Graduation Director

Friday May 30th was a time of celebration for 152 graduates and their friends and family at the Phoenix Convention Center. With almost 2600 in attendance, AFHE celebrated its largest ever senior high graduation ceremony.

The evening’s festivities began with prelude music performed by Daniel Tekunoff, solo guitarist, and Nathan Johnson, graduate pianist, welcoming the guests as they entered the ballroom. At 7:00 PM the graduates filed into the auditorium to the traditional graduation processional music, Pomp and Circumstance. Dennis Drescher entertained us with his witty sense of humor as the announcer, and David Monk directed the evening as Master of Ceremonies.

Colene Lewis delivered an inspiring commencement address as she challenged the graduates to be “world changers.” A powerful musical message was delivered by graduate Jenna Keith’s signing, as Daniel Stringer sang The Blessing. Jenna Rockwell encouraged the graduates to “go after our future with passion and never accept defeat” and to “go be a miracle” in her very motivating Senior Address.

As is the tradition at an AFHE senior high graduation ceremony, the room became more like a party with the showing of the memory montage, a slide show of both baby and recent photos of the graduates, and the presentation of certificates. The ceremony concluded with Mike Frazey delivering the benediction.

Because of the ever increasing attendance for this annual ceremony, the graduate recognition committee chose to utilize the Phoenix Convention Center as the hosting facility. Despite the move to a larger accommodation, the ballroom was less than 200 seats from being completely full. What an encouraging statement that level of attendance makes to those of us that have chosen the less popular path of homeschooling.

The evening proved to be a remarkable one for everyone involved, allowing all in attendance to see the rewards of “being more committed to what is right than what is easy” as Jenna Rockwell so eloquently stated.