News

SLIDESHOW: BALFOUR, Class of 2013

Balfour graduates file into Thomas auditorium for graduation.

By , Published: June 7, 2013

In some towns in America, principal Kent Parent told Balfour Education Center 2013 graduates Friday night, you could get arrested for hooting and hollering for loved ones at a graduation. "Not here," he said.

It's OK to hoot and holler, he said, as long as you quiet down for the next name. Hoot and holler they did as Balfour Education Center's class of 2013 received their diplomas during commencement ceremonies at Bo Thomas Auditorium.

Teenagers at Balfour, Parent said, have been homeless. "Some of you have couch-surfed or even slept in cars," he said. Some came from non-English speaking homes, some had babies as young teenagers, some had mothers or fathers who suddenly died. "Some of you have become caregivers for parents or siblings who became ill. Some of you have lived in houses without running water. Some of you have bummed rides to get to school, to get to parttime jobs and maybe even to this graduation."

If they showed the same will and desire in overcoming obstacles now they will be a success, he said.

Turning to the faculty, Parent said, "You have done what others could not do," he said. They adjusted lessons. They supported the students. They believed. "Without all of you," he said, "this would not be possible."

Here are the 2013 graduates:

Zulema Acosta, Monica Hernandez Antunez, Jesse McCraw Barnett, Emily Taylor Bland, Savanna Nicole Bradley, Ashley Dawn Burrow, Cynthia Michelle Bollman, Logan Blythe Callen, Jessica Marie Carlisle, Matthew Dane Case, Krystyna Yuriuvna Chopko, Brittney LaShai Darity, Shanterria Iranisha Davis, Jessica Renee Dockery, Christiana Noel Edwards, Laura Ann Eddy, Carla Marie Franklin, William Jay Freeman, Ashley Marie Gilbert, Matthew Givens, Erika Shay Gonzalez, Vicente Gonzalez, Christopher David Greene, Geoffrey Aaron Harmon, Jessica Marie Hernandez,

Melissa Hernandez Zaragoza, Danielle Meagan Jeffery, Kevin Dwight Johnson, Shirley Yoshune Juarez, Alicia Danielle Lewis, Chandler Grant Maillard, Sara Elizabeth Marlar, Joseph Tyler Matthews, Jonathan Nathaniel Maybin, Chasiti Christine Maynor, Savannah Alexandria McGlasson, Wade Tilden McNeily, Ashton Marvin Melton, Brandon Thomas Miller, Allsion Noel Merritt, Guadalupe Delos Angeles Moreno, Chelsey Renee Quisenberry,

Heather Marie Rapp, Yendry Fabiana Mora Robles, Katlin Michelle Shipley, Emily Sinclair Smith, Sabino Solis, Ingrid Minna Sonne, Kyle Quinlan Sparger, MaKenna Deion Stehphens-Vickers, Katie Nicole Stepp-Morrison, Cody James Stone, Miranda Catherine Thompson, West Lee Walton, Aleah Marie Waters, Laura Christine Williams, Lauren Grace Watson, James Neil Wiggins.