Af t ert hebi l lwaspassedbyt hest at e,al l owi ngst udent st or ecei vet hei rdi pl omasyear s af t ercompl et i ngal lcour sewor k,Lancast er I SDbegancont act i ngst udent swhower eel i gi bl et or ecei vet hei rdi pl omas. “ WhenIf i r sthear daboutt hi scer emony ,I t houghti twasaj oke, ”2006Lancast erHi gh Schoolseni orSabl eBr ownsai d.“ Ipr ayed f or13year st hatt hi smomentwoul dcome. Now IcansayGodhear dmypr ayer s. ” Br ownnow wor ksi nt heaut of i nancei ndust r yandsayssheevent r i edt ogetherGED sot hatshewoul dhavesomet hi ngsayi ng shecompl et edhi ghschool .Br ownwast he secondst udentt owal kt hest ageaspar tof t hespeci alcer emony . “ If eell i keIcannow movef or war dwi t hmy l i f e, ”Br ownsai d.“ Iwantt onow at t endcol l egeandmaj ori nnur si ngl i keIwant edt odo backi n2005. ”
TheKeyCommencementCer emonywasor gani zedbyJ. D.Hal lHi ghSchoolPr i nci palDr . Ant i onet t eMat hews.Shesai dt hi swasan exper i enceshewi l lneverf or get . “ Af t erwor ki ngwi t ht hesest udent sf orso l ong,If el tl i keIhadcomet oknow t hem so wel l , ”Mat t hewssai d.“ Att hemomentI beganl i ni ngt hem upf ort hecer emony ,If el t l i keapr oudmomma. ” Pet erGust avoCapel of r om t heCl assof2010 wasal soj oi nedbyf r i endsandf ami l yf ort hi s moment ousoccasi on.Hesai dhehasbeen t r yi ngt owor konhi scol l egecour sewor kbut f eel shehasbeenl ookeddownonbecause hedoesn’ thaveahi ghschooldi pl oma. “ Get t i ngt hi sdi pl omawi l lhel pme accompl i shmygoalofobt ai ni ngnotonl ymy bachel or ’ sdegr eei nf i near t sbutal soget t i ng mymast er ’ sdegr eeaswel l , ”Capel osai d. “ T onghtwasar evel at i ont omet hatanyt hi ng canbeaccompl i shed.I tmayt aket i me,but wemustkeepgoi ngandmovi ngf or war d.