Diboll grads receive $273,000-plus in scholarship monies

Graduation ceremonies were held in Diboll Friday night for 120 graduating seniors and with mixed emotions, they accepted their diploma's and closed one chapter in their lives and opened the door to another.

The commencement speaker was former Diboll student and 1988 graduate, Martha Morales Hernandez.

Hernandez told the graduates and the crowd of family, friends and school personnel, "When I started kindergarten at Diboll, I didn't know a word of English and my message to you is to work hard, make a commitment to learning and doors will have a way of opening for you." Hernandez, who sat in the same place 19 years ago, is a vice president with First Bank and Trust East and currently serves as a loan officer at the Diboll main office. She quoted Charles Swidoll, 'Life is 10 percent of what happens to us and 90 percent of how we respond to it.'

Valedictorian Yesenia Herrera told her classmates, "This is an exciting occasion and there are many changes ahead so embrace life and everything it has to offer with open arms."

Alyssa Tamez, Salutatorian also spoke to her fellow graduates saying that the Class of 2007 has played together as a team and now becoming individuals, we must call our own plays.

Honor graduates for the class are Philip Hopkins, Cammie Evans, Keather Flowers, Alex Gonzalez, Justin Barkley, Carlos Nunez, Andrew Hall, Jessica Jordan, Holli McCary and Joshua Joseph.

Another highlight of the night was Project Graduation which kicked off at 11 p.m. and offered the graduates a safe, alcohol and drug-free environment filled excitement, tears of joy and a last goodbye to the halls of Diboll High School.

Following many months of fundraising efforts, Project organizers, along with the seniors raised thousands of dollars in donations and prizes to ensure the graduates a good time. Renee Waters and Tammy Joseph, president and vice president of Project Graduation, say a big thanks goes to all the parents and volunteers who made the DHS Project Graduation 2007 a great success!! Mission Accomplished "007", provided a lot of great prizes and fun and games as well as wonderful food that was a big hit with the seniors, thanks to the people in the community and area businesses who helped out with donations throughout the year.

For many, the fall will bring another challenge - college and thanks to many institutes of higher learning, businesses, organizations and clubs, many students received not only encouragement, but funds to help them on the next journey.

Over $473,000 in scholarships were presented to graduates in ceremonies held recently at the First Baptist Church in Diboll.

See inside today for photos of recipients and their benefactors.