PINETOWN — On Tuesday night, friends, family, faculty and staff joined Northside High School Class of 2014 for graduation services. The school said farewell to 90 graduates who accumulated about $462,000 in scholarship money, an amazing feat for a class of that size, Principal Charles Clark said in his address to the graduating class.

After the school’s JROTC presented the colors, and Ramon Perez Soto, treasurer of the senior class, gave the invocation, Clark presented his award selections.

Clark told the grads they were closing one chapter of their lives and beginning a new one. He welcomed the grads to the “real world” and quoted the late Maya Angelou, saying, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”. Clark also quoted Bill Cosby jokingly, stating, “People will frighten you about a graduation. They use words you don’t often hear, ‘And we wish you Godspeed.’ It is a warning, Godspeed. It means you are no longer welcome here at these prices.”

Clark closed by saying he looks forward to hearing all the good things the grads will achieve.

The class message, presented by Class President Faith Hope Hudnell, highlighted memories shared between classmates from freshmen to seniors. Hudnell talked about how junior year was their most difficult, having to prepare for exams and submit college transcripts. Hudnell also honored faculty and staff members with a number of awards, including Clark’s MVP award for being selfless, kind and smart.

She closed by stating that their senior year was full of memories, in which the graduates danced at their last prom, played their last game and now, taking their last walk as Northside High School students. Hudnell was emotional and said “may the odds ever be in your favor” to her classmates.

Salutatorian Stephanie Comacho and Valedictorian Madison Gruber gave speeches, thanking parents and faculty for helping the students in reaching their graduation day. Comacho challenged her classmates to never let any opportunity go untaken and no dream to go unchased.

“We are staring into the eyes of the real world,” Comacho said. “We are equipped and blessed to achieve the impossible.”

Gruber also challenged her classmates, saying, “find what you’re good at and fall in love with it.”

Clark presented the graduates with their diplomas; Beaufort County Schools Superintendent Dr. Don Phipps led the graduates in the turning of the tassels.