By SABRINA BERNDT

Washington Daily News

The auditorium of Northside High School was full of family members, friends and faculty as they celebrated the graduates of 2019 on Saturday. It was a bittersweet moment for many students as they said their goodbyes to their teachers and peers.

After Northside Principal Charles Clark recognized the students who won various Principal’s Awards, Senior Class President Amelia Woolard carried out the class message to remind her classmates to not dwell on the past four years, but look forward to future opportunities.

“If we sat here and reminisced, we’d be wasting precious time,” Woolard said. “Instead of living in the past, we must live in the moment. A wise man very close to my heart … said ‘You have so much more ahead of you. Look forward to the future and what it has in store. The past is gone. Don’t live through it.’”

Tied for valedictorian, both Owen Doane and Shelby Harris gave their valedictory addresses, congratulating their peers for their accomplishments and reflecting on their time at Northside High School.

“Whether we came from Northeast, Bath, just moved here or came from somewhere else, we all became Panthers,” Doane said. “Everyone becoming a Panther created a unity that resulted in new friendships, relationships, one big family that always looked out for one another.”

According to Doane, the Class of 2019 completed more than 200 credit hours of community college and received more than $400,000 in scholarship offers.

During her address, Harris reflected on her struggles as a high school student, and thanked Coach Michael Proctor, who died in August 2018, for helping her gain the confidence to join the track and field team.

“I finally had a place where I fit in and felt welcome,” Harris said. “If it wasn’t for Coach Proctor, then I would have never gained all of the amazing friendships and bonds I have with my teammates.”

Following the remarks from both valedictorians, each student was awarded their diploma, eliciting cheers from both parents and faculty. The students then turned their tassels and walked out into the world, preparing for the new chapter ahead.