The latest graduates of the Barton County Academy walked across the stage Tuesday at the First Presbyterian Church in Great Bend, with dozens of friends and family members watching. So many, in fact, that the venue was changed from the Academy on 10th Street to the church, which had a larger meeting room.

Twenty graduates from Barton County earned their high school diplomas. Becky Gillette, site director at the Academy, presented awards to three honor students, Jazmin Humphrey, Jazmin Joy Nunez and Fatima Valles.
“You should be so proud of yourselves,” Gillette told the graduates.
What comes next is like a highly anticipated dessert -- in other words, it may or may not be as good as the graduates have imagined. But it could be something even better; the possibilities are endless. She encouraged the graduates to find something they like doing. Then, “if you love it, stick with it.”

She encouraged them to keep moving toward their next goals in life, just as they’ve worked to earn their diplomas.

“Never, never, never, never give up,” she said, paraphrasing part of an address that Winston Churchill gave at a graduation during World War II.
Barton County Academy (http://essdack.org/LC/barton-county-academy ) offers a variety of services to non-traditional students, including the high school diploma completion program.

The graduates are: Chance Baker, Jessica Brown, Sheridan G. Brown, Samantha L. Fox, Trinity Galliart, Nikalem J. Helms, Jazmin Humphrey, Morgan J. Krankenberg, Vanessa Lewis, Maricruz Marin-Martinez, Destanie M. McKay, Christina D. Nolan, Jazmin Joy Nunez, Skyler Ramsey, Cody Reed, Marisela Segura, Karla Sepulveda, Beau Staab, Fatima Valles and Kayelan A. Wheeler.