Athens Drive High

June 10 at Memorial Auditorium

No. of graduates: 368

Class quote: “Life brings us tears, smiles and memories — the tears dry, the smiles fade, but the memories last forever.” — Anonymous

Amazingness: “This is no ordinary Wednesday afternoon,” Senior Class Co-President Brittany Bates told the crowd at Memorial Auditorium. It was, she said, a time to come together to recognize the “absolutely obvious amazingness” of the Athens Drive Class of 2008. “You are not watching the average students take their diplomas,” she continued. “We have created a love for our classmates and ourselves that is unbreakable.”

Defining success: Class Salutatorian Jeremy Meganck told his class that success is based just as much on effort as it is achievement.

“It’s not really about being perfect. It’s about trying your best,” he said. “Whereever your path leads you is not important. ... As long as you say you’ve done your best, you’ve succeeded.”

Best days: “It’s obvious that these experiences can’t be topped,” Student Body President Madeleine Smith said of her class’ years “on the Drive.” But she gave a challenge to her classmates: “Don’t let high school be the best time of your life,” she said. “We should treat each moment as the best we’ve ever had and work to make the next moment even better.”