53 graduate from Midland

It was a night of recognition and celebration as 53 seniors were awarded diplomas and went from Midland High School seniors to alumni Friday night.

Held in the boys gym, the class fo 2014 held commencement exercises, highlighted by 12 speeches from some of the honor graduates. This year, Midland had a school record of 19 honor graduates. 

The class was welcomed one at a time by the Midland High School Band, sans its senior members, of course, to the familiar graduation song, "Pomp and Circumstance."

The 19 honor graduates this year, who maintained a 3.5 cumulative GPA or higher, were Logan Aucoin, Byron Boudreaux, Kevin Broussard, Desireé Brown, Blaire Champagne, Hannah Chiasson, Alec Duplichan, Anthony Falcon, Patsy Hartsell, Angelle Hebert, Blayre Lantier, Kit LeBlanc, Caitlyn LeJeune, Kyra Louvierre, Kylan Poullard, Roxy Richard, Rebecca Roy, Lance Villejoin and Katelyn Woods.

Louvierre, president of the senior class, served as mistress of ceremonies for the evening and opened the event with a welcome and a speech of her own full of gratitude and memories. The speeches of her fellow honor graduates who elected to address the audience did so one by one. Some were short and sweet, others thorough and specific. Still, those who chose to speak – Champagne, Chiasson, Falcon, Hartsell, Hebert, LeJeune, Poullard, Richard, Roy, Villejoin and Woods – followed similar suits. Thank those who had gotten them and their classmates this far, reflect on five years of high school and offer words of inspiration.

In the midst of the honor graduates were the four 4.0 graduates – Champagne, Falcon, Richard and Woods –  which the class took it upon themselves to recognize as its valedictorians. Champagne echoed sentiments of her class exceeding expectations year-in and year-out their fives years at Midland High and proudly proclaiming her belief that that trait will continue for her and her classmates moving forward.

"I have the utmost confidence that we will continue to impress others and even ourselves with what we are capable of," she said. "You all have given me a wonderful high school experience, to which I regret to say goodbye. Thank you, and I wish you all the best of luck in whatever path of life you choose.

When it was Falcon's turn to speak, he focused his allotted time on how high school was a time of change.

"Every single encounter and experience here at Midland High and outside of school has changed me and molded me into the person I am today," he said. "I have God, my teachers, friends and family to thank for that.

"I've definitely changed, but, hey, haven't we all?"

For Richard, graduation was not just a time for personal reflection, but spiritual reflection as well. In place of a typical speech, however, Richard opted for a poem to talk about how God has impacted her life.

"Without him I would not be here tonight," she said.

"When we walk before you tonight, as graduates, anxious to start our lives, he appears. You may not see it now, but all around you you will find a God so loving, so kind."

Finally, Woods made her address, where, she like 11 others before her, thanked family and congratulated her fellow classmates, offering one final round of inspiration to them.

"Graduates, the opportunities that lay before us are countless," she said. "We have been equipped and blessed by God with the power to attack the impossible. Nothing stands in our way when we believe in ourselves.

"Tonight, graduates, before we step out the doors of Midland High, always remember who we truly are and the goals we have set for ourselves."

As is custom at Midland's graduation ceremony, the senior class officers presented its class sponsors with gifts to thank them for their time and energy put into the class.

Before Principal Clyde Briley could recognize the honor graduates, the class presented him with a special token as this is Briley is retiring this year. The class presented him a plaque with the words of the school's alma mater engraved on it.

Briley then took over the microphone, first wanting to thank his fellow Midland High retiree, Daryl Broussard. Broussard has been with Midland for 35 years. He also took the opportunity to brag about how well the school has continued to do academically as a whole before turning his attention to the graduating class. Briley remarked that the class was full of great kids not just the honor graduates. Finally, it was onto the 19 who were met with a thunderous amount of applause and a standing ovation from the entire packed gym, including their fellow graduates.

After all the speeches and presents, the senior class sponsors began calling the students’ name one by one to receive his or her diploma from school board member for the high school and surrounding area, Lynn Shamsie. The class would later present roses to family, friends and influential people in their lives as a special thank you for the past 12-13 years of their lives as well as a slide show of old photographs, and new ones, of each member of the class. The Midland High School class of 2014 would end the ceremony with a performance of its class song, "Lean On Me."

Awarded diplomas during Midland High’s ceremony were Darren Roy Arceneaux, Dierra Rachel Arceneaux, Logan Kay Aucoin, Jarren Anthony Bergeaux, Byron Todd Boudreaux, Lauren Renee Breaux, Kevin Matthew Broussard, Desireé Reneé Brown, Blaire Simoné Champagne, Hannah Marie Chiasson, Victoria Morgan Craigen, Corye Dale Credeur, Holly Catherine Domingue, Jah’Marque Von-David Dugas, Jah’Ra Elle Dugas, Callie Elizabeth Duhon, Alec Nicholas Duplichan, Anthony Elie Falcon, Samantha Lee Forney, Jake Matthew Gautreaux, Justus Marie Guillory, Alexander Webb Hains, Myra Reneé Hanks, Patsy Danielle Hartsell, Angelle Renee Hebert, Shelby McKenzie Jardell, Blayre Nicole Lantier, Jeremy Paul Lantier, Kit Joseph LeBlanc, Natalie Sharae LeBlanc, Tristan Paige Lege, Caitlyn Rae LeJeune, Kyra Brooke Louvierre, Hannah Elizabeth Matlock, Layton Blaine Meaux, Kaitlin Dawn Monceaux, Madison Brianne Morgan, Johnathan Patrick Patin, Taylor Jasmine Perossier, Kylan L’Shai Poullard, Ajia Terrell Premo, Nicholas Anthony Primeaux, Chance Christian Richard, Roxy Renee Richard, McKinley Joseph Romero, Rebecca Lynn Roy, Mary Anita Schexnayder, Hannah Marie Seaux, Ronnie Virden Richard Spell, Lance Michael Villejoin, Tia Renee Vincent, Katelyn Lea Woods and Macie Lyn Woods.