- December 11, 2024
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After four years of making and losing friends and having to persevere over any challenges, Braden River High's Ian Gonzalez was relieved to make it to graduation.
"I'm proud to say I've done it and I'm moving onto the next stage," Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez's next stage can start now that he has received his diploma during graduation May 14 at LECOM Park. He hopes to someday be a voice actor, but in the meantime, he plans to enroll at Manatee Technical College to focus on information technology and computers.
Graduation was a bittersweet moment for many as they knew the ceremony could be the last time they see their friends for awhile as they go their separate ways.
Emilie Colas, Naydeli Palacios and Marsha Joseph have been friends since fifth grade. They held back tears thinking about how they wouldn't get to see each other at school anymore.
"It's not really goodbye, it's more 'see you later,'" Palacios said, reassuring her friends they would reconnect in the future.