Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School celebrates graduates' new horizons

When he came to Florida and started at Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School, he didn't know anyone, Gabriel Mehlum told an audience of graduates during the salutatorian address.

However, he says was not the only one on that position. 

"High school might have started as being difficult, but as time passed, it became easy to excel at it," he said. 

At the ceremony, students had the chance to walk the floor and turn their tassels during the graduation of the private school, held May 22 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

Mehlum said some of the accomplishments of students over the last four years were winning academic awards, being MVP of their sports and performing work in the community. 

During their time in school, he said, graduates faced "multiple hurricanes, death, a global pandemic, and about 4,680 hours of school."

"It's time for us to move on to the next part of our lives," said Mehlum, who is headed for the University of Florida. "Whether it is college, the workforce, or the military, God has a plan for you, and it is our duty to follow it."