The Class of 2008 at Canton South High School held its graduation ceremony at the Canton Baptist Temple on Tuesday, June 3, at 7 p.m.
The student-selected speaker was Mark Gamertsfelder, who has been a physical science and physics teacher at the high school for eight years. He related the graduation experience to the " Wizard of Oz." with Wildcat Country always being " home" to the graduates of Canton South High School.
Valedictorian Gregory Fach gave a humorous but enlightening speech about friendship and being a child. "The friends I have made here at Canton South will always hold a special place in my heart," he said.
Quoting from the Bible in Matthew, Chapter 18, he reminded everyone: "how much fun it was to dream and imagine and believe in the impossible" as a child.
Superintendent Teresa Purses gave a short message encouraging the students to always keep their Wildcat hearts.
Principal Nicki Howard recognized the top 10 students in the Class of 2008. They were Bill Dazey, Shelley Kay Wymer, Gregory Fach, Alex Krob, Katie Laughlin, Shaina Lutz, Kary Skelly, Kelsey Stoddard, Matt Hamilton and Emily Wojtaszek.
This year's "most outstanding senior girl and boy" were Kary Skelley and Donald Jensen.
During the ceremony, the ACappella Choir sang " I'll Stand by You" and " If We Hold on Together."
Canton Local Board of Education President Dave Brothers and Purses presented the diplomas to the 201 graduates.
The ceremony closed with the senior members of the Sound of South singing the Alma Mater.
The class flower for 2008 was the Tiger Lily. The class colors were chrome and crimson, the class song was " How Far We've Come" and the class motto was: " Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."