High school seniors walk to inspire younger students

CARROLL COUNTY, Tenn. — They may be a small graduating class of 75 students, but they have a big purpose.

“Our goal in this school district is for every student we have to ultimately cross the stage and graduate,” Principal Dexter Williams said.

Seniors of West Carroll Junior/Senior High School paraded Tuesday through the halls of elementary and primary schools in the county, hoping to inspire the younger students.

“It made me feel great about myself and great about all we’ve achieved as a class,” class president Colin Simmons said.

Principal Williams said many of the soon-to-be graduates started in those schools, the same places where past teachers got to witness their success.

“I almost cried, but I didn’t,” primary school teacher Wendy Metheny said.

Metheny said the class of 2017 was her very first class as a teacher at West Carroll Primary. “I know the next stage is going to be a little hard, but I just want them — I always told them in kindergarten, you can do it, believe in yourself,” she said.

As the seniors walked through the halls, the children got to see a visual representation of what the future holds.

“Those young kids seeing our older kids come back today in their cap and gown, hearing ‘Pomp and Circumstance,’ hopefully inspires them for them to push on and want to graduate as well and go on after that,” Principal Williams said.

Before saying goodbye to high school, senior class president Simmons left his classmates with a piece of advice.

“Work hard and be irreplaceable,” Simmons said. “And in a world full of multiple choice, be the one who can fill in the blank.”

The seniors will take the stage at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 11.