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Highlands Today

'We Are The Blue Streaks. Mighty Mighty Blue Streaks'

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By Gary Pinnell | Highlands Today

Published: May 31, 2008

VIEW AND PURCHASE GRADUATION PHOTOS

SEBRING — In the bleachers, Ruth Mendez waited to hear her daughter's name, Ibelissa Roque. "It's kind of hard to see them become adults," Mendez said. Then "Pomp and Circumstance" started playing, and everyone stood up.

Mary Midence and Amy Hart gave the salutatory and valedictory addresses.

But an hour earlier, before they stepped across the stage and accepted their diplomas on Saturday morning, the Sebring High School graduates gathered in the fieldhouse at Firemen's Field to receive final instructions. And a few threats.

"Turn off your cell phones. Turn off your cell phones!" shouted one administrator. "If your cell phone goes off during the ceremony, you will be removed."

"Get in line. Get in line," yelled another woman.

Penny Decker is the principal's secretary. "I run the school," she smiled.

Today, she was just trying to find students. "I can't find Jonathan Smith and Benise Michelin," she said in a voice raised over the din of 285 seniors talking at once.

One tall boy walked by. "Are you Jonathan Smith?" He looked up, but she'd already decided. "No, never mind."

It was Decker's job to make certain every graduate was assembled in alphabetical order, because she was also going to hand out their diplomas. If one got out of order, it would be a mess.

A few feet away, Maria Antioquia, a small girl with big eyes, was standing with friends. During school, she was the captain of the color guard in the band. This fall, it's on to South Florida Community College, where she'll attempt an associate's degree in business. Success will mean advancement to University of Central Florida, where she'll major in marketing and advertising.

Next to her was Dena Anastasiou. Will she be happy or sad to leave high school?

"Mainly happy," she said. "But I'm going to miss some people."

She'll be happy to get her college life started at Valencia Community College in Orlando.

And then there was Sadie Adams, who is moving to Winter Haven. Soon.

"I can't wait to get out of Sebring," she said candidly. "It's just not my kind of town."

And why does that girl wear a baby blue hood?

"I'm in the honor society," said Yuli Alvarez, who wants to be a nurse. She's staying close to home by entering the SFCC program.

So, who's going to cry?

No one admitted to it, but first one, then the others realized they probably would.

"We're men. We don't cry," said Jorge D. Martinez, across the room. He's already joined the Marines. In seven weeks, he goes to Parris Island.

"I might get a little emotional," Martinez finally confessed.

And few minutes before they walked out, three football players began chanting, perhaps for the last time.

"Everywhere we go, everywhere we go,

People wanna know, people wanna know,

Who we are, who we are,

So we tell them, so we tell them,

"We Are The Blue Streaks! Mighty Mighty Blue Streaks."

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