Seventy-nine young men and women marked the next milestone in their lives as they set off to “change the world,” according to one of two co-valedictorians speaking at Saturday morning’s Mathews High School graduation ceremony.

With family and friends packing the school’s Harry M. Ward Auditorium to capacity and still others watching on closed circuit TV in the adjoining gymnasium, co-valedictorian Kate Casper spoke of the bright future for her fellow graduates.

“Every member of the Class of 2019 has a goal … that will change at least their world, if not the population as a whole,” she said, singling out the plans of several of her classmates.

“Olivia Wood plans to contribute to the progress being made for women in the military; Victoria Bing wants to start her own mortuary science program in a college because the field is necessary, but difficult to access; Chandler Bell plans to work for Dominion Power so he can be the guy everyone i...