It was a time for reflecting on past accomplishments with pride and looking to the future with a mixture of excitement and anxiety as 91 Mathews High School seniors became graduates during Saturday afternoon’s 75th annual commencement exercises.

Parents, family members and loved ones packed the school’s Harry M. Ward Auditorium to watch the ceremony, while others filled the nearby gymnasium to view the program via closed-circuit TV.

Senior class president Paul Burnette, the first of the three students to address the crowd, made sure to thank those responsible for getting him and his fellow graduates to this point.

“I know we could not have done it without the support and love of our parents, teachers and friends,” he said. “I’m pretty sure my mom holds the record for most e-mails sent to teachers in a year … especially to Mr. Seidl.

“I’m so proud to be president of this wonderful class. When it comes to school spirit, no othe...