Washington High School’s Class of 2015 took to the field of Choppy Wagner Stadium on Monday as seniors and left as high-school graduates.

Led by valedictorian Diani Marie Teixeira and salutatorian Taylor Jane Abele, 208 young women and men received their diplomas on a seasonably sweltering evening.

For most, this is just their first milestone in education.

According to Washington High School Principal Misty Walker, 48 percent of the Class of 2015 will attend four-year universities, while 35 percent plan to attend community colleges. Other graduates — roughly 18 percent — will join the workforce straight out of high school, and a very small number are enlisting in the military, Walker said.

“Some people say they are worried about the future. However, when I look at the Class of 2015, I know that our future will be bright — they are outstanding in all that they do!  Best wishes for a prosperous future for the Class of 2015,” Walker said.

Washington’s high school is just over a century old, but Walker said this newest group of graduates is something special. The amount of scholarships and awards earned by the Class of 2015 totals just over $817,000.

“The Class of 2015 is an exemplary group of graduates,” Walker said. “They are prepared for the opportunities and challenges that their future may yield as they acquired the academic skills necessary for success while developing their character, refining their soft-skills, and learning the importance of giving back to those around them.”

This was the new WHS principal’s first year handing out diplomas with the help of assistant principals Wendy Dixon, Patricia Horton and Theodore Melton, Beaufort County Schools Superintendent Don Phipps and BCS Board Chairman Terry Williams.

“I am excited about the future of our graduates, at all of our high schools,” Phipps said. “They have progressed through their high school years in the midst of substantial changes in curriculum, personnel and other areas that impacted them in the classroom; however, they remained focused and have had great success. The graduating class from WHS has earned nearly $900,000 in scholarships, which speaks to their academic prowess. They are a close-knit group who has done a great job of promoting WHS and BCS in their roles as students.”

To view a gallery of WHS graduation photos, click HERE.