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Twenty-four received high school diplomas from Escambia Academy during commencement exercises May 16 at Grace Fellowship Church in Atmore.

During the ceremony, which was held in the church’s sanctuary, Salutatorian Sara Rolin said the class has stuck together through it all.

“We’re very thankful to have so many influences,” Rolin said. “We have laughted and fought. This year was our last year together as a whole class. It’s time for us to move on with our lives.”

Rolin said graduation signifies a day where the start of another journey begins.

“To my classmates, we all haven’t seen eye to eye on things, but we’ll always be there for each other,” she said. “We’ll hold each other to a certain standard. Now’s our time to leave Escambia Academy, and leave a mark on this world.”

Valedictorian Lexis Hollinger said graduation day marks a day where the class goes from one road to the next.

“This is the road map that will become our lives,” Hollinger said.

Alabama Geographic Information Officer and EA Alumnus Phillip Henderson encouraged the 24 graduates to do three things — have hope, faith and love.

Henderson said hope is an expectation.

“It’s looking for something into the future,” Henderson said. “Hope is something you can look to. I knew somehow the Lord was guiding my hand. May the God of hope fill you.”

Henderson recalled the roadway he took to where he is today. He began to study pre law at the University of Alabama, but added that a new GIS (geographic information system) class was opening at the school.

“I sometimes look at how many turns I had in life,” he said. “I had to trust the Lord. I have had more than 24 people in this path that would tell me that I would fail. I would never make it, and I would never succeed.

“Never doubt in the darkness what God tells you in the light,” he said.

Henderson said faith is having the confidence for and assurance in something we don’t see.

“I know that when I was in school, God would leave a way for me and I would be successful,” he said. “Faith is worshiping when you don’t feel like it. I remember that excitement.”

Henderson reminded the graduates that the greatest of the three is love.

“Put your faith in God, love in God and He will direct your paths,” he said. “The power of God will sustain you. God is calling you. Each one of you is called.

“He said, ‘I appointed you that you might go and bear much fruit. This is my command.’ These three things will remain throughout eternity — faith and hope and love. We all know that we should live by faith.”

EA’s Class of 2019 includes: Ashlee R. Bishop, Noah D. Black, Jackson G. Bonner, Kameron A. Bowen, Justin L. Byrd, George D. Cieutat, Jabe A. Dawe, Baylee N. Dole, Brandon J. Gulsby, Kaile-Anne L. Gumapac, Bailey C. Hayles, Hollinger, Anna Grace Janes, Mary Thompson Lancaster, Nolan O. Linam, Darby M. Locke, Samuel H. Martin, Patrick J. McGhee, Kiah D. Parker, Raeven L. Ramer, Rolin, Emma Caroline Sasser, Jonah D. Tillery and James E. Williams Jr.