This is the eighth entry in the Class of 2023 series.
Nine students attended Friendship Aspire Academy Southeast Campus from the beginning of their high school careers, when it was known as Southeast Arkansas Preparatory School.
Name change and all, the nine brought 10 other students along their high school journey, and together they graduated Wednesday as the class of "19 Strong."
That's the name Jeff Pulliam, Friendship Aspire Academy Board President, gave the class during his keynote address at a high-noon graduation inside the school's gymnasium. The class endured Friendship's takeover of Southeast Prep due to the latter's revocation of its charter at the same time covid-19 became a pandemic, both happening in the spring of 2020.
But the students pushed on in Warrior fashion – a nod to their school identity – and finished where they started. They will also be the last graduating class from Friendship-Southeast until 2027, since the secondary campus will start over with a slow-growth model, enrolling sixth- through ninth-graders for the 2023-24 school year and adding a high school grade each year.
The original nine – Marcus Antwine, Jasmine Davis, BreShun Goodloe, Arereunti Goodwin, LaParis Harris, Bre'Naria Kearney, Kenneth Moore, Latavia White and Braylon Williams – were honored for their loyalty with Pioneer Awards from school officials.
"My 19 strong, you met adversity in the middle of your education. You met it on the streets," Pulliam told the graduates. "It doesn't matter where it went wrong ... there is power in this accomplishment. There is power in adverse situations.
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
Goodwin, a basketball and track athlete, used her brainpower to become valedictorian.
"We made it! We pushed ourselves to become better athletes and learned the importance of hard work and dedication," Goodwin said in her speech.
Salutatorian Kassidy Purcell reminded her classmates that tough circumstances don't define who they are.
"You have to keep pushing through the challenges and learning from mistakes," Purcell said.
Pulliam also challenged the class to endure adversity and bring back empathy, sympathy and compassion to the community.
"You all, my 19 Strong, are built for a time like this," he said.
Valedictorian Arereunti Goodwin sports a designed mortar board as she sits next to salutatorian Kassidy Purcell during Friendship Aspire Academy Southeast Campus' graduation ceremony Wednesday at the school's gymnasium. The school graduated its final class that started under the old Southeast Arkansas Preparatory School umbrella and will restart its secondary school with sixth through ninth grades in August, adding a high school grade each year until the 2023-24 freshmen become seniors in 2026-27. See inside for photo page on the commencement. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Friendship-Southeast graduates smile as they receive a final ovation and turn their tassels. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
A crowd packed Friendship-Southeast's gymnasium for a noontime graduation ceremony. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
From left, Kenneth Moore, DyZharia Hawkins, LaParis Harris and Marc Thompson march to the "Pomp and Circumstance" music to begin graduation. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Friendship Aspire Academy Board President Jeff Pulliam asks graduates to face their family members and remember the sacrifices made for them during their educational journey. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Kassidy Purcell delivers the salutatory speech. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Arereunti Goodwin makes the valedictory address. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)