CLASS OF 2023: 147 graduate on a great day to be Zebra

Graduates receive a rousing applause as they take their seats for graduation inside the Pine Bluff Convention Center arena. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Graduates receive a rousing applause as they take their seats for graduation inside the Pine Bluff Convention Center arena. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)


This is the 12th entry in the Class of 2023 series.

Salutatorian Blakely Hopkins took the words out of the mouth of Principal Ronnieus Thompson, and Thompson reiterated the point: "What a great day to be a Zebra!"

Pine Bluff High School graduated a class of 147 Friday night at the city's Convention Center arena. The class was led by valedictorian Erika Washington, Hopkins and 19 honor graduates, and it also featured members of Pine Bluff's boys basketball team, whose 5A state championship was a big highlight of the seniors' school year.

Like the basketball Zebras' path to a title, the educational process wasn't easy, Hopkins said, but it was worth it.

"I never thought I'd be in this position, but it's because of the declaration my parents spoke over me," she said.

She read another declaration from Psalms 46:5: "God is within her; she will not fall; God will help her at break of day."

Pine Bluff's graduation was the first in five years with school board members on the stage. A limited-authority board was established to lead the state-run Pine Bluff School District in January.

The district will see another change July 1 when sister campus Dollarway High School merges with PBHS. Dollarway held its final graduation Thursday evening at the Convention Center auditorium.

On Friday Thompson offered the seniors three keys to future success: Fortitude, or courage gained in adversity, as she defined; fight, willingness to defend and engage in battle in order to reach a goal; and faith, believing something will happen even when one doesn't see it.

Washington may as well have relied on these elements to reach the summit of her class.

"Though some of you teachers gave us a hard time, you truly meant well," Washington said.

The reality of high school also wasn't anything Washington thought it would be when she first stepped on the PBHS campus.

"Many of us went in thinking it would be like a TV show," she said. "It was nothing like middle school, and it was nothing like 'Euphoria'."

  photo  Jordon Harris shakes hands with Pine Bluff School Board President Sederick Rice as he receives his diploma. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
 
 
  photo  Blakely Hopkins delivers the salutatory speech. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
 
 
  photo  Pine Bluff High School graduate Will Howell reacts to seeing loved ones in the crowd as he marches into the Pine Bluff Convention Center arena for commencement Friday evening. See inside for a photo page on the ceremony. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
 
 
  photo  Family members of Jyda McGriff show up early. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
 
 
  photo  Janecia Perry, one of 19 honor graduates from Pine Bluff High, marches into the arena. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
 
 
  photo  Students turn the tassels when they get the word from Pine Bluff School District Superintendent Jennifer Barbaree. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
 
 
  photo  Valedictorian Erika Washington told classmates they went into high school thinking it was like a TV series. It was anything but, she reminded them. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
 
 


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