JAY – Sixty-one seniors graduated from Jay High School Saturday, one of them with a $95,000 college scholarship.

Class President Nichole Gulliver did the flag salute and a welcome speech. “Class, always believe in yourselves, always go for the impossible, with a little hard work anything is possible,” Gulliver said.

Student Council President Celina Purrington compared life at Jay High School to “Cruz,” a song by Christina Aguilera during her welcome speech. Part of that song says “Slowly drifting into a peaceful breeze. Tongue tied, twisted are all my memories. Celebrating a fantasy come true. Packing all my bags. Finally on the move.”

During his salutatorian speech, Brandon Purrington said “Jay High School has been only a stepping stone to our futureIf you take one stone at a time it will lead to success.”

Valedictorian Monica Adams congratulated her fellow classmates on all they have accomplished. She said there were times she felt like leaving high school and that the most appreciated successes are those people have to work hardest for.

She quoted writer Napoleon Hill saying: “Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.”

Adams used the examples of famous people such as Albert Einstein to show that even those who others may feel are incapable of success can reach great heights.

Jay High School Principal Peter Brown gave special recognition to exchange students Chompoonuch Tojaroen, Lotte Postma and Christina Rokoss and their host families.

Senior band members Joel Gilbert, Abe Treadwell and Garrett Storer and Class of 2004’s Janna Gilbert performed “Don’t Say Goodbye” by Third Day. The Gilberts received a standing ovation for their rendition of “Mountain of God” by Mac Powell and Ashley Cleveland.

Sixty-two scholarships were awarded for a total of $156,295. Monica Adams was awarded the Elmira College Valedictorian award for full tuition to Elmira College in upstate New York in the amount of $95,000.

The class motto was a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson” “What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.”

The Jay graduating class of 2003 included Monica Adams, Joshua Armandi, Darick Barker, Justin Booker, Christopher Brooks, Roxanne Butler, Nicole Caldwell, Ashley Clark, Jason Crocker, Douglas Dalton, Heidi Dalton, Amanda Deering, Britanny DeMillo, Cody DeMillo, Christina Figueroa, Shawn Floyd, Ryan Franchetti, Ashley Gaboury, Jaime Gagnon, Joel Gilbert, Brandon Gray, Christopher Greeley, Nichole Gulliver, Christina Hatch, Reginald Hatch, Kimberly Helms, Taylor Hodgdon, Allyson Irish, Amanda Jewett, Byron Johnson, Michael Johnson, Katy LaPlante, Randy Lautz, Justin LeBlanc, Brittany Loon, Anne-Marie Maheux, Crystal McDonald, Jennifer McDonald, Adam Mears, Jonathan Mears, Patrick Paine, Jennifer Philbrick, Melissa Philbrick, Lotte Postma, Adam Poulin, Devin Pratt, Brandon Purrington, Celina Purrington, Shawn Ragsdale, Shawn Ready, Christina Rokoss, Zachary Roy, Aron Shink, Kristy Smith, Garrett Storer, Chompoonuch Tajaroen, Abram Treadwell, Matthew White, Travis White, Melissa Woodsome and Olan Wuori.

Monica Adams, Brandon Purrington and Celina Purrington graduated magna cum laude, while Joshua Armandi, Roxanne Butler, Melissa Woodsome, Anne-Marie Maheux, and Adam Poulin graduated cum laude.