It took four years of high school studies to get there, eight minutes for the entire class to proceed inside, and five seconds for a single graduate to walk across the stage to get their coveted diploma. 

With 802 Parkland High School students graduating at Stabler Arena Monday night, the large class meant an even larger ceremony.

At the start, the Parkland High School band played the familiar march, “Pomp and Circumstance” as the graduating seniors, in red and gray robes, filed into the arena. Those in the stands clapped, cheered, and yelled the names of graduates in surround-sound fashion from all four sides of the arena.

Senior Class President Benjamin Mays was the first student to take the podium.

“So here we are,” he began. “We’ve waited, worked, and whined for four years so we could finally get the chance to wear these ugly robes. Was it worth it? You bet it was.”

After Mays presented the class key to Class of 2012 President Andrew Kim, the nostalgic attitude continued. A group of graduating seniors performed “With a Little Help From My Friends” under the direction of music teacher Frank Anonia.

Student speaker Sophia Srinivasan, one of the four salutatorians, was up next.

“I still remember being a second grader in Mrs. [Sally] Dobil’s class at Cetronia Elementary School and learning our graduation date, 2011,” Srinivasan said. “My classmates and I couldn’t imagine not having recess, let alone being that old. But here we are, on that very day.”

Assistant Principal Harrison Bailey presented the National Honor Society Awards. Each educational department such as Art, English and Technology Education, awarded one student for exceptional performance. Although the recipients officially received the awards at a ceremony May 23, they all rose from their seats for recognition from the audience.

Superintendent Louise Donohue, who is retiring, took the stage at a Parkland graduation as superintendent for the last time. She compared herself to the graduating class with a quotation from author Pamela Koehlinger, “It seems such a paradox to look backward and forward at once, but the significance of any achievement exists in that very contradiction.”

Donohue presented the valedictorians and salutatorians.

Two students were valedictorian: Eugenia Kim and Danielle Rosen. Both maintained 5.0 grade point averages.

Four were salutatorians. In addition to Srinivasan, who was student speaker, they were Nishant Modi, Christina Hardin and Bakhtawar Rana. All had 4.96 grade point averages.

Finally, it was time for the main portion of the ceremony, the awarding of diplomas. Principal Howard Lessel and College Transitional Coordinator Eric Roberts called out the names as Donohue and Parkland School Board President Jayne Bartlett handed out the diplomas.

The audience boomed as one by one, each graduating senior, smiling broadly, crossed the stage to receive their diplomas.

Four years earlier, as freshmen, graduation day might have seemed a lifetime away.  But as Principal Lessel said, “It’s all over in the blink of an eye.”

At the end of the night, Parkland High School became part of the past for the 802 graduates. They were ready to go live out their futures.

Here are the graduates:

Vanessa Mable Abney

Julia Elizabeth Abreu

Taylor Abruzzese

Caitlin Jill Acker

Ryan William Adams

Kia G. Agniman

Kylie A. Agniman

Hamidhasan Gulamhusain Ahmed

Tiron Ala

Abigail Hannah Albright

Ayat Ali

Niccolo Aliano  

Tanya Allan

Gina Marie Almonte

Nicholas Amato, Jr.

Alexandra Amici

Lindsay Ancelitz

Christine Nicole Andrew

Anthony Bryan Anfrens

Kathleen Patricia Anthony

Mitchell Harris Appleman

David Arthur Arauz

Nazlihan Argun

Alyssa Armstrong

Kady M. Arnold

Joseph Augustus

Mohamad Awadalla

Raissa Goncalves Azanha

Cain Azar

Sahar Azizi

Brittany M. Babin

Tyler Bailer

Ahsun Aziz Bajwa

Ryan Michael Baker

Jennifer Balbi

Nicolle Balliet

Orian Ida Bar Av

Jesse Stephen Barats

Kyle Barber

Krystn Bariana

David A. Barnes, Jr.

Ashley Lyn Barone

Kaitlyn Lauren Barr

Zachary S. Barson

Demi Yoshi Barzana

Matthew Bashore

Zane Basile

Joshua Baskin

Muraad Haadee Bass

Emily Anne Baxter

Wael Guassan Bchara

Michelle R. Beck

Emily M. Becker

Teea R. Becker

Jarret Beers

Nicole Marie Beidler

Adam Bell

Lauren Bell

Skie Victoria Bell

Nate' Shari Bender

Charles Martin Benedict

Daniel Benner

Jessica Jean Bergen

Alycia Berghold-Boger

Jessica A. Bernstein

Haley Bianco

Lauren Nicole Bilenki

Alec Michael Billera

Derrick A. Billig

Christopher J. Billman

Jacqueline Elizabeth Bissell

Julia Bloise

Nichole Boger

Goutham Bollu

Shacelles Shemika Bonner

Nicholas Bonsell

Joseph Borman

Amanda Bortz

Chelsea Bortz

Holland Bower

Zachary S. Bowermaster

Shalyn Boyer

September Ann Bracali

Vincent James Bracali

Benjamin Breiner

Christopher Brill

Caitlin Elizabeth Brown

Joshua Edward Brown

Kyle Brown

Timothy D. Brown

Cory Bruder

Aaron Maxwell Buck

Jarrod Bulger

Kevin Bult

Andrew J. Bungert

Michelle Burgess

James Burke

Anikken Busack

Victoria L. Buser

Steven Butz

Ryan Cabral

Kalene Marie Callaby

Mohamed Camara Sylla

Zachary John Campbell

Samantha Nicole Cancro

Caden Caracciolo

Alyssa Carl

Austin Carpenter

Erwin Romel Carrasquilla

Nixy Marie Carrasquilla

Britni Carrizo

Alyssa Cassium

Daniel M. Castillo, II

David Cecchini

Austin Cekovic

Erica Cervantes

Brandi L. Ceykovsky

Mahdi Chaker

Jennifer Chandik

Corey William Chase

Ellen C. Choi

Angeline Chooi

Matthew Chorney

Tyler T. Chubenko

Katherine Chung

Elizabeth Cichonski

Rebecca Ciciliot

Lindsey Cindia

Quandel Clark

Taj-Pierre I. Clark

Andrea Cobb

Courtney Coblentz

Daniel Combs

Ryan Bruce Comly

Melissa Conley

Zachary Connor

Victoria Conrad

Victoria Considine

Kela Cope

Richard Costello

Aaron Coutumas

Steven Coutumas

Dameon Matthew Coward

Austin Taylor Crain

Jacqueline S. Cron

Lindsay Taylor Cross

Carl Michael Cruz Zayas

Danielle Cummings

Alexandria Curry

Jarred Cury

Kelsey Czyzyk

Michael Thomas Francis D'Amico

Sarah Mae Danishefsky

Blake Danner

Samuel P. Davison

Samantha Lynn De Torres

Joshua Deery

Breanna Dejesus

Barbara Delis

Andrew Derhammer

Ryan DeSantis

Dion John Desentis, Jr.

Ryan Devine

Noah A. Diamondstein

Caitlin Nicole Diehl

Nicole Dille

Amanda Elise DiMartino

Hamzah Din

Mark Steven Dobil, Jr.

Daniel Timothy Dormann

Taylor L. Dowd

Holly M.  Drake

Caitlin Druckenmiller

Courtney Druckenmiller

Fallon Dungan

Allie Dunmire

Kyle Robert Dupre

John Byron Durishin

Nicholas Dyszel

Zachary Eberhardt

Alexis Priscilla Eberly

Michael Eckrode

Charlotte Edwards

Zachary Edwards

Raul Luis Eglinton

Sara Elizabeth Eisele

Trevor Eisenman

David Paul Emrick

Jeff Carl Etienne

Amanda Clare Evans

Jacob S. Evans

Katie Lynn Evans

Joseph Fahler

Lucas Fajardo

Michael Fake

Ali Famili

Peter T. Faraco

Brittney Lynn Faust

Michael Frederick Fedele, II

Jessica Fedorak

Mary Feinour

Andrew F. Feldman

Andrew M. Feldman

Kelcie Sue Fenstermacher

Daniel Antonio Fermin

Nygel Connor Flaherty

Zachary Folk

Sonny Ray Fontanez

Jacalynne Foulke

Scott Fox

Bradley Frederick

Kellie Frederick

Elizabeth French

Derek Friebolin

Carly M. Friedman

Jessica Taylor Fritsche

Samantha Catherine Furin

Farida Gafurova

Kaitlyn Galli

Evon Gamberino

Laurie Ganey

Caitlin Nicole Ganguzza

Tyler M. Garbutt

Joseph Luis Garcia, Jr.

Aubrie Sivan Gardner

Nicholas Marcelo Gareca

Robert G. Gebhardt

Hannah Dae Geiger

Keely Geiger

Anthony Light George

Eric Ryan George

Lindelle Mowave George

Madison Gerhard

Alissa Sondra Gigliotti

Zachary Gilbert

Korey Austin Gilliam

Cameron Glase

Jared M. Gluskin

Kaitlyn Elizabeth Godusky

Stephanie Jill Goldberg

Alyssa Golden

Hannah Goldner

Ezra Gabriel Goldstein

Mitchell Goldstein

Gabrielle Gombos

Gabriele Gomez

Luxi Gong

Alexander J. Goodman

Nicole Lynn Goodwin

Christine Grassi

Kayla Grim

Travis Grim

Zachary Grim

Josiah Grimm

Elizabeth Gross

Brooke Grube

Kathryn Grube

Kevin Guadron

Matthew Guetzlaff

Stephen G. Guignet

Joseph Anthony Guiliano

Taryn Gulkewicz

Joshua Guth

Tyler Guth

Jessica Nicole Haas

Henna Zehra Habib

Gregory Clark Habig

Tarik Richard Haddad

Richard Steven Hagan

Monica L. Hagenauer

Natasha Haines

Elias Henry Hajjar

Tyler D. Hall

Molly Hamill

Paige Hammond

Aaron Jedidiah Hansell

George Henry Hansell, Jr.

Christina Marie Hardin

Samuel R. Harris

Emily Grace Hartman

Austin M. Hartzell

Kristen Haugh

Karissa Hausman

Thomas James Hawkins

Taylor Haydt

Bryan Alexander Heist

Luke Samuel Heist

Emily J. Heller

Justin Scott Heller

Kaitlin Hemmis

Cody A. Hendershot

Rachael Hendricks

Brienne Henninger

John Patrick Henry

Joshua Herring

Robert George Hertman

Evan Herzog

Austin Lee Hess

Sydney M. Hibshman

Kathleen Anne Hickes

Troy Hilbert

Zachary James Hildebeidel

Jessica Hillegass

Amber Hills

Timothy Hilty

John F. Hivizdak

Justin Hoderman

Tyler Hodge

Rebecca Ann Holko

Collins Horbowyj

Austin Horlacher

Molly Horlacher

Branden Horninger

Samuel Jude Horoski

Caitlin J. House

Amanda Houser

Olivia Howell

Jonathan Hower

Joseph Scott Hudock

Vincent James Hudson, III

Katlyn Hufton

Julia N. Hulbert

Emily Claire Hunker

Julie-Ann Schumacher Hutchinson

Alicia Hutchison

Allison Hutton

Mark E. Idleman

Kelsey Imdorf

Robert James Inselmann

Chloe J. Israel

Bailey Gabrielle Jackson

Michael J. Jacobsen

Justin James Jacoby

Eric Michael Jaindl

Ammar Tariq Jamal

Bryn James

Laveranda Elizabeth Jarnagin

Aaron Christopher Jennings

Dean Thomas Jepson

Devin Dean Jepson

Gilbert Jones

Sean Jones

Shawna N. Jones

Shane Justice

Nicholas Kaczmarczyk

Brandon Kaesler

Corinne Kahn

Jaydip Ramesh Kaneria

Sakina Kanji

Aaron Kapes

Jennifer Karlovits

Jasmine I. Kashkoush

Kurtis Kaunas

Nicole Keating

Sean Xavier Keefe

Tyler Keinert

Megan Rose Keiser

Andrea Keller

Matthew S. Kelley

Dakota J. Kelly

Matthew S. Kelly

Daniel Kemmerer

Gregory M. Kemper, Jr.

John Joseph Kennedy

Marcus Anthony Kerchner

Taha R. Kermalli

Joseph V. Kerridge

Salil Ketkar

Tyler Keuler

Zahra Khaku

Anthony A. Khoury

Moshe Kiba

Siobhan E. Kiernan

Eugenia Kim

Tyler Kingston

Lindsey Nicole Kirshner

Elizabeth Anne Kiser

Kayleigh Kistler

Andrew Kitson

Lucas Paul Klegarth

Lauren Michele Klingensmith

Ryan Kloss

Anne Koch

Kristen Kokolus

Alyssa Rochelle Kolumber

Nell Komlos

Halley Kornfeind

Colleen Erin Korp

Matthew Kosar

Julie Kostelnik

Jack Isaac Kottler

Jonathan Peter Kovacs

Michelle Kowalczyk

Jillian Kowker

Joshua T. Kratz

Jay Kratzer

Tyler Dylan Kraus

Tyler David Krause

Koty Krempasky

Katrina Kressler

Janette L. Krulick

Brandon Krum

Angela Krutsick

Robert Krynicki

Stephanie M. Kuebler

Puneet Kumar

Keshav Nair Kumarankandath

Jonathan Kumernitsky

Ryan Kunkle

Oliver Kuntz

Christopher La Due

Nicholas Lacko

Gretchen Monica Lai

Marilyn Lillie Lamb

Austin Lambert

Katie Lantaff

Morgan Lauchnor

Sagar Laud

Danielle Laughlin

Nicole Marie Lawler

Anna Chamberlain LeBoeuf

Ahrang Lee

Jae Kyum Paul Lee

Jeung Hun Lee

Kelsey-Emily D. Leinert

Ryan J. Leitgeb

George James Lemak, III

Bret S. Lesavoy

Aliza J. Levin

Asante Lewis

Justin John Lewis

Winston Z. Li

Melissa Lichtenwalner

Brandon Lee Lilly

Peter-Gay Nikora Lindo

Ruisen Eric Liu

Douglas Lockard

Cory Longenbach

Natia Lopez

Darren Lorah

Jason Denton Lovindeer

Alec V. Lucente

Eric Daniel Luchansky

Anthony C. Luchini

Christian W. Luengen

Luis Alfredo Lugo

Antony Lulciuc

Nicole Grace Lundberg

Rachael Victoria Lundberg

Joseph A. Lundeen

David Lutterschmidt

Samantha Lutz

Chelsea Macdonald

Jessica Alison Maclean

Mark Ross Maletsky

Dolly Malik

Michael S. Malinsky

Ron Mana

Brian F. Mangels

Graham Mantle

Adriena Marano

Jason Aaron Marcante

Joshua Marsala

Brian Craig Martin

Jessica Martin

Daniel Masley

Maha Masood

Takalani Mathivha

Kelsey Michelle Mathna

Kelsey Matika

Peter James Matulewicz, III

Benjamin Ellis Mays

Jason McAllister

Marc Atiba McCaulay

Curt A. McConnell

Thomas McDonald

Kelly Carroll McGinness

Jillian McGovern

Trevor Eugene Clark McIntosh

Ian Paul McKiniry

Mollie McShane

Christopher Lucciano Melcher, Jr.

Mark James Meleta

Zachary James Mellon

Jacob Melusky

Christopher Merklin

Zachary Meyers

Benjamin Ryan Miller

Dalton Blake Miller

David L. Miller

Kevin Miller

Lauren Alyssa Miller

Samantha Mills

Kevin Oscar Flores Mitra

Nishant J. Modi

Aya M. Mohamed

Victoria Molchany

Alissa Molinari

Cassandra Rose Molinaro

Kenneth Gregory Monaco

Rachel Mondschein

Michelle Anissa Moore

Roberta Moraes 

Jean Carlos Moran

Patricia A. M. Moran

Rachel E. Morrison

Laura Marie Morrow

Ashley Nicole Moser Rader

Amanda Moses

Kayla Marie Mosser

Daniel Piotr Mrozowski

Jared Muhs

Megan Mulcahy

Joshua M. Mullin

Patrick T. Murphy

Brian C. Murray

Charles Jesse Nace

Troy Nau

Jacob Neely

Wade Neff

Shaan Negandhi

Calli Neikam

Matthew Nelson

Chelsea Nemeth

Duy M. Nguyen

Christopher Paul Nicholls

Timothy Nickel

Christopher N. Nolan

Sean Vincent Nova

Abigail Novak

Morgan Victoria O'Brien

Timothy O'Brien

Emily O'Connell

Joshua J. O'Hanlon

Ashley Nicole O'Hara

Nzubenna Chukwuma Ofoma

Ogonna Chukwudalu Ofoma

Somtobenna Oluchukwu Ofoma

Amy Oplinger

Maria Betania Ortiz

Kole James Otero

Michael A. Ottinger

Ecem  Ozcan

David Robert Scott Palumbo

Sahil Pandya

Alexa E. Pany

Priyanka Parekh

Spencer H. Paret

Emily Parker

Byron Pash

Ryan A. Pastrick

Alyssa Patari

Kaitlyn Paterson

Alana B. Patton

Carolina Perez-Garcia

Danielle Peters

Joseph Lee Peters

Sydney Peters

Sarah Peterson

Timothy Alexander Peterson

Maura Petrulsky

Michael Pfeiffer

Matthew Phifer

Selena Michelle Phillips

Bethany Pierre

Marissa Nicole Pina

Daniel O. Plinke

Emily Poland

Rachel Polgardy

Alexis Pompa

Deborah Pontone

Stuart Pool

Bryn Posch-Tafuri

Dana Marie Posocco

Jordan Potosky

Eric Pratt

Tanner Preiss

Robert P. Prusak

Alexis Rose Puzzella

William Gene Quier, III

John Henry Quinn

Naryssa Lauren Rademaekers

Sadiah Rahman

Daniel D. Rahusen

Rohit Rajendran

Stefan Alexander Ramos

Bakhtawar Y. Rana

Lauren Ranzino

Elana Michelle Rapoport

Julia Ann Rauch

Kelsey Rauenzahn

Morgan Elizabeth Reed

Andrew Reichard

Morgan Reilly

David J. Reinhold

Stephanie Jena Reph

Lauren Alexis Rhine

Nicholas Riccione

Joshua Rice

Philip G. Riola

Collin A. Ritter

Ashley Veronica Rivera

Jahrel Noel Rivera

Orlando Enrique Rivera, III

Jennifer Rizzolo

Alden Roberts, II

Carolyn Marie Roccato

Connor Joseph Roche

Wendy Janeth Rodas

Matthew Rodgers

Julie Ann Rodriguez

Nicholas Roehler

Marissa Roethlein

Roberto Jose Roman Santiago

Meghan Eileen Rooney

Charlotte Roposh

Danielle B. Rosen

Danielle Roth

Tyler Routson

Danielle Elizabeth Rowland

Nicholas J. Russo

Saige M. Sabitine-Costa

Marisa K. Saeger

Andrew M. Said

George Oluwatobi Salako

Andrew F. Salines

Eric Z. Santee-Gillespie

Katelyn A. Santo

Sarah E. Scandola

Melissa Schlags

Timothy Schleicher

Torie Schlenker

Alaina Schmidt

Mallory S. Schmoyer

Luke Schoemaker

Nicole Schoenen

Elad Schor

Alyssa Nicole Schoup

Thomas James Schubert

Jordan Jennifer Schultz

Bernadette Sarah Schwarz

Ashley Nycole Scott

Tyler Dennis Seiferheld

Lawrence T. Sein, III

Matthew Sell

Austin Semmel

Tamra Lee Seto

Jade Ann Shafer

Aanand Shah

Ankit Dhiren Shah

Erica Katherine Shartle

Daniel Shaw

Megan Shaw

Kelli N. Sheatsley

Jonathan H. Sheftel

Tiffany Sherman

Kaitlyn Shimandle

Matthew Shoemaker

Matthew Shortell

Jenna Shults

Omar Siddiqui

Jordan Siedt

Jacob P. Siegel

Nicholas Silfies

Kaylee D. Simon

Michael Simon

Simran Singh

Johann B. Sinner

Christine Siravo

Robert Benjamin Skinker

Cody Smith

Collin Smith

Alec Snyder

Ashlee Rose Snyder

Danyelle J. Snyder

Kristen M. Snyder

Megan A. Snyder

Hannah Snyder-Samuelson

Michael S. Soden

Matthew S. Sokol

Kristen Soldridge

Zackary Sommer

Vincent Sorrentino

Jenna Souders

Alina C. Spiegel

Aaron Spikol

Kyle Alexander Sprenkle

Sophia Lee Srinivasan

Jason Stachowski

Zachary David Stahl

Celine Stahley

Molly Stankoski

Megan E. Stanley

Cameron Jeffrey Staver

Kyle Henry Steenland

Megan Stefanowicz

Katie Ann Steiner

Joseph Steinmacher

Aimee Stephens

Jamie Stettler

Chase Stetz

Allison Stevenson

Corissa Stevenson

Robert Allen Stiffler, III

Daniel Stinebaugh

Kristin Leigh Stone

Lindsi Stoudt

Jassinna Valenzia Strickland

Taylor Strobl

Emily E. Strong

Dominique Elycia Sturdivant

Courtney R. Sullivan

Tori Summy

Austin Surdoval

Yanil S. Suriel

Ryan N. Sutovich

Dakota Sutter

Trisha M. Swoyer

Hannah S. Symons

Shane Nicholas Taylor

Theodore Colin Taylor

Brandilyn Tebo

Khasan T. Temirbolatov

Connor Tench

Jouse Then

Zachary J. Thompson

Hannah Claire Ticho

Kayleigh Tinjar

Besher Tolaymat

Alyssa Aubrey Tomcho

Sean Toney

Megan N. Torres

Natalie N. Torres

Madeline Townsend

Cameron Trentalange

David Trexler

Michelle Trinh

Kelly Trussell

Douglas M. Turrell

Andrew Simon Twining-Grossett

Katie Unger

Troy G. Unger

Dhrupad Umesh Kumar Upadhyay

Hussain Ali Vakalia

Amanda Valent

Margarete Valent

Shannon Elizabeth Varcoe

Jason Antonio Vazquez

Janette Nicole Velazquez

Sarah Ventura

Alison M. Verna

Michael Vidoni

Samantha Allyson Viola

Elizabeth N. Visco

John Patrick Visco, III

Vrunda Prakash Vithalani

Alex Vratsanos

Alexis Jeannine Walley

Sierra Walp

Mia Rose Walton

Alexander Anlin Wang

Joshua Warner

Alexander J. Weaver

Felicia Weaver

Mary-Noel Weber

Katrina Webster

Brian Weidaw

Ryan Paul Weierbach

Stephanie Weigel

Molly Phillips Weinberg

Travis Weiss

Taylor A. Wejkszner

Matthew Wendling

Bruce Wentworth, III

Brandon Richard Werley

Paige Wernsdorfer

Rosalie Wetzel

Marissa Wexler

Kyle Jeffery White

Erica Lynn Whritenour

Katrina Lynn Wickel

Joana Lisa Wiese

Clayton S. Wild

Drysthian Miguel Williams

Alexander Jeffrey Wilson

Brittany Wiltshire

Dustin Wingate

Margaret Wolf

Samuel I. Wolf

Joseph Wolfe

Stephanie Nicole Wolfe

Joshua Isaiah Worrill

Brad Worthington

Tongxin Wu

Kevin Wynosky

Christian Joseph Xander

Desiree' Marie Yeager

Jesse L. Yeahl

Kristin Young

Kayla Yuditsky

Thomas Henry Zabrenski

Joseph Edward Zacher

Lauren Zahour

Chandler Zalik

Karisa Zapotocky

Matthew Michael Zervanos

Jinghua Zhang

Sarah Richmond Zimskind