CAIRO — Nearly 280 Syrupmakers walked across the field of West Thomas Stadium to receive their diplomas as part of Cairo High School’s graduation ceremony Friday night.

In his valedictory speech, Ian Batey told the graduating Class of 2019 that their futures are no longer in the hands of parents and teachers and that they now have the freedom to shape their lives as they see fit — for better or worse.

“There is no more extra credit, re-dos, or credit recovery,” the valedictorian said. “What you do is your decision and yours alone.”

Salutatorian Thomas Jones invited the graduates to look back on their years at CHS and embody the Syrupmaker motto for the rest of their lives.

“In the future, there will inevitably be obstacles,” Jones said. “In these hard times, I hope our memories will turn back to Cairo High School and all the joyous times we had and that you may be comforted in knowing that there are individuals that support you and as long as we retain our integrity, character, and dedication that Cairo High School has taught us, we can overcome any hurdle.”