CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The 96th graduation ceremony for Winfield High School took place Wednesday evening in Charleston.
Winfield staff, parents and friends filed into the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center to see the 2023 class of Generals receive their diplomas.
Of the few students chosen to be honorary speakers, student council president Brayton Boggs spoke first and congratulated his fellow classmates while also thanking the the teachers of Winfield.
“With the encouragement from the most influential and devoted teachers in the state of West Virginia, we are now equipped to enter this complictaed world as contributing citizens.
Boggs was also voted by his students as the “General of the Year.” The senior class at Winfield votes on someone for the honor every year. Principal Catherine Schoolcraft said the honor is for a senior who embodies what it means to be a General. Boggs gave more inspiration to his fellow graduates after receiveing the award.
“In order to turn your aspirations into a reality, you have to stop daydreaming and go do it,” he said.
Boggs sees the class of 2023 as role models with lots of confidence to take on the next chapter of their lives.
So too does 2023 academic honor student Rachel Withrow. She said the class faced plenty of challenges, whether it be in the classroom, on the playing field, or in their regular lives, but responded to them well in order to make it to graduation.
“Our class knows how to react to problems in a positive way,” Withrow said. “We have bonded together and overcome them in a big way.”
Principal Schoolcraft recognized the work of the students in getting past all their obstacles. She said the ’23 class reeled in over $6,500,000 in scholarship money, and 66% of them are honor students.
Schoolcraft also mentioned all the achievements from academic and athletic teams, in which they brought in multiple state championships this spring.