Goodbye Middle School! West Hollow Holds Moving Up Ceremony

No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks...at least until high school.

The auditorium lit up with cheers Wednesday night as 484 rising freshman bid farewell to in an eighth grade moving up ceremony.

The students walked across the stage with pride as they reflected on the challenges presented to them over the past three years.

Remembering locker combinations, getting to class before the bell rings and discovering their own identities were all tests overcome during their adolescent years, remarked class president Ryan DeLouya, who spoke of his appreciation for the teachers and staff of West Hollow.

"Thank you for encouraging us to be the best we can be...We will take high school by storm," he said.

Recalling numerous service activities the students took on, Principal Milton Strong said that the Class of 2015 is marked with "the spirit to act."

"I will cherish the years we've had together as you prepare to chart a new course...My hope is that you will continue the tradition of excellence at Half Hollow Hills," he said.

As they prepared for the first step in their high school careers, Strong left the rising freshmen with one last word of encouragement from a doctor they all have come to know.

"You're on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go."

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