By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

BIRMINGHAM–As the hundreds of soon-to-be Oak Mountain High School graduates sat on the floor of Bartow Arena on Wednesday, May 23, a fellow classmate had a simple message to convey to his peers during the class of 2018 commencement exercises.

In a world where it’s so easy to get caught up in the little details and stress can seem endless, Oak Mountain High School class of 2018 Valedictorian Joseph Pendry said life is too short to get caught up in the little details.

After taking a moment of silence to remember and honor three classmates that passed away in the class of 2018, Pendry took the time to recognize them.

“We as a class, have struggled through many hardships,” Pendry said. “We lost far too many close friends who never had a chance to be here tonight. It’s as much a time for mourning as it is a time for celebration but I say these things not to scare or upset you, but to remind you of one simple truth that life is short. The truth is, it’s so easy to get caught up in the little details and to lose sight of the bigger picture. Seize every day as if it were your last. Life is short assuming the most of what little time we have. The things that make you cry today are the ones that we’ll laugh at tomorrow. The times you spent laughing today, we’ll look back on and cry.”

Also at the commencement was Shelby County Board of Education member David Bobo who had three parts of advice to the class of 2018 and that was to, “Dare greatly, be persistent and commit to things that matter to you.”

At the ceremony, Senior Class President Grace Griffin led the Pledge of Allegiance followed by the singing of the National Anthem by the OMHS Singers.

To view or purchase more photos from graduation, visit Shelbycountyphotos.com.