By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – Students in Shelby County High School’s Class of 2019 celebrated the culmination of more than a decade of hard work as they received their diplomas May 21.

“Class of 2019, we did it,” valedictorian Billy Fryer said to his classmates, who were seated in front of him in the packed McChesney Student Activity Center at the University of Montevallo. “The days and nights were super long, but the weeks, months and years were short looking back. These past years have been great.”

The school’s 105^th graduation ceremony started with the processional of graduates and the SCHS Choir, directed by Ashlyn Kuyrkendall, singing “Alleluia” by Mark Repasky.

Grace Baptist Church Pastor Tim Driskell offered the invocation, followed by remarks from Miss SCHS 2018-2019 Gaylon Beasley and SGA Executive Vice President Lakelyn Bentley.

Senior Sponsor Anne Stansell presented the Johnson-Pope Award to Gaylon Beasley, Gracie Driskell and Billy Fryer.

The award, given each year in honor of two former educators, is the highest honor bestowed upon a graduating senior from SCHS based on leadership and academics.

Stansell said the faculty was unable to choose just one recipient this year.

The SCHS Class of 2019 earned about $2.2 million in scholarships.

“We challenge you to lead a life of service and to make the world around you a better place,” SCHS Principal Barbara Snyder said to the graduates.