001All right. All right. Yeah. All right. I'm sorry. Sorry. Not all right. Don't taste All right. I'm trying. Please stand. Heat. Thank you. Please be seated. All right. Good morning. Good morning. Um, I'm Brian Hollowman. I'm one of the teachers with ACLA. I've been a teacher here in Anderson County for over 24 years with um over 15 of those with in the alternative school program. So, um, and this is a very special day for me and my privilege to welcome you to the 2026 spring graduation ceremony of the Anderson County Learning Academy. We are thrilled to have all of you here with us today. We'd like to offer a warm welcome to our graduates, their families and friends, our incredible teachers and staff, any member of the school board, um, Miss Sheila Mitchell, and all
002of the other um, school administrators, and lastly, all of our special guests that are with us today. Thank you all for joining us to celebrate these students. They have worked hard. They've stayed the course. They've battled through all of those Edmonton classes, right? But hey, you survived and are here ready to see where life takes you next. Today is a very unique day for us. This is our second graduation this school year, but I can tell you it is just as special in so many ways. We have a new group that are ready to take on life's challenges. They have shown resilience, determination, and an impressive skill at putting up with all of us teachers and counselors. Constantly nudging and maybe nagging just a little bit, but you're welcome. To our graduates, we are incredibly
003proud of you. You've pushed through challenges not many outside these walls understand. discovered strengths you maybe never knew you even had. And you've proven that success doesn't look the same for everyone. You sit here today, not just as students finishing a chapter, but as young adults ready to take on whatever comes next. You've earned this moment. Again, thank you all for being here to celebrate another historic moment for our program. Congratulations to the 2026 spring graduating class. We're proud of you. We believe in you and we can't wait to see what you do next. At this point, Dr. Anissa Pen Davis will come front and recognize all of our staff and special guests. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Hollowman. Sorry, I have to stand on my tip toes. So, good morning. My name is
004Dr. Anissa Pin Davis. This is my 22nd year with Anderson County Schools and my fifth year with the ACLA team, and I'm so excited to see this group of students graduate today. And I hope they realize they are much smarter and more capable than what they often give themselves credit for. Today marks a very special milestone in the lives of our Anderson County Learning Academy graduates. And I would like to take a moment to introduce our staff and guests. Joining us today are superintendent Sheila Mitchell. We have assistant superintendent and ACLA director Travis Harley. Counselor Kimberly Jennifer, secretary Karissa Rollins. We have our home hospital teacher, Melissa Spencer, who couldn't be with us today. high school and special education advisor Brian Hollowerman and high school and middle school adviser me. We are also honored to
005have members of the Anderson County Board of Education with us today. We have Jason Collins, Scott Brown, Steve Carmichael, Sunny Fentres, and James Sergeant Head to Work today. Additionally, we would like to thank Kim Black, Patty Oaks, Maryanne Richie Cornish, Megan Drury, Clay Bird Whistle, CJ Penny, Lieutenant Tony Lyens, and Becca Hayes. And while these individuals are not members of the ACLA staff, they are wonderful supporters and positive influences in the lives of our students. To our families, friends, staff, and guests, welcome. Thank you for being here to celebrate this important achievement. Most importantly to our graduates, we are incredibly proud of each of you. Your perseverance, determination, and growth have brought you to this moment. And today, we celebrate not only what you have accomplished, but the bright futures ahead of you. Congratulations graduates.
006We are so very proud of you. And at this time, Miss Kimberly Jennifer will come to the podium to address the graduates. Good morning everyone. My name is Kimberly Jennifer. I'm the school counselor here at ACLA. Our program mission is to lead students in developing the necessary life skills to be successful in today's world. We create non-traditional pathways for students in grades 6 through 12 to be successful. We provide flexible enrollment opportunities for students enduring health conditions, working to support their family, students in need of more personal school environment, behavior concerns, credit recovery, and acceleration. Already this year, we have completed over 600 recovered credits. We have graduated 45 students. I want to thank the graduates of today. We could not be here without you. All of you, some of you have known since you
007were 5 years old. Um but all of you I love you very much. If you need us after today, you know where to find me. I will always be here for you. Um you are always to hold a special place in my heart. Never stop believing in yourself and do not let anybody tell you otherwise. I love all you all very much. And now I want to introduce our keynote speaker at this time, Superintendent Miss Sheila Mitchell. Good morning. I'm Superintendent Sheila Mitchell and I am honored and humbled to be speaking at this very important graduation ceremony this morning. Graduates and families, welcome to the Anderson County Learning Academy commencement ceremony for the spring. This is a special day. The day we view as one of the biggest milestones of our lives, graduation day. Today
008is your day. Your day to celebrate all that you have accomplished your successes and your successes. This morning, I'll ask you to think about what has been or is your biggest success. As you think about that, I'll ask you to remember that success is defined by each unique individual person. Your success will be very different, may be very different than the classmate sitting next to you or behind you or in front of you. Success is about finding happiness and having pride after putting in all the hard work and all the effort. Success is about knowing what you want to accomplish and achieving it. Success is about finishing, about not giving up, and about having the grit to stay the course when the journey gets tough. That is true success. Your whole future is ahead of
009you. What comes next is your choice. Your next success. A job, a career, college, a spouse, a family, a baby in your life, in your pathway is determined by what you choose. What you define as your success. You see, success is never ending unless you choose it to be. Unless you choose to give up or choose another path. Today, you chose to finish. You chose to persevere. You chose to graduate. You chose a moment of success that will help you continue to succeed in life. You chose to do the hard work and put in the time and the effort. You chose to finish. You chose to become a graduate. Your school experiences will soon become memories, some good and some maybe that you wished you'd like to forget. But you will never forget those sitting
010beside you, around you, behind you, or on the stage who helped you, cared about you, and loved you and will continue to love you. Those special people who are lifelong, those who are family and those who are like family. Those who reminded you of the why and built your confidence to know that you are capable and able to accomplish whatever you set your mind to do. Do not let this day go by without letting them know how thankful and grateful you are for their support. These special people will always remember you. They will continue to be your biggest cheerleaders and they will want the life updates. They will always be there ready to give an encouragement or advice during the tough times and to celebrate the good times. They will want to know what you
011found as your defined success. This day, we all know, signifies that you are adults ready and excited for the life journey ahead. Your path to graduation may not have been easy. Life may not be either. Your road may may have been bumpy. You may have had a challenge or two along the way. And life may also bring a few challenges ahead as well. Always remember how you pushed through, persevered, and succeeding in earning this diploma today, this successful moment. When life gets tough, and it will. Remember, you define your own success. Be confident that you can and will be successful no matter what challenge comes your way. I'll leave you with this poem entitled The Unwritten Path. We walked a different track not paved with gold. Our lessons learned in stories yet untold. Some call
012it the off the path. A winding way. But we but here we found our own strength day after day. No standard blueprint fitted on our unique mold. Just grit and heart, more precious than gold. So raise your heads, you architects of change. Your futures are bright. Within your own wide range. The world awaits your brilliance that you possess. From unconventional paths comes true success. I wish each of you God's blessings as you find your true success. Congratulations, spring ACLA graduates. You make all of us so proud. Remember that we are always here for you and will continue to pray for you every day. Congratulations. If you guys don't mind, can we give Dr. Davis, Kim, Jennifer, Carissa Rollins, Brian Hall, a round of applause. So, good stuff. This what we're here for. Excited. Ladies and
013gentlemen, we are about to begin the presentation of diplomas. Please make sure you cheer and clap as long as you want. Totally fine with it. But I will wait until it's the time of the next one. So if we're here all day, it's not going to be my fault, but it's to make sure everybody gets their name heard. But please cheer. Please clap. This is what this is for. Okay. The alleyway. If you guys don't mind, if you come up to take pictures, please observe the young lady, Miss Beasley. She's going to be taking pictures of each of our graduates. Okay? If you need to move, be respectful of folks. Just slide over so everybody can take all the pictures that you want. Nothing. We don't want you to miss anything on this. Please. Yep.
014That's what I was supposed to say. Graduates, please stand up. Presentation of diplomas will begin now. super excited for this moment. Thank you. Let's all enjoy this. >> All right. Logan Carter Carpenter. Serenity Len Korn >> Connor Lee Edington Branson Fairchild, >> Isabella Catherine Hail, Sean Andrew Hawkins, >> Iris Hoffman, Harley Leah Hooper. Jaden Allen Hopkins, >> Devin Markeel Morris Caitlyn Olivia Pack, >> Jolina Dakota Hortwood Kayen Blake Riley, Justin Shane Sadler, Evan James Sutherland, Jack Thomas Taylor Bobby Russell Tensure Devin Kevin Dale Waldridge, Christina Hope Watkins. We have one round of applause for all of our graduates. Oh, Congratulations. ations on your well-earned diploma. Guys and gals, this is a benchmark that's been completed and you've completed the requirements to pass through to the beginning. Yes, I said the beginning, not the end. It
015all just starts now. It is time when you will hone your skills to become what it is you want to become. Other benchmarks in front of you as well. more school, possibly additional training, job applications, interviews, relationship decisions, marriage, children, your children's graduation, and much more. So, not all experiences that you will have moving forward, not all of them will be good. But they're all part of God's plan. His plan is better than our own. Trust it. It's better. the people around you, the family, the supporters, they all love you and want to see you succeed. We'll be wrapping up our ceremony today together with fellowship downstairs. We want everybody to stay as long as you want. We want you to stay and eat all you want to eat and take home all you want
016to eat. Okay? The pleasure of having the ability to succeed and fail with you is great. That is life. Succeed and fail. Over, redo, over, redo. Anybody that's standing in here right right now that hears anything other than that that's got a better plan, let me know. That's that's the that's the game we play. Okay. Be gritty. That's what the boss said. The boss said be gritty right here. Be gritty. World is not easy. It's tough. In that book they gave you, there's some instructions in there on some good stuff. Doesn't mean you have to follow every one of them, but what it says is work hard, have a plan, don't quit, don't let somebody get in your way that's in way of what you want to do and what you want to be. Okay,
017that's all I got on that. We're going to conclude now and we will go downstairs for our reception. Ladies and gentlemen, support family, we appreciate you greatly that you're here with the children. We appreciate everything you've done to get them across the finish line. Staff members, students, and all of we appreciate you greatly. You're telling me to turn your test. I'm not there yet. I'm not there yet. I told you all you had to give us that diploma, right? Graduates, at this time, please move your tassels from the right to the left and let your journey begin. And if you want to throw them, you throw them. That concludes our ceremony this morning. Thank you for being here. How do you stand?