LaFAYETTE — The gym of Chambers Academy had standing room only Friday night as it was time to graduate for the senior class.

Paper, graduation programs and other makeshift fans kicked up whatever air possible as the crowded gym reached temperatures well into the nineties, but the heat didn’t affect the ear-to-ear smiles on all of the graduates and their families.

After proceeding in and saying the prayer, the 23 graduates took their seats to hear parting words of encouragement from their class president Kelsey Oliver.

“We have a graduating class that is as diverse as it is the same,” Oliver began. “Diverse in the fact that we all have individual strengths and different talents. Similar in the fact that we have all worked extremely hard. Each of us had individual challenges to overcome whether they were academic, athletic or personal.”

Laney Leavins then recited the class poem, which mentioned each of the graduates individually, lovingly poking fun at all of their defining character attributes. The Salutatorian Isela Orozco and Valedictorian Brinson Sheffield gave their speeches before Headmaster Dr. John Mehaffey offered his congratulations.

The graduating class of 2018 had several milestones, many of which were read throughout the ceremony. Fifty percent of seniors had an “A” average, 90 percent were offered scholarships and the scholarship total was over $1.2 million.

Blake Sheppard and Tori Harmon were crowned Mr. and Ms. Chambers, respectively, and five students — Reed Allen, Jessica Holliday, Kelsey Oliver, Brinson Sheffield and Blake Sheppard — won the CA Original Award, meaning they had been at the school for their entire education.

Other speeches from members of Chambers Academy faculty, representatives from colleges and Mayor Barry Moody were given before the graduating class finally turned their tassels to signify their completion of lower education.