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Members of the Coffee County Virtual Academy Class of 2023 gathered with their families and friends for a sunset graduation ceremony on the historic Manchester town square Thursday, May 25.

The students took their seats while an electric guitar rang out the Pomp and Circumstance, perhaps better known as the graduation march. While the Class of 2023 is the second class of students to graduate from the Virtual Academy, it is the first class to have its own solo graduation ceremony, separate from the Coffee County Central High School ceremony.

Virtual Academy Principal Jeff Johnson congratulated students on reaching this milestone.

“Seniors, first and foremost, we are here. I would like to commend you on this milestone achievement,” he said. “This is an achievement that will stick with you the rest of your lives and no one can take that away from you.”

Dr. Charles Lawson, director of schools, said when he was asked to speak during the graduation ceremony, he thought about what message he could provide to the graduates.

“There are two phrases, ‘better than’ and ‘better for’,” Lawson said. “When you go out into the world, if you compete against others for positions and for success in life, being ‘better than’ gives you a leg up. Being better than you were the day before also gives you a leg up, and one thing that you have already had a chance to experience is ‘better for’.”

Lawson said if he were asked if Coffee County Central High School is “better than” the Coffee County Virtual Academy, he would not be able to answer the question.

“That is much better answered with ‘better for’,” he said. “For the students before me, Coffee County Virtual Academy was ‘better for’ them for their high school career.”

Lawson said he is glad the Coffee County Schools Board of Education voted to create the Virtual Academy a few years ago.

“Now there is another opportunity for students in Coffee County to choose what is better for them, and as you move forward in life you are going to face those decisions more and more,” Lawson said.

Member of the Coffee County Virtual Academy Class of 2023 include:

-Aaliyah Wieland, Valedictorian

-Tori Prater, Salutatorian

-Aaliyah Blaylock

-Hailey Blackwood

-Hannah Garner

-Faith Green

-Kailin Gurdak

-Tryana Hampton

-Blake Marshall

-Ryleigh Montgomery

-Brianna Moore

-Jordan Smith

-Kyle Yonekura

Last year, the first three seniors from the virtual academy graduated in a joint ceremony with Coffee County Central High School as the first graduating class.