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Students enter UAB's Bartow Arena at Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Students pose for a photo in a downstairs hallway prior to Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. From left are Zachary Cooper, Jordan Curtis, Camron Glover and Tyler Wiggins.
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The video board at Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Audience members capture the action on video at Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Members of Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 watch as diplomas are presented during their graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Hoover HIgh School Class of 2023 President Connor White welcomes the crowd during his class's graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Members of Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 watch as diplomas are presented during their graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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A man takes a photo from the balcony seating at Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Members of Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 stand in their graduation ceremony at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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at Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Hugs were aplenty after Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Hoover HIgh School Principal John Montgomery hands out a diploma during the Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Whitney Northcutt, left, gives a hug to her brother, Hoover HIgh School Class of 2023 graduate Ryan Steeley, at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Hoover HIgh School Principal John Montgomery hands out a diploma during the Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Members of Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 make their way to get their diploma during their graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Emma Tew, right, gives a hug to fellow Hoover HIgh School Class of 2023 graduate Lauren Wiley after their graduation ceremony at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Hoover HIgh School Class of 2023 graduate Jay Avery poses for a photo with his father, Daniel Bray, left, and Corey Harris after his graduation ceremony at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Members of Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 watch as diplomas are presented during their graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Students wait in a downstairs hallway prior to Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Students enter UAB's Bartow Arena at Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Students wait in a downstairs hallway prior to Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Members of Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 make their way to get their diploma during their graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Members of Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 listen during their graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Lauren Geisler, one of 31 valedictorians for the Hoover HIgh School Class of 2023, gives remarks at her class's graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Hoover HIgh School Principal John Montgomery gives remarks at the school's Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Students enter UAB's Bartow Arena at Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Hoover HIgh School Class of 2023 graduate Micah Daugherty poses for a photo with supporters after her graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Students mingle after Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Hoover HIgh School Class of 2023 graduate Ala'a Al-Najjar poses for a photo with her parents, Suhad Zahran and Mahmoud Al-Najjar, at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Hoover HIgh School Class of 2023 graduate Blake Carroll poses for a photo with his mother, Alli Creel, after his graduation ceremony at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Members of Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 watch as diplomas are presented during their graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Members of Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 watch as diplomas are presented during their graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Members of the audience take photos during Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Hoover HIgh School Principal John Montgomery hands out a diploma during the Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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A member of Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 shows his diploma to the audience during graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Members of Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 make their way to get their diploma during their graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Hoover High School Student Government Association President Kyle Gullahorn speaks to the crowd at the Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Members of Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 stand in their graduation ceremony at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Student speakers wait their turn on stage at Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. In front, from left, are Student Government Association President Kyle Gullahorn, Senior class President Connor White and valedictorians Lauren Geisler and Mdhun Sadanand.
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Members of Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 stand as their graduation ceremony begins at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Twins Colin and Lydia Rengering pose for a photo in a downstairs hallway prior to Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
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Students pose for a photo in a downstairs hallway prior to Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. From left are Ella Rendon, Lydia Rengering and Valentina Rendon.
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Students wait in a downstairs hallway prior to Hoover HIgh School's Class of 2023 graduation at UAB's Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
Hoover High School’s 631 graduating seniors in the Class of 2023 walked across the commencement stage at UAB’s Bartow Arena Wednesday night with almost $49 million worth of scholarship offers and almost $16 million in scholarships accepted, school officials said.
They were accepted into 265 colleges and universities across the country, and 124 of them documented more than 14,000 hours of combined community service, Principal John Montgomery said.
The class of 2023 clearly recognizes the benefit of having a strong work ethic, and “I think Hoover graduates understand the importance of living a life of purpose,” Montgomery said.
“By having teachers that care about you in and out the classroom, and by being given the opportunity to learn to work as a team, and by providing you the time to learn your personal strengths, your education and time spent at Hoover will last far beyond tonight,” he said.
He told the graduates that the academic foundation they have built will prepare them for future studies and training, but equally important for future success at work.
“Living with a purpose and working hard to achieve that purpose automatically gives whatever you are doing value and can actually make an incredibly difficult task easy, and if not easy, at least enjoyable,” Montgomery said.
He challenged the graduates to trust in their heart and their mind and be unafraid in what lies ahead.
Lauren Geisler, one of 31 valedictorians at Hoover High this year, told the graduation crowd that she had been inspired by a poster on the wall in her fifth grade math class. It said “shoot for the moon. Even in you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
That poster has resounded with her ever since, she said.
“Take every opportunity without fear of failure. Make every moment count,” Geisler said. “You can make more money, but you can’t make more time. Time is a finite gift, so for every opportunity you are presented, don’t just think; do.”
Thinking is important for the cultivation of the mind and for gaining perspective, but the time for doing is now, she said. “It’s time to walk out into the world and, like Nike says it, ‘Just do it.’”
Midhun Sadanand, another valedictorian who spoke, said he remembers walking into Hoover High School as a freshman, meeting new teachers, trying to find a seat in the cafeteria and getting lost in Hoover’s seemingly endless hallways.
But now, looking back, he can see the courage, fortitude and determination that they each possess that allowed them to overcome those fears and the unique set of challenges they each faced individually and collectively, he said.
“We will continue to embark on these incredible adventures that will change our lives,” Sadanand said.
He advised his classmates to look around to the people on their right and left and know that they can learn from each person around them. They can discover and grow the intangible quality of life, such as passion, patience and kindness, he said.
“In an increasingly turbulent world, a willingness to absorb and grow from the perspective of others will undeniably from the foundation of our future lives,” Sadanand said.
While they may not remember the timelime of the Mexican revolution, the skill of learning how to learn from others and really enjoy that process of learning will follow them wherever life takes them, he said.
“The greatness of humanity lies in the decision to overcome and be stronger than our condition,” Sadanand said.
Senior class President Connor White encouraged his classmates to remember the importance of living life in the moment and enjoy where they are right now. Someday they’ll look back and wish they could come back to this exact moment in time, he said.
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