Bayshore High School students fill slate with memories

When the Bayshore High School Class of 2016 first started its journey in high school, the students came in with clean slates, student speaker Ariel Diaz said Friday. Over the past four years, the proverbial slates have filled up.

With memories — happy and sad — and with some mistakes.

“That slate is covered, not in grime, but in a coat that would suit a king,” Diaz said.

In speaking to his classmates during the Bayshore graduation ceremony at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, Diaz told them to enjoy these days, for one day, these days would become the student’s ‘back in the day’ days. One day, their children would be outpacing them using new-fangled technology and the students would be the adults, struggling to catch up on the latest trends.

“Take advantage of the moment while you can still text at 43 words per minute,” he said.

At the end, Diaz rattled off rapid-fire advice for students: perspective is everything, attitude is a choice, circumstances are developed and the people you surround yourself with rub off on you. And finally, Diaz reminded the students of an ever-present constant in their lives moving forward.

“No matter what we become, we will always be Bruins,” he said.

The Class of 2016 was joined by former Bruins as the school celebrated its 40th graduating class by having former staff members, including some inaugural employees, lead the student processional into the auditorium.

This story was originally published June 3, 2016 at 8:11 PM with the headline "Bayshore High School students fill slate with memories."