Glad to be grads

Marcus Sanchez said he saw a group of students whose futures may entail college, the U.S. armed forces and motherhood as he looked onto the crowd of his fellow Portales High graduates, but most importantly, he saw his friends.

Sanchez was one of the seniors to salute his class before they made the grand walk across stage into adulthood.

Portales High School graduated more than 140 students Friday night in Eastern New Mexico University's Greyhound Arena.

CMI correspondent: Joshua Lucero

Zack Green celebrates as he walks on stage to receive his diploma Friday night during Portales high school's graduation ceremony at Greyhound Arena.

But before the graduates celebrated their own accomplishments, they remembered those who will never get to see high school.

PHS Principal Melvin Nusser placed seven honorary diplomas on empty seats for the tornado victims of Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Okla. The school administration plans to send the diplomas to the victims' families next week.

Graduate JayCee Pullen of Portales is planning to celebrate a new life. Pullen said she spent her senior year pregnant and is due to give birth to a girl on June 1. She says graduating will teach her daughter about never giving up on her goals.

"It makes me feel like I can do anything," Pullen said. "I made it through my whole senior year. We started from kindergarten and we're all like best friends."

In addition to looking forward to motherhood, Pullen said she's also looking forward to furthering her education this fall at ENMU.

Branden Weringa, who grew up in San Diego before moving to Portales, says he's eager to move to a big city after graduation, Weringa played football and golf in high school, but he decided to turn the latter into a future.

"I'm moving to Chicago to play golf," Weringa said. "It's a big city, I want to go to a big city."

He says high school taught him responsibility and he thinks that will benefit him when he makes the big move.

"I'll be able to live on my own."

CMI correspondent: Joshua Lucero

Students celebrate after receiving their diplomas.

LaShay Duran of Portales said it made her emotional when her mother brought her daughter Aspen to the stage to walk down the ramp with her. Duran felt touched that she was able to share that moment with her little girl.

"It means a lot, to do what I did and graduate," Duran said.

Being a young mother in high school, Duran said her baby will learn that anything is possible. Duran plans to study nursing at Clovis Community College in the fall.

Abby Legler of Portales described graduation as a bittersweet moment.

"It's kind of sad but it's exciting," Legler said.

Legler sang in the PHS Choir all four years and said her favorite memory her senior year was going to Dallas with the choir. She was also in Future Farmers of America, ran track and a member of the honor society.

"I don't think I'd do anything differently," Legler said. "High school was great."

Zachary Blaeser said he was the greatest ram and had an award to prove it. Blaeser played soccer, football, baseball and basketball.

"Nothing meant more than getting the Greatest Ram Award," Blaeser said. "I worked my whole high school career to earn it."

Blaeser is looking at several junior colleges where he hopes to play baseball.