Enterprise, Ala. – The senior class of a southern Alabama high school destroyed by a tornado graduated Thursday night – but made sure that their two classmates killed in the storm were part of the ceremony too.
Two chairs on the football field at Enterprise High School were left empty in memory of Michael D. Tompkins and Jamie Ann Vidensek, both 17.
On the seats of each were the cap and gown the two would have worn, along with their diplomas. The items were later given to the students’ parents.
“To Jamie and Mikey, we wish you were here. We will carry your memory with us forever,” said a message read by Jessica Bullinger and Melinda Gooch, two of the 21 students named valedictorians after achieving 4.0 grade-point averages.
Tompkins and Vidensek were among eight students killed March 1 when a hallway collapsed as students huddled in the corridor.
The same storm system killed an elderly woman in Enterprise, another man in Alabama and nine people in Georgia.
“We know they aren’t here with us physically, but mentally they are here and they are in our hearts,” said senior Doug Brown.
Parents cheered and shouted when their children’s names were announced, and balloons were released into the air, but many of the roughly 340 graduates said the storm was never far from their minds as they sat on the football field surrounded by ruins of the high school.
“The scenery reminded me of it. But what happened was for a reason, and everyone came out stronger,” senior Emily Miller said.
Principal Rick Rainer, who helped pull rubble off students in the collapsed hallway, said school officials tried to keep the ceremony traditional.
Unlike the school’s prom, where the food was prepared by chef Rachael Ray, and pop singer Mandy Moore made an appearance, no celebrity guests were invited to the graduation.
But there were special moments. One of them was a letter from President Bush.
“You have shown the world that adversity can bring out the best in the American people,” Bush said in the letter, which was read by Rainer.
