JASPER — Hamilton County’s Class of 2020 missed out on quite a bit.

From prom to grad bash and the last two-plus months of the school year, there were plenty of missed opportunities to celebrate.

But at Friday’s commencement ceremony, Valedictorian Jordyn Doolittle told her fellow classmates to make up for all of it there.

“Think of all the last changes that we weren’t able to celebrate and celebrate them now,” Doolittle said. “Prom, grad bash, all of the things we looked forward to doing our last year here, celebrate all of those things tonight, because we deserve to be celebrated.”

That Class of 2020 earned that celebration despite the change that the COVID-19 coronavirus threw at them in mid-March. The class of 100 graduates included 13 summa cum laude honors, six magna sum laude and 14 cum laude.

The class received those honors with help from their parents as well as grandparents and other role models.

“The greatest gift a parent can give a child in unconditional love,” Ashley Hand quoted Herbert Walker in a tribute to their parents. “As a child wanders and strays, finding his bearings, he needs a sense of absolute love from a parent.”

Salutatorian Andrea Cromartie, meanwhile, encouraged the Class of 2020 to remember both the good days and the weary nights that they endured throughout the years in order to get to graduation.

“Be an inspiration, give back to your community both near and far,” she said. “I have been taught to show appreciativeness and to work hard without expecting anything in return.

“My prayer is for great success and a happy future for all of us.”

One unexpected gift was presented from Superintendent Rex Mitchell to Class President Diamond Jones. Mitchell gave Jones the congratulations Class of 2020 sign that was first hung at his residence before moving to the high school.

Mitchell told Jones and the graduating class how proud he was of they way they overcame the obstacles thrown in their way.

He presented Jones with the sign so that the class may have it in the years to come for reunions.