VALDOSTA – Despite a pandemic and trying times, the Lowndes High School Class of 2021 graduates made it to the finish line.

Lowndes graduated 586 students during its 55th commencement ceremony Saturday in Martin Stadium in front of family and friends.

Resiliency and inspiration dominated speeches from the valedictorian, salutatorian and class president.

Valedictorian Teressa Konyo Akuoko recognized challenges her peers faced as a result of the pandemic while salutatorian Jil Harnish Patel shared motivating words.

Patel concluded his speech reminding the graduates of togetherness.

“No matter where you are, it’s always One Lowndes,” he said.

Lee Calvin Fongeallaz, class president and honor graduate, called the Class of 2021 “the generation of change.”

“I pray that no matter what you guys do in life, you do it with love as the school and Jesus have taught us,” he said. “ … I know no matter where you end up, it will be impactful with whomever you come in contact with.”

In a world he labeled as broken, Fongeallaz said he and his graduating class can fix it with love.

He added they can be victorious against anything they face as they have during the past year.

“We can change the world from merely surviving to utterly thriving instead by creating the unity amongst each other,” he said. “ … We stand together in unity knowing that we can conquer anything that comes our way.”

Fongeallaz noted the class motto: “If COVID can’t stop us, nothing can.”

Of the 586 graduates, Lowndes Principal LeAnne McCall said 290 were honor graduates.

Three hundred students plan to attend a four-year university while 125 plan to attend a two-year college, McCall said. Twenty-two students have committed to serve in the Armed Forces, she said.

More than 380 are Hope scholarship-eligible going into the next school year.

Twenty-eight regional athletic championships have been won at Lowndes during the Class of 2021’s time.