VALDOSTA — Valdosta High School graduated its largest class ever Friday night.

Graduates marched into Bazemore-Hyder Stadium promptly at 8 p.m. to the sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance.” They were welcomed by Kayla Calloway, a VHS senior and Georgia state champion in the FLEX Entrepreneur competition.

Following a prayer, Dr. Johnnie Marshall, principal of the school, stepped to the podium.

“Class of 2024, you stand on the shoulders of all previous classes of Valdosta High and are uplifted by the powerful community of dedicated Wildcat educators, beloved family and friends, and invested community stakeholders who have supported you to this moment as you have matured from young, curious and eager elementary scholars to confident, talented and skilled graduates.”

Marshall said the students have been encouraged to maintain a high GPA — grade point average — throughout their school years, but he told them going forward their success would be determined by a different GPA: Goals, Progress and Attitude.

He listed members of the class who’ve already set and achieved goals: Bryant Miley, valedictorian; Nyla Cook, salutatorian; Kerry Smith, third scholar; Kayla Calloway, owner of KB Soap and Georgia state champion of the FLEX Entrepreneur competition; Hannah Childress, one of six finalists for National Student of the Year for the National Speech and Debate Association; Kori Campbell, an honor graduate and the first female to wrestle at the collegiate level for Valdosta High; and Jamil Williams, an honor graduate, photographer and 800-meter school record holder.

Goals alone are not enough, Marshall said, using a quote from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.: “If you can’t fly, run. If you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”

He encouraged graduates to develop an attitude of perseverance.

“Challenges will undoubtedly arise,” he said, “but it is through resilience and determination you will overcome.”

Marshall urged them to develop other attributes too, and named current and former Valdosta High staff as exemplars. He told graduates:

— Be committed to your purpose like Roosevelt Lother and Gnann Moser, who together taught at Valdosta High for 84 years.

— Be compassionate like Braden Anderson and Jay Ball, founders of Kits for Cats, a charity that provides shoes and scholarships for students.

— Be courageous and innovative, like former Principal Janice Richardson, who led VHS through the global pandemic.

— Be visionary like Ingrid Hall, former assistant principal at VHS and legacy principal at the Valdosta Early College Academy.

— Be victorious like coaches Nick Hyder and Wright Bazemore.

— Be inspirational like Lanita McDuffy, a legacy teacher at the Early College Academy and Marshall’s own mentor.

— Be humble, kind and dependable like Dr. Alvin Hudson, the deputy school superintendent, who has served Valdosta City schools for 35 years.

Marshall said the Class of 2024 had 520 candidates for graduation, the most ever. Of them, 140 were honor graduates, which is one of the largest groups of such scholars in VHS history. One hundred thirty-eight participated in Senior Signing Day, and 296 completed a CTAE pathway. Dual enrollment students in the class earned hundreds of college credits.

Marshall was followed by the singing of the class song, “Finally I Believe,” made famous by the singer Fantasia.

Salutatorian Nyla Cook urged her classmates to savor the moment.

“None of you will be forgotten as your history is forever carved into Valdosta High School,” she said.

Valedictorian Bryant Miley’s address looked back with fondness and looked forward with confidence.

“Thank you and good luck,” he told his classmates. “We’ve got this!”

The graduates lined up and, as their names were called, received their diplomas. The assembly sang the VHS alma mater, and Valdosta City Schools Superintendent Dr. Craig Lockhart instructed them to move their tassels from the right of their caps to the left. He then pronounced them graduates of Valdosta High, and the Class of 2024 threw their caps into the air in celebration.