St. Joseph Church was standing room only Friday evening as St. Joseph Central Catholic High School graduated its largest class in many years when 27 seniors received their diplomas.

“I love my seniors. They’ve been very special to me. Just a good, good group of kids,” Paul Mollett, principal, said. “I can’t tell you how much of a pleasure it’s been having this class. I’m proud of them and will miss them.”

Brianna Bridges transferred to the school and said that she didn’t know what to expect, but that she is glad that she made the move.

“I transferred to St. Joe my sophomore year from Green High School,” she said. “I think the best thing about St. Joe is how close we are as a class.”

Bridges also said that her favorite memory from St. Joe was winning sectionals in basketball. She will attend Kentucky Christian University in the fall to play basketball and study business.

“I’ve had a fantastic time in high school,” Elijah Lutz said. “I’m really happy I get to move on, but I will miss these guys. They’re like family.”

Lutz will study political science at Asbury University in the fall and hopes to become a lawyer.

Another transfer to the school, Jacob Clark, said that the variety shows were his favorite part of high school at St. Joe.

“I transferred from Coal Grove in eighth grade,” he said. “The four years of variety show were really cool. We do crazy skits and make up songs. It brings everyone closer and it’s just a good time that relieves stress.”

Clark plans to study space sciences at Morehead State University in the fall.

“I’m always impressed with the work St. Joe does with its students. With six valedictorians, it can only be an indication of the hard work they put into school,” Paul Ward, superintendent of the Catholic diocese, said. “There’s a wonderful spiritual aspect of commencement here that places the ceremony solely in the environment of the Catholic faith.”

Bryson Adkins, Haley Bartram, Christopher Lewis, Hannah Miller, Ariel Porter and Katherine Roach all carried a grade point average of 4.0 all through high school and received valedictorian honors. Amber Neal was the class salutatorian.

“Christ is the center of education,” Father David Huffmann, pastoral administrator, said. “It’s important to educate the whole person. Mental, spiritual, physical and emotional.”

The class of 2015 was St. Joseph High School’s 89th graduating class.

“I pray for the success of every graduate of the class of 2015,” Ward said. “I have every confidence that they will find it.”