COAL GROVE — Living a dream many times allows a person with an idea to turn it into something successful or take a talent and turn it into a career.

For the 99 graduating seniors of Dawson-Bryant High School, Sunday marked the beginning of those dreams and talents.

The class of 2009 closed one chapter and embarked on the next journey of their young lives at the school’s graduation ceremony held in front of an overflow crowd at the Hornet’s gymnasium.

Outfitted in matching white caps and gowns for the women graduates and black caps and gowns for the men, each of the graduating seniors marched single file when entering, then after a brief pairing up with a classmate in middle isle, took their seat in front of the stage and Dawson-Bryant administrators.

As the commencement exercises began, one thing was evident. The graduating seniors wanted to start living that dream.

“This is not the end, but the beginning to kick our lives off,” senior class vice-president Taylor Sexton told the more than 750 in attendance. “Guys, we made it!”

Honors graduate Megan Clark spoke about the growth she developed from her freshman year all the way through her senior year and the effect every classmate had on her during her four years at Dawson-Bryant High School.

“For every bad memory, we have made 100,000 good ones,” said Clark who will be attending Kentucky Christian University in the fall.

Laura Cooper shared with the crowd some of the lessons she developed while in high school — lessons that were passed along from her family.

“Don’t stop moving forward, don’t stop living,” said Cooper who used quotes from rock giants like Alice Cooper and Ozzy Osborne in her speech. “It’s time to go for it.”

Cooper, also an honors graduate, will be attending Ohio University Southern in the fall.

Marshall University, Shawnee State, Ohio University Southern and The Ohio State University were named as some of the colleges and universities graduates would be attending with majors coming in the fields of nursing, business administration, psychology, education, pre-med and civil engineering.

In total, 20 members of the Dawson-Bryant Class of 2009 were named as honor graduates including 13 named to the National Honor Society.

Named to the National Honor Society were: Rachellee Banfield, Casey Boyd, Megan Clark, Teasha Gullett, German Harbolt, William Mays, Abby Nance, Caleb Newman, Kathleen Owens, Heather Rose, Taylor Sexton, Caila Thornton and Sarah Wheeler.

Diplomas were presented by Board of Education president Jamie Murphy, principal Steve Easterling and guidance counselor Bryan Mulkey.

Easterling and senior class president Nicholas Blair gave closing remarks.

Seniors chose their class song to be “It’s Not My Time” by 3 Doors Down with their class motto as “Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die tomorrow,” by James Dean.