New Horizons Graduates Move 'One Step at a Time' - WMBB News 13 - The Panhandle's News Leader

Seniors at New Horizons Learning Center took the big step into adulthood Wednesday. It was graduation day for these hard working students, and after they walked across the stage they got a chance to reflect on their education.

You can call them the elite 8 - Nathaniel Baylor, Natalie Harvey, Joshua Holbert, Christopher Honeycutt, Martin Roney, Vincent Sellers, Mickel Trout and Evan Wiley - New Horizon's Class of 2012.

Surrounded by their loved ones, the graduates were given a motivating speech by Bay District Schools Chief of Security Mike Jones.

"Education is power," Jones told the crowd. "You have that power, you have that knowlegde, and you have the tools to accomplish anything in life."

These second chance students embrace life's next journey on a road that hasn't always been easy.

"There's been ups and downs," graduate Vincent Sellers said. "Somedays I didn't do too well, but I pulled through it in the end."

The class' motto - 'One day at a time, One step at a time' this year may have something to do with their success.

"Lets take care of today, take care of tommorrow when it gets here," said principal Craig Bush.

"Focus, make sure you're doing it right, and take steps at a time," Nate Baylor. "Don't go rushing it cause you never know what happens."

The learning center provides a second chance for students that weren't able to make it at other schools. School administrators have high hopes for their kids.

"We really believe in them and we think that the world is open to them," said school mentor Margaret Tidmore. "Some of them are very very smart too, and the opportunitues are there."

"I feel pretty good about the ones we graduated," principal Craig Bush said. "They've obviously done enough to get a Florida high school diploma and I feel good about them being contributing members of society."