Rain doesn't hold back Spain Park Class of 2021 graduation ceremony

Spain Park High School Principal Larry Giangrosso wasn’t about to let a little rain stop the 371 members of the Class of 2021 from having a full graduation ceremony.

The rain began to fall about 45 minutes into the ceremony at Jaguar Stadium Wednesday night. It came after the speeches but before Giangrosso had finished handing out diplomas to all of the 20 valedictorians and 67 honor graduates that preceded the rest of the class.

The show went on, and the rain continued until tapering off to a sprinkle toward the end of the diploma presentation. Many family members and friends sought shelter underneath the stadium seats, while others pulled out umbrellas or braved the rain without cover, like Giangrosso and the graduates.

Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato held an umbrella over a woman who was helping prepare the diplomas for Giangrosso. “Once a fireman, always a fireman,” said Brocato, who retired after 42 years with the Hoover Fire Department.

The Spain Park Class of 2021 received scholarship offers totaling $27.1 million and accepted $9 million of those scholarships, said Tracy Prater, Spain Park’s college and career specialist.

Sixty-seven percent of the class received some type of scholarship to attend their chosen institution, and 23% finished their high school careers with a GPA or 4.0 or better, Prater said.

Members of the Class of 2021 are headed to 157 colleges and universities in 33 states and two foreign countries, including elite schools such as the U.S. Air Force Academy, Vanderbilt University, Georgia Technical Institute and Emory University, he said.

The Spain Park Class of 2021 had a record five U.S Presidential Scholars candidates, three National Merit Scholars, 13 National Merit Finalists and two National Merit Commended Students, Prater said.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

Uzma Issa, the valedictorian with the highest GPA, congratulated her fellow graduates for persevering through four challenging years.

Issa said when she came to Spain Park, she barely knew anyone, but over the past four years she has watched all the unfamiliar faces grow into a dedicated group of individuals.

If she regrets one thing from her high school years, it is not getting to know more of her classmates, she said. She was too busy trying to finish her resume checklist rather than enjoying man of the things that make high school a great experience, she said.

The COVID-19 pandemic gave all of them a chance to reassess their priorities, Issa said. Rather than focus on things they had lost, they were able to adapt and use the time to develop new interests, bond with their families and reinvent themselves into the people they always wanted to be, she said.

“What I’ve learned is that school is not just a place to study and get good grades, but to also form lifelong relationships,” Issa said.

Her advice is to find some moderation and get the best of both worlds, she said.

“Your worth is defined by more than just numbers on a page,” Issa said. “If you can handle a pandemic, you can handle whatever life throws at you.”

STRENGTH IN DIVERSITY

Yousseff Massoud, the valedictorian chosen by his fellow valedictorians to give a speech, greeted the crowd with a common Arabic greeting that translates as “peace be upon you.”

Massoud said when he first came to Spain Park, he was nervous like other people, but he had an added layer of nervousness because of his background. He didn’t talk about his Egyptian background as much as some other people talked about their backgrounds because he was afraid he would be ostracized, he said.

“But instead, what I found at Spain Park was that my perception was completely wrong,” he said.

The past four years, the teachers and staff at Spain Park took time to learn about his religion so they could celebrate their differences, he said.

He thanked his fellow classmates for embracing diversity and said that is what has made Spain Park one of the best high schools in America.

INVEST IN WHAT'S IMPORTANT

JR Lambert, the senior class president, thanked the faculty and staff at Spain Park for helping students reach their full potential and thanked all their parents whose guidance and nurturing helped them grow as both students and people in general.

Lambert said the Class of 2021 was a resilient group that didn’t let hard times pit them against one another, but instead let difficulties bring them together.

He recalled all the great times at school dances, the prom, sporting events, pep rallies, theater productions and “everything in between” and said he would savor those memories for a lifetime.

His favorite memory was a powder puff football game his class lost as juniors.

“Despite the game being ripped out of our hands through a missed call, It was still one of the most exciting experiences that I got to have,” he said. “Even though it was almost two years ago, my coaching staff and I are still a little hurt.”

Lambert shared some advice he said Spain Park basketball coach Chris Laatsch gave his team: “You have to invest in whatever you want to be successful,” he said. “You can only get out as much as you put in.”

That’s true whether in trying to get better at a sport, trying to get a good grade on a test or trying to get the best out of your four years in high school, he said.

Lambert also encouraged his classmates to never be afraid to fail, to get out of their comfort zones and to never take for granted the people who helped them get where they are because the relationships they build are what truly matters.

See the full photo gallery from the Spain Park High School Class of 2021 graduation ceremony.