A Salina Police Investigator, a former Kansas Supreme Court Justice, and a former NASA astronaut led the way in launching Salina USD 305 Seniors into the next phase of their young lives Sunday. There were plenty of smiles, hugs, and tears as family, friends, and well-wishers bid farewell and adieu to graduating seniors.

Seniors from Salina South and Salina Central celebrated commencement, as did seniors from Southeast of Saline.

South seniors were the first to walk across the stage and graduate in front of an appreciative crowd at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center. A couple of hours later seniors from Central did the same thing. As their names were called the seniors walked across the stage as friends and family cheered.

At the South ceremony, Investigator Dani Lemon from the Salina Police Department spoke.  At the Central ceremony former Kansas Supreme Court Justice Lawton Nuss and former NASA Astronaut Steve Hawley shared the stage.

All of the speakers had connections to the schools. Lemon was a school resource officer at South for several years, while Nuss and Hawley are both Graduates of Salina High School, now Salina Central High School.

Seniors from Southeast of Saline also graduated Sunday.

Seniors at Ell-Saline Highs School, Sacred Heart High School, Salina Area Technical College, Kansas Wesleyan University, and Kansas State University Polytechnic have all already graduated.

While seniors are already finished with classes, as are students in many other area districts, all other USD 305 students are still counting down the days to the last day of school. Classes will dismiss for the summer later this week.