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Adams County Christian School senior Chloe Jernigan hugs her mother, April Pintard, Friday night after giving her a red rose at the end of graduation at First Baptist Church of Natchez. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

Students from the Adams County Christian School Class of 2017 toss their caps in the air after Friday’s graduation at First Baptist Church of Natchez. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

ACCS valedictorian Allison Freeman gives her speech during the school’s graduation ceremony. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

The ACCS graduates listen to guest speaker Whest Shirley Friday night during graduation. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

Christian Price pumps his fist after getting his diploma Friday night. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

(Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — Adams County Christian School valedictorian Allison Freeman challenged her classmates to seek God because He can open up the doors to a good life.

Freeman was one of 39 ACCS graduates Thursday evening at First Baptist Church Natchez. Freeman said life is like a maze, but God can help guide one’s path.

“There are more corners to turn that lead to different roads,” Freeman said. “We may one day find ourselves stuck not knowing which way to go, and we will face many challenges.

“God sits above us in Heaven waiting for us to seek His direction to make it through life’s maze. There will be dead ends, wrong turns and people pushing us to go the wrong way, but if we seek the Lord, He will guide us through life.”

As a Christian, Freeman said success is knowing that you have truly followed the Lord’s will. She said dark times would come, as would hardships, but God would bring good out of the difficulties.

“He is the only one who can and will help us succeed in life,” Freeman said. “He is the only one who knows our purposes, and all we need to do is listen.

“So, seek God and always remember that the greatest accomplishment we will ever have in life is knowing that we chose the right way to live it.”

Salutatorian Hannah Cox said the Class of 2017 has been told by many that high school would be the best four years of their lives. Cox said she did not believe it.

“One should not desire to relive the glory days of high school because one cannot go forward while facing backward,” she said. “We will miss our lives if we mourn our days in high school.

“Graduates, we are a class of capable, determined and intelligent people. If we do not like something that is happening in our world today, we have the power to change it, therefore making a difference for generations to come.”

Cox wanted to challenge her classmates to never give up, stay true and never stop learning.

“Graduates, remember that life will not always be easy, but we can get through the challenges,” she said. “God loves us and will never abandon us, and the future is bright. Finally, never forget who we are and what we believe. Congratulations Adams County Christian School Class of 2017.”

Special speaker Whest Shirley said years from now, the class would likely forget who he is. After all, the educator and Concordia Parish Police Juror could not remember who spoke to his own ACCS class of 1984.

However, Shirley said he wanted the class to remember who packed their parachutes. Shirley spoke of a Vietnam War survivor who years later met the man who packed the parachute that saved his life when his plane was shot down.

Shirley recognized the impact ACCS had on him and how the many teachers, coaches and staff, as they packed his parachute and gave him the foundation to land his first job in education as a Bible teacher and coach at ACCS.

“There are all sorts of parachutes,” Shirley said.

Parachutes can be physical — who provides your clothing, pays for tuition and that new vehicle, Shirley said. Emotional parachutes are packed by the people who really love you, he said. Most important, Shirley said, are the spiritual parachutes, packed by the people who took you to church and prayed for you.

“As you go through this week and month, recognize the people who packed your parachute,” Shirley said. “Finally, Class of 2017, become parachute packers and go out in the area, the state, the country and the world and make a difference.”

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