Photos: Pendleton High School celebrates with 216 graduates, 'I'm proud to be a Bulldog'

Family and friends gathered to cheer on graduates of Pendleton High, Class of 2024, inside Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson on Tuesday, May 21.

Valedictorian Hannah Elizabeth Rae and Salutatorian Jayden Asher Branson addressed the 216 graduates in the climate-controlled indoor Littlejohn Coliseum, a move away from outdoor graduations in recent years at the high school football stadium.

Branson thanked classmates, his mother, and God for recent memories of four years at Pendleton High School. "I wrote a letter to the Class of 2024. To the teachers, we'll miss being told that both feet need to stay in the class before the bell rings. To the coaches, we'll miss the lessons you taught us to be better teammates and a better person."

Rae thanked many for making the last four years "amazing."

"I would not want to go to any other school, and I'm proud to be a Bulldog."

Rae also quoted pop singer Taylor Swift from a speech she made to graduates from another school, saying that the scary thing is you are on your own now, but the cool thing is you are on your own now.

"It's natural to be apprehensive about the road ahead. We now have independence with some incredible opportunities," she shared with the crowd. "The journey may be unpredictable but it's ours to take."

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Photos: Pendleton High School celebrates with 216 graduates, 'I'm proud to be a Bulldog'