Photo by Theo Tate
Photo by Theo Tate
GRANITE CITY — Sisters Kasey and Bryanna Stewart had reason to celebrate Jan. 6.
They were among 77 students who graduated from Granite City High School.
“It’s nice to be over with,” Bryanna said.
GCHS had a 30-minute winter commencement ceremony at Memorial Gymnasium. The event included an introductory speech from GCHS Principal Daren DePew and the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by senior Kai Hale.
Kasey and Bryanna are not twins. Kasey, who was held back a grade, is 18 years old and Bryanna is 17.
“Kasey wasn’t ready to move on to kindergarten, so we just ended up in the same grade,” Bryanna said.
Kasey said she’s thrilled she got to graduate four months early.
“It’s actually nice,” she said. “I kind of wished I could have stayed and graduated with all of my friends (in May), but I think it’s a good thing. I could go get a job and work on my future.”
The Stewart sisters attended GCHS for two years. They transferred to GCHS from Mount Vernon when they were juniors.
Kasey and Bryanna were athletes at GCHS. Kasey was a setter for the volleyball team and Bryanna played with the softball squad.
Kasey said she isn’t planning on giving up on volleyball.
“I’m thinking about going to SWIC (Southwestern Illinois College) for a couple of years and play volleyball and maybe become a volleyball coach some day,” she said.
Bryanna, who plans to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and major in pre-medicine, said she’s happy she got to graduate with her older sister.
“I helped her out in mostly everything,” she said. “I helped her out with her homework.”
Another GCHS graduate, Itzamari Hernandez, was scheduled to start classes Jan. 9 at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She’s majoring in biology.
“I’m excited to experience everything,” said Hernandez, a drum major for the Marching Warriors band all four years. “I’m nervous, but I’ll get there.”
Hernandez, 17, had two siblings who graduated from GCHS. Her brother, Pablo, graduated in 2010 and her sister, Lani, graduated in 2012.