John Tyler Graduates Celebrate Milestone

By LAUREN GROVER
Tyler Morning Telegraph
Clad in cobalt blue robes, mortarboards and gold sashes, 315 John Tyler High School seniors let out a roar Saturday night as their graduation ceremony commenced at the Oil Palace arena.
"We're excited!" yelled Tiffany Rowland, 17, and Karen Silverio, 18, in unison as they jumped up and down, their tassels flailing.
Members of the Class of 2008 were known as jokesters who knew when to settle down and work, Miss Rowland said. Besides her good friends, she said she's even going to miss teachers.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm going to miss Ms. (Mary) Thurman," Miss Rowland smiled. "She always pushed me. I'm going to miss the teachers who tried to make us better."
Miss Rowland is headed to East Texas Baptist University for a teaching degree as Miss Silverio goes to cosmetology school, they said. Their friend Diego Reyes, 18, said he's pursuing graphic design, one of the many talented art students from John Tyler.
"We have some excellent ones," said art teacher Marilyn Koler, who said graduating senior Allie Smith was the only student to medal at state for art this year. Miss Smith is studying creative writing and French among other disciplines at college, she said.
This graduating class was the first group to push John Tyler back onto the TAKS chart in 2007,
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