It was an emotional day Thursday for the teachers and staff at Shelly Baird School as eight students received certificates of completion during a morning ceremony.

"I can't describe the emotions I felt watching these students graduate," said Carla Lewis, school principal.

Lewis has a personal connection to the students beyond an oversight role - she taught for 20 years before becoming an administrator three years ago.

"Talk about beating all odds," Lewis said. "I've watched these students overcome extraordinary challenges to get to this point in their life."

Rose Huff, a high school emotional and disability teacher at Shelly Baird School, shares Lewis' sentiments about how the students at the school become family.

"It's a very meaningful day for us," said Huff.

Students who received Certificates of Completion, complete with statements from the school, are:

Marie Katherine Preston: "We will remember Marie for her honesty and ability to let us all know how she 'really' feels, her determination to get the job done, her generosity to staff and peers, her great love for animals, and some really great catches during PE." (Preston will also receive a high school diploma from Lemoore High School.)

Michael William Roberts: "We will remember Michael for his sense of humor, his love of computer games and Japanese animation, his willingness to help his classmates, and his famous water bottle." (Roberts will also receive a high school diploma from Hanford High School.)

Shawn Stabler: "We will remember Shawn for being a role model in the classroom for other students, keeping us laughing with his great sense of humor, and being very helpful in the classroom."

Jaime Avila: "We will remember Jaime for her happy disposition, joyful smile, and an abundance of enthusiasm for working with her teachers and playing catch with 'ZOE' the bouncing beach ball!"

Adriana Brenes-Cruz: "We will remember Adriana for her boundless energy and entertaining personality and laugh, and of course, her famous one-word greeting to selected staff members, 'Hey, Chicka-Pollo (poyo)!'"

Derrick Breshears: "Derrick has enhanced the classroom by always striving to help others, his display of enthusiasm, his wonderful sense of humor, his willingness to participate, his conscientiousness and willingness to work."

Jose Olices Guardado: "We will remember Jose for his cheerful smile and wonderful sense of humor. Jose has utilized great courage and determination to reach his goals and will continue to employ these traits in the future. Jose has been known around campus as a "speed demon" and especially enjoys pleasing the crowd at Special Olympics by performing "power-wheelies" at the starting line."

Robert Marlow: "We will remember Robert for his pleasing personality and friendly greetings to everyone who crosses his path."

Shelly Baird School provides educational programs for pupils with special needs in the areas of severe developmental delay, severe orthopedic impairment, deaf and hard of hearing, visual impairment, traumatic brain injury, autism, emotional disturbance and other multiple handicaps.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2423.

(May 31, 2008)