Crossroads Christian bids farewell to close-knit Class of '22

Kellen Holtzman, Henderson (N.C.) Daily Dispatch
·4 min read

May 24—HENDERSON — Asked how to best describe the Crossroads Christian graduating class of 2022, senior Gage Edwards did not hesitate.

"We're athletic and we like to party," said Kittrell's Edwards, drawing a chorus of laughter from his other five classmates that also hail from Vance or Granville counties, and living up to the words Head of School Jonathan Capps recited about him during Saturday's commencement at Clearview Baptist Church: Gage's infectious smile and witty personality draws a captive audience.

"Don't say that," Oxford's Zach Williamson told Gage after the wisecrack, before valedictorian Lillian Owens came to the rescue, only minutes after the 13 total graduates turned their tassels.

"They would probably say we're pretty tight-knit," Owens said. "We fight like brothers and sisters all the time. There are some of us that have been here 14 years, but even the people that are newer, equally fight with us like brothers and sisters. In a good way."

Owens calls Henderson home, as do Will Anderson, Nicholas Shah and Kayla Terry.

A few of the graduates began attending Crossroads in kindergarten while Anderson and Ryan Adcock are lifers, having started in pre-K.

Crossroads also draws students from Virginia, Franklin County and around the Triangle, but each class has a history of uniting as one — especially the Class of 2022.

"This class is more of a family because some of these guys have spent so long with each other," Williamson said.

"This one's unique because a lot of classes have different groups that go different ways," Capps said. "This class is on the same page with one another and enjoys being around each other, mostly all the time."

Knowing that Saturday would be the last time many of them would be in the same place for years to come made the morning "a mix between joy and sadness," said Shah, the son of Dr. Abidan Shah, Clearview pastor's that provided the commencement invocation.

Lillian's father, Pastor Jon Owens, ended the morning with an impassioned benediction, closing a ceremony that included a slideshow for each senior, along with voiceovers from each graduate that offered reflections on their time at Crossroads as they walked across the stage to receive their diplomas and then embraced their mothers in the audience.

The senior gift to the school was a stage for the team room that the Colts' athletic department used for film study, team bonding and team Bible study.

The Class of 2022 combined to play 20 different seasons of sports in 2021-2022, and will go down as one of the most successful in the history of the school, with several student-athletes signing letters of intent to play in college and Mason Gladieux claiming the school's first individual state title in cross country.

Gage wasn't wrong about the athletic part.

Adcock provided the salutatory address before Owens called her fellow graduates to action in her valedictory speech, citing a Joshua 24:14-15 passage.

"I challenge you to put away the societal things that compete for your attention just as the idols of the fallen Israelites," Lillian told the class. "When you start serving the Lord with your life, you will no longer seek the applause of men."

Pastor Ryan Hill of Clearview Church delivered the commencement address, asking the graduates to consider the scientific evidence that their brains will still be developing into their 20s, cautioning them to be patient when acting on emotion and explaining how giving their life to Christ provides the ultimate reinforcement in life.

"Not always perfect," Capps said of the graduates. "Imperfectly perfect as I would say, but they definitely love each other and want to see each other succeed."

AWARDS

President's Award for Educational Excellence: Ryan Adcock, Abbie Cranfill, Lillian Owens, Tori Renn, Nicholas Shah

Senior Athlete Award: Tori Renn, Ryan Adcock

Senior Character

Faithfulness Award: Lillian Owens, Tori Renna

Philippians Award: Abbie Cranfill, Lillian Owens, Tori Renna, Kayla Terry

Leadership Award: Ryan Adcock, Abbie Cranfill, Lillian Owens, Nicholas Shah

David Award: Lillian Owens

Luke Award for Senior Excellence: Abbie Cranfill, Lillian Owens, Nicholas Shah

Graduates: Ryan Adcock, William Anderson, Abbigale Cranfill, John Eason Jr., Gage Edwards, Mason Gladieux, Lillian Owens, Andres Prince, Victoria Renna, Andrew Rogers, Nicholas Shah, Kayla Terry, Zachary Williamson