Photo by Joe Imel/Daily NewsBowling Green High School’s 98th graduating class is conferred Sunday in the school’s arena, where 245 students received diplomas. — Click here for more photos from BGHS' graduation ceremonies.

George Woodard attended two high schools, but the new graduate will be using Bowling Green High School as his launching pad to a career as an athletic trainer.

Woodard, a 17-year-old who attended Warren East High School for two years before transferring as a junior, was one of 245 graduates in the class of 2009 at BGHS.

In the 98th commencement ceremony in the school’s history Sunday at the BGHS arena, the graduating seniors, which included 59 honor graduates and 27 Commonwealth diploma recipients, recalled how the experiences of the previous four years shaped how they see the world today and how they will prepare for the future.

Woodard plans to spend at least the next four years at just one school — Evansville University in Indiana, where he will major in athletic training and hopes to continue there in the university’s doctoral program in physical therapy.

“I can remember my first day of last (school) year pretty clearly,” said Woodard, who credited social studies teacher Ron Skillern with pointing him toward the program at Evansville. “The time went by quickly, but I just tried to take advantage of it.”

BGHS Principal Gary Fields said this year’s class of graduates is entering a world marked by a global financial crisis and other challenges at a time of uncertainty and change.

In mentioning those real-world challenges, Fields compared those to the scholastic challenges the graduates have met, including the highest scores on the state assessment test in school history, numerous athletic accomplishments and the fact the class of 2009 has two National Merit finalists and has received scholarships totaling about $8.5 million.

In a speech that he said hoped to find a middle ground between tradition and Twitter, Fields said that even with the fast-paced innovations in technology driving changes in the world, it is the traditions that have been nurtured over the years at BGHS that will help this year’s graduates in the future.

“You must rely on what you have learned about tradition and how you have achieved excellence,” Fields told the graduates.

The five honor graduates who spoke at Sunday’s ceremony – Neil Taing, Dori Norman, J.P. Jackson, Richard Korte and Emir Udovcic – also talked of the memories they shared as students.

Korte encouraged students to use their education to their advantage and have confidence, and devoted part of his speech to playing a song on his guitar while Norman sang.

— Click here for a photo slideshow of BGHS’ graduation ceremonies.

Johnson commented on the sadness that comes with leaving many longtime friends, illustrating it by tearing up a copy of the school newspaper.

“It hurts to know that we are being ripped away from the people who know us best and who have shaped our lives,” Johnson said, before revealing a whole newspaper in his hands where shreds had been earlier. “But like magic, the purple and gold remain too strong.”

Johnson said the skills that he and his fellow graduates learned during their time in school will help them as adults.

“The lessons that we have learned here and the foundation that has been instilled in all of us will allow us to meet any challenge that exists,” Johnson said.