Graduating seniors Amanda Herington and Elijah Penny share a laugh as they watch a photo slide show displaying photos of the eight graduating seniors during the Veritas Christian School graduation ceremony held at First United Methodist Church-West Campus Saturday, May 26, 2012.

The Veritas Christian School seniors have a sense of humor.

“This is a class that shines with personality,” said Kelli Huslig, Veritas administrator.

Demonstrating the class’ personality, Huslig recalled the day the students wrapped a horde of desks in plastic, placing them in the center of the gym. On the same day, the class crammed Huslig’s office with 100 Dixie cups brimming with water.

“God created laughter,” Huslig said. “Seniors, thank you for reminding me to laugh.”

The Veritas class of 2012 turned their tassels Saturday in a ceremony held at First United Methodist Church’s West Campus. There were only eight graduates, allowing intimate recognition of each student. On display at eight tables was a personalized collage of every student, and at the end of the ceremony, a video slideshow highlighted the transformation of each graduate from infant to young adult.

Of the eight graduates, there were two valedictorians: Elijah Penny and Aubrey Griffin. Griffin said it was a joy to watch her own visual evolution, as well as that of her peers via the slideshow.

“It was just wonderful capstone of all of the experiences we’ve had together,” she said.

Griffin said she liked that Veritas allowed her to learn in a close-knit environment, one in which she was able to get to know everyone.

“I really enjoyed the teachers and all of the students at Veritas,” she said. “It just really felt like a big family attending such a small school.”

Former Kansas University football player Dan Coke delivered the keynote address, asking graduates to live an “irreplaceable life.”

“It may not be a life that is in the bright, flashy lights, but it will be a life that will not go unnoticed,” he said.

Calling on a similar theme, Griffin asked her peers to live their lives according to God’s plan.

“As co-valedictorian, I should stand up here and tell you to follow your dreams and to shoot for the moon,” she said.

” … A dream is a wonderful thing, and we should set our sights high. But sometimes dreams have a habit of slipping through our fingers and sometimes the moon lays just beyond our strength. Therefore let us be willing to follow God’s plans for our lives, instead of our own plans. And keep in mind that, just maybe, God has a bigger plan and bigger purpose for us than even we have dreamed for ourselves.”