Congratulations to the graduating class of 2017!

I’ve been covering three graduations a year for more than a decade now and, no matter how many speeches I hear or caps I see tossed into the air, this time of year always manages to inspire me.

Whether it’s the eighth grade promotion ceremonies at the Charter School and Middle School or the big show in Fountain Park for the Fountain Hills High School Falcons, there’s something infectious about all of that excitement these young men and women are experiencing.

They’re off to that next big adventure in their lives, so the air becomes absolutely electric with anticipation. Where are they going to go? Who will they become? What will they do when they get there? The possibilities are endless and equal parts thrilling and terrifying.

It’s positively infectious but, coming out of our busiest time of year here at the office, I’ll take any motivation I can get.

To those local students going into high school, make the most of these next four years. Use this time to form some good habits and learn as much as you can. Participate in band, clubs and sports. Go to local events and volunteer around town.

Seriously invest in your time here and I promise it will pay off in a big way once you finally put on that cap and gown come *gulp* 2021.

As for this year’s graduating seniors, well, you’ve heard everything you need to hear at this point. You’ve had speech after speech drilled into your heads and, hopefully, encouragement aplenty.

Your friends, family, teachers and neighbors have done everything they can for you at this point. That next step is your own, so make sure it’s a good one. And if it’s not, then just try to make sure the step that follows lands on some solid ground. Still not finding your stride? Just try again.

No matter what, keep your eyes on that horizon and never stop moving forward. Just remember to visit from time to time. Deal?

*****

From caps and gowns to capes at Phoenix Comicon, this weekend kept me busy from start to finish.

As I write this, just a small handful of us are in the office on Monday, Memorial Day, trying to put this week’s issue to bed.

I’m exhausted after this past weekend, but it’s the good kind of exhaustion that comes from being around loads of wonderful people for two straight days.

As I’ve said here before, Comicon holds a special place in my heart. It’s not too often you get to join a crowd of tens of thousands of people who are just excited to be together and share their passions with each other.

I hope some of our readers had the opportunity to make it out to this year’s show and made some lasting memories.

With that wrapped up, we here at The Times have officially moved into “summer mode.” Things may have slowed down a bit, but we know it’s only a matter of time before they ramp up again. When that happens, we’ll be ready!