VALPARAISO — With just hours left in their eighth-grade year, a trio of best friends wandered the halls of Lewis School, recording the journey on their iPhones.
“My last day of middle school,” Justin Hale told Elisa Ibarra and Alyssa Schlipp. “We’re going back down memory lane.”
Thursday was the last day of school for Okaloosa County students. Walton County students started summer break in May, while Santa Rosa County students’ last day is Friday.
“I want summer vacation to start,” Logan Critten, a fifth-grader at Longwood Elementary School, yelled over the din at the skating rink where he and his classmates spent their last hours of elementary school.
“It’s probably going to be harder,” he said of middle school. “Definitely harder.”
At Lewis, eighth-graders walked the halls with class shirts proclaiming them to be “boss.” The school’s Parent Teacher Organization hosted a celebration featuring music, games and food.
View a photo gallery from the the last day of school at Lewis Middle School >>
Heather Bentley’s daughter is one of the students who will transition from a class of 100 to one of 500 at Niceville High School.
“I know she’s ready, prepared, but I’m not ready for her to go,” Bentley said, smiling.
For the Lewis trio of buddies, the transition will be especially painful. Best friends through middle school, they will attend different high schools in the fall.
“I’m glad we’re going to get out of middle school, but then again I just don’t want to leave everyone and all the memories I’ve had with my friends,” Alyssa said.
Summer Polcha and Korey Morelli said they were nervous about leaving the protected environment of Lewis for high school.
“It’s sad because we were looking at all of our baby pictures,” Summer said. “I can’t believe we’re going into high school.
“It’s gone so fast.”