Franklin County Schools Superintendent Greg Hamilton’s letter to the Class of 2026

Dear Class of 2026:

Congratulations on your significant accomplishments as you prepare to move on to the next phases of your lives.

It is my hope, and that of the dedicated educators in the Franklin County Schools system, that we have helped prepare you for life after high school, regardless of where that path takes you. While I am excited to see what life has in store for each of you, there's also a touch of sadness knowing this will be the time that we say goodbye.

Each of you have your own strengths, skills and personality traits that have positively impacted our school system, as they will also impact people whose lives you have not yet touched.

As it is for me, I'm sure this is an emotional time for you, seeing your days in Franklin County Schools come to an end. As you move forward with your lives, please take time to reflect on your days in the halls of Belgreen, Phil Campbell, Red Bay, Tharptown or Vina High Schools.

You are part of the heartbeat of these communities. We hope the day will come when you tear up with pride watching your son or daughter enter school on that first day of kindergarten. And I sincerely hope you remain a part of Franklin County as you start your own families.

Every door in life is open for you. Whether your path takes you to college, a technical school, the workforce or the armed forces, I challenge you to make a difference in the lives of others.

What are your life goals? To be wealthy? Famous? Powerful? While there's nothing wrong with healthy ambition, I can tell you from my own experiences that the greatest life rewards come as a result of making positive differences in the lives of others.

Whether it's in the lives of your family, your employees, your community, your church or the lives of complete strangers, be that beacon of light that makes a difference to others regardless of where it shines. Life offers no greater reward.

I want to thank the members of the Franklin County Board of Education for their dedication in positively impacting the lives of Franklin County students, faculty and staff. Each of these men and women genuinely care about the success of this system and each student.

You will always remain a Bulldog, Bobcat, Tiger, Wildcat or Red Devil. This was and forever will be your school. I encourage you to stay involved with your school, or if life takes you elsewhere, to be active in the school in your new community. By doing that, you're helping to build the foundation for the future of your community.

Soon we will begin preparations for another school year, and a new class of seniors across Franklin County.

But that doesn't  mean the accomplishments of the Class of 2025 will be forgotten. To the contrary, your inspiration to learn, grow and develop as tomorrow's leaders will have a lasting effect on Franklin County Schools. And for that, we will remain forever grateful.

I wish the very best success in your lives and I'm excited to see what the future holds for the Class of 2026. I'll close with a timeless quote from former United States Senator Orrin Hatch: Graduation is not the end; it's the beginning.

Congratulations to you and your families!

Greg Hamilton
Superintendent, Franklin County Schools