By the end of the night, the vast majority of Miss-Lou graduates will be staring squarely into the future.

Graduations at Natchez High, Cathedral and Adams County Christian schools today mean this fun time of year is nearly complete.

Only Trinity’s students have a few more days to wait for that special moment.

The Louisiana schools said farewell to their seniors last week.

And after that last hug and handshake, hundreds of the area’s former children must officially become adults.

No one will flip a mental switch and make the graduates all grown-up; no, their thoughts will likely remain the same for a while.

But seniors, your decisions count now more than ever.

The world sees you as an adult, not someone’s child, and you’ll have to act like it.

As you disperse to summer jobs, full-time jobs and college, remember the lessons of high school.

It’s not the algebraic equations that will matter most, but the lessons of responsibility, teamwork and respecting those around you.

Each one of you will be representing the Miss-Lou in everything you do, and it’s up to you to make us proud.

Mom, dad and the community are certainly proud now, and for that, congratulations.

But nothing has ended. Instead, it’s all just begun.