(LOUISVILLE, KY) – The Kentucky School for the Blind (KSB) honored four graduates during its commencement ceremony on May 20.

The four graduates were:

  • Hayden Ashley
  • Mackenzie Otten
  • Caleb Robinson
  • Alexis Salerno

The ceremony featured scholarship awards, a student-led musical rendition of “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life),” by Green Day and “November Rain” by Guns N’ Roses, and the annual appreciation ceremony where the graduates hand out roses to people who played an important role in their lives.

John Roberts, former principal of KSB and current assistant director for exceptional child education with Jefferson County Public Schools, gave the commencement address.

“Graduates, the world you are stepping into needs people like you; people who persevere, people who keep moving forward because they understand that difficult seasons don’t define them,” Roberts said. “You’ve already learned to move through the world with intention. Now the world moves because of you.”

All photos are by Joe Ragusa, information office supervisor with the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Division of Communications.

Four kids in red graduation attire pose for a photo

The four KSB graduates – from left, Hayden Ashley, Caleb Robinson, Alexis Salerno and Mackenzie Otten – pose for a photo before the ceremony.

A man in a red graduation cap and gown poses for a photo with a woman

Hayden Ashley poses for a photo with KSB teacher Connie Hill ahead of the graduation ceremony.

A woman in a red gap and gown looks down at a younger student

Alexis Salerno greets a young KSB student before the graduation ceremony.

A woman in a red cap and gown hugs another woman

Mackenzie Otten hugs her grandmother, Eva, before the ceremony begins.

A woman helps a man adjust his graduation cap

KSB teacher Jessica Belcher helps Caleb Robinson with his graduation cap.

Four people in red graduation caps and gowns sit on a stage as a woman talks into a microphone on a podium

KSB Principal Peggy Sinclair-Morris opens the graduation ceremony.

A man points his finger as he speaks into a microphone on a podium with a man in a red graduation outfit sitting in the foreground

John Roberts, former principal of KSB and current assistant director for exceptional child education for Jefferson County Public Schools, speaks during the commencement address.

From left, Alexis Salerno and Mackenzie Otten perform “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day during the student-led musical renditions

From left, Alexis Salerno and Mackenzie Otten perform “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day during the student-led musical renditions. Caleb Robinson played guitar and Hayden Ashley played bass during the rendition.

A man in a red graduation outfit plays the guitar

Caleb Robinson plays “November Rain” by Guns N’ Roses on the guitar as part of the student-led musical renditions.

A man in a red graduation cap and gown hugs a woman

Hayden Ashley hugs his mother, Amber Ashley, during the appreciations section of the graduation ceremony.

A woman in a red graduation cap and gown hugs another woman

Mackenzie Otten hugs her sister, Emily Hatcher, during appreciations.

Alexis Salerno poses for a photo on the stage with, from left, KSB staff Beth Baker, Emily Campbell and Jessica Belcher.

Alexis Salerno poses for a photo on the stage with, from left, KSB staff Beth Baker, Emily Campbell and Jessica Belcher.

A man in a red graduation cap and gown hugs a woman

Caleb Robinson embraces his mother, Traci Smith, during appreciations.

A woman in a red graduation outfit shakes hands with two people as one hands them a diploma

Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher and KSB Principal Peggy Sinclair-Morris hand diplomas to the graduates.