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Students feel classmate not honored properly at graduation

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Students at Noblesville High School feel one of their classmates who passed away didn’t receive the recognition he deserved at their graduation ceremony Tuesday night.

It was held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

Avrey Rose was 18 years old when he died in April from a drug overdose. Family members said the school had a plan for how to pay tribute to him, but his friends didn’t feel it was enough to make sure his name was celebrated among their own.

The minutes before graduation wouldn’t be complete without family pictures, figuring out how to wear the cap, gown and dealing with nerves. Just ask Garret McNally. “Maybe a little bit,” he said. “Hopefully I don’t trip and fall.”

But avoiding embarrassment on the stage isn’t the only thing on his mind tonight.

“Just hoping they say my friends name, truthfully. That would make it a better day,” said McNally.

That name is Avrey Rose who unlike the other students filing into the coliseum, won’t be sitting among Noblesville High School’s class of 2015.

“We just wanted him to get to and through graduation,” said Rose father Jeff. He and other family members attended the ceremony. He said he talked about this day with his son.

“It was like ‘Dude you got to work hard, you just got to make sure you get through graduation,” he remembered with a smile on his face.

Although Rose didn’t make it, Jeff and other students were expecting the school to set aside his son’s seat and place a cap and gown it but that never happened.

What McNally wanted more than anything though was to hear Rose’s name. He drafted a petition asking for the name to be announced during the diploma presentation.

According to an email the principal wrote to a parent, it’s a NHS tradition that the school only recognizes who students at commencement who earned their diploma.

Rose’s father wasn’t there tonight expecting the school to change its mind nor did he want to comment on the disagreement between students and administrators.

Instead, he just wanted to support his son’s friends.

“I’m just hoping that our presence gives them a little reminder that there’s some tough things out there. You got to watch out for those decisions,” he said. “Especially maybe celebrating tonight, let’s make some wise decisions and live to see tomorrow.”

As he walked into the coliseum, McNally knew hearing Rose’s name might not happen, but it was the steps he took to fight for his friend that matter most to him.

“I’ve just looked at it as he would do the exact same thing for me and anyone else. So, he doesn’t have a voice anymore but we can still represent him, our senior class can,” McNally said.

During the ceremony, a moment of silence was held for those who couldn’t be there. The class president mentioned Rose during her speech.

His name was not announced during the diploma presentation.