Attendance, grades and discipline.

Carbon Career & Technical Institute's Class of 2015 heard its principal, Brent Borzak, stress "the big three" multiple times over the years.Using those three facets of education as a guide, 87 seniors culminated their time at the school Thursday night during the 21st CCTI commencement ceremony held in the Jim Thorpe High School auditorium.Standing in front of a large crowd Thursday night, Micah Evans spoke as valedictorian, the top graduate in his class at the top scoring technical school in the state per the latest "School Performance Profile."Evans' road to academic prosperity was not without potholes.In fourth grade, he overcame dyslexia."After I was held back, I took four years of special education classes to strengthen my English skills," Evans said. "Two of those years I dropped my science and history classes in order to focus solely on English. A year or so after I completed those special classes, I chose to attend CCTI as a sophomore."The Class of 2015 took the first AP classes and exams offered at CCTI.That in itself presented another mountain for Evans to climb."I have taken and passed the first AP English class that CCTI had to offer," he said. "I almost dropped the course, but decided to stick with it. The class was challenging, but I worked through the challenges and made it with dedication and hard work."The newly minted graduates also had multiple national competitors in DECA, HOST and SkillsUSA.Reaching the pinnacle doesn't come without failures, salutatorian Kim Pimble pointed out.Pimble can also speak from experience.As a freshman she tried out for a role in drama club, practicing night after night in front of friends or a mirror.Confident as could be, she auditioned, only to be chosen as the understudy to a senior."I had considered this a failure, though I learned a lesson," Pimble said. "And the point of this story is that you may expect immediate success. To be immediately be successful right out of high school, or college, or wherever else you may go is not necessarily far-fetched, but it's not guaranteed to happen either. This is because there will always be people who have more experience than you, or are just in a better position suited for success. But do not be discouraged, because there will be a point at which your life will all be worth the work you put in."Borzak admitted to talking frequently about the "big three," but he said he did it for the benefit of the students and it seems to have worked."This class had great attendance, few discipline issues and excellent grades," he said.For Evans, graduation night changes many things.No longer will he have to get up early to catch that school bus that is, as he describes, "always either early or late, never in between.""Most importantly," he said, "we won't have to only have $1 bills for lunch."The graduating class is lucky, he added, noting that a skilled labor force is in demand. Set goals, he urged the young men and women, big or small."I don't want anyone walking out of here tonight not knowing where they are going," Borzak said. "This night shouldn't be looked at as a happy ending, it's a happy beginning."When prospective CCTI staff members interview at the school, Borzak and Administrative Director Dave Reinbold ask the candidates where they see themselves in five years.Graduates should do the same, Borzak suggested."It will help you have a vision and work to achieve it," he said.