24 credits: check. Passed every class: check. Taken zero hour and/or summer school: check.

For the students, graduating early is a desirable reward for all of their hard work the past three years.

This year, 20 seniors were finished with high school after first semester finals.

Lucy Lund, senior, was one of them.

“I graduated early because I didn’t want to waste my time taking classes I didn’t need,” Lund said.

Lund passed all of her classes including the classes required to graduate including a personal finance class.

“I love having a break before college to save some money,” Lund said. “I can still do what everyone else does like walk at graduation and go to Prom.”

Lund is attending North Dakota State in the fall.

Graduating early gives seniors an opportunity to get grades up and get a jump start.

Rosemary DeRigne, senior, also graduated early this year. She is currently taking college algebra, public speaking, and general chemistry 1 at St. Louis Community College.

In the fall, DeRigne is attending Murray State and get her undergraduate degree in equine Science.

“Graduating early is a great way to get ahead with any future plans you may have,” DeRigne said.

With college classes, the schedules are much more flexible and have a meaning behind them, DeRigne said.

“I have to spend more time outside of school doing work.” DeRigne said. “I don’t have as much spare time as I thought I would.”

Although seniors that graduated early may go to college this semester, they’re still a part of the senior class at MHS.

“I think graduating early is a great opportunity for students to go into junior college, a trade school, or save up money for college,” Senior Principal Carl Hudson said.

Because seniors who graduate early won’t be at school during second semester when senior activities happen, they receive e-mails from the Senior Office and Guidance Office.

“We encourage the students to come in and ask questions any time,” Hudson said.