Rintaro Sasaki of Hanamaki Higashi High School in Iwate Prefecture, who is one of the strongest hitters in high school baseball and has decided to attend Stanford University in the United States, attended the graduation ceremony and enjoyed his final time with his friends.
The graduation ceremony of Hanamaki Higashi High School was held at the general gymnasium in Hanamaki City, and 238 graduates attended, including Rintaro Sasaki, who will go on to Stanford University, a prestigious university in the United States, and members of the baseball team.
At the ceremony, a special award was given to Sasaki for making the high school's name known throughout the country through his academic and military achievements.
After the ceremony, Sasaki told the press, ``I am grateful that I was able to spend three years as a student at Hanamaki Higashi, a great high school, and that I was able to graduate. ``I want to get back up from there and keep going,'' he said with renewed determination.
Sasaki is planning to travel to the United States within this month and is making preparations, including formalities, so after the ceremony he gathered with his teammates from the baseball club and was smiling and enjoying conversation before saying goodbye.
Also, at the graduation ceremony, graduates congratulated Shohei Otani, a senior at Hanamaki Higashi High School and Major League Baseball player for the Dodgers, who announced his marriage.
Female students said things like, ``I'm shocked,'' and ``When I saw the words 'Otani-san's marriage report,' I was so surprised that I stopped and was dazed for a while.''
In addition, a male graduate student said, ``I found out about Otani's marriage yesterday on the news and everyone was making a fuss about it.I also love baseball, so I hope he continues to play an active role.'' Ta.