Family graduation

Graduation in May had a special meaning for a Jay family that saw the father graduate from Pensacola State College, the daughter graduate from Troy University and the son graduate from Jay High School in the same month.

Alton Flowers graduated May 6 Summa Cum Laude with a business degree from PSC; his daughter, Kayla Flowers, graduated May 11 Summa Cum Laude from Troy with a degree in Bio Medical Science; his son, Jackson Flowers, was no. 6 in 2018 graduating class at Jay on May 29.

Alton graduated from Jay High School in 1984 and joined the Air Force.

"At the time I didn't think college was important," he said.

He said he soon realized, even in the military, education opened doors and meant better promotions. He began working on his associate's degree while in the Air Force and received the degree in 2003.

He got out of the Air Force in 2008 and started back to school in 2010 at PSC.

Due to some unexpected events, that included the death of his wife in 2011, he didn't return to school, lacking 60 hours to graduate.

Alton returned to the classroom in 2016.

"I wanted, and expected, my kids to go to college," he said. "It's hard to tell them when I'm not doing it myself."

As a single dad, he started his own business, Tri-County Maintenance.

He said his goal was to have him and his children all graduate at the same time.

He said there were times he didn't think he was going to make it, but with the support of counselors and advisors at PSC he pushed on. He said he's more proud of his children than himself.

"The biggest compliment you can get is when someone brags on your children," he said.

Kayla said it was a unique experience going to college at the same time her father was going.

"I don't think too many 21-year olds get to talk to their father about college classes and homework," she said. "I thought it was incredible how it turned out. There was a lot of bonding while we were in college at the same time."

She said it was a little stressful working out all the logistics for the different graduations but it was worth it.

Kayla plans to move to Dothan in the fall to attend the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine.

"I want to do family medicine," she said. "I want to come back to a small town and be a doctor."

Jackson plans on attending the University of South Alabama in the fall for a business degree and taking ROTC with the goal of following his father's footsteps and joining the Air Force.

"When I graduate I want to go into the Air Force to be a pilot," he said.

Jackson also said it was a neat experience to have the entire family graduate at the same time.

"I've never heard of anyone other than us doing so," he said. "We were all able to attend each other's graduation then had a big party."

Jackson is on a vacation trip in New York City with his girlfriend and her family this week and he said that's a very neat experience as well.

"We've been to the Empire State Building and the Statute of Liberty," he said. "It's definitely not 'home town' like Jay and Flomaton."

Jackson said they also visited the memorial on the site where the twin towers stood before the terrorist attack.

"It was very humbling to say the least," he said.