By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

The 359 members of the Pelham High School class of 2012 have earned a total of about $4.8 million in scholarships, up about $800,000 from last year’s class of 364 students.

For PHS senior counselor Amanda Waldrup, this year will mark a class she will never forget.

Shortly after this year’s 12^th-graders walk across the stage during their graduation ceremony, Waldrup will be retiring after many years as the school’s counselor.

“They have worked hard to earn scholarships and have actually increased the amount from the previous senior class,” Waldrup said. “I have been very impressed with this class of 2012.

“This is my last year as senior counselor as I will be retiring this year, so bittersweet is definitely the word that describes how I feel,” Waldrup added. “I am so grateful to work with this awesome senior class and to know that I will be ‘graduating’ with them.”

This year’s class will also be the final class to have attended all of middle and high school together. Later classes were split between Helena Middle School and Riverchase Middle School after they attended elementary and intermediate school.

The PHS graduation will be held Tuesday, May 22 at 7 p.m. at the Pelham Civic Complex at 500 Amphitheater Road.