IN PICTURES: CORAL SHORES GRADUATES GET THEIR DIPLOMAS

Graduates, family, faculty and staff gather for the Coral Shores High School Class of 2022 Graduation ceremony on the campus football field Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Photo by Doug Finger

With diplomas in hand, the Coral Shores Class of 2022 flipped their tassels and tossed their caps as family and friends cheered during the commencement ceremony on May 25 at the football field. Of the 165 students, 149 are continuing their education past high school. Four are entering the military, and 8% of the class is going straight to the workforce.

Jim McCarthy is one of the many Western New Yorkers who escaped the snow and frigid temperatures for warm living by the water. A former crime & court reporter and city editor for two Western New York newspapers, Jim has been honing his craft since he graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 2014. In his 4-plus years in the Keys, Jim has enjoyed connecting with the community. “One of my college professors would always preach to be curious,” he said. “Behind every person is a story that’s unique to them, and one worth telling. As writers, we are the ones who paint the pictures in the readers minds of the emotions, the struggles and the triumphs.” Jim is past president of the Key Largo Sunset Rotary Club, which is composed of energetic members who serve the community’s youth and older populations. Jim is a sports fanatic who loves to watch football, hockey, mixed martial arts and golf. He also enjoys time with family and his new baby boy, Lucas, who arrived Oct. 4, 2022.