Students who passed away will be honored at Central High’s graduation

Monti, Miller will be given honorary diplomas

When the class of 2016 at La Crosse Central graduates tomorrow night, two students who died young will be honored with special diplomas.  

Relatives of Cory Monti and George Miller will represent them on stage, when the students’ names are called.

Monti passed away in third grade due to cancer. Miller was shot and killed in a south La Crosse neighborhood last August.

The Central commencement happens at 7 p.m. Friday at the La Crosse Center.

“They have friends here,” Central principal Jeff Fleig said. “They have friends that still remember who they are. In this case, I remember George very well. 

“It’s just part of how we bring closure to their high school experience.”

Fleig believes this may be the first time that Central has presented honorary diplomas to students who passed away well before graduation.