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Graduation day: old traditions, new beginnings, beloved memories
SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — Hundreds of young people completed one
portion of their lives this weekend and entered a new one as the county’s
school districts celebrated their annual commencement ceremonies.
Sullivan West-Delaware Valley
HANKINS, NY — The Sullivan West at Delaware Valley School,
and its companion school, Sullivan West at Jeffersonville, graduated their
final classes of seniors on June 28.
In the future, seniors at Sullivan West will graduate from
the new high school that will open this fall.
The Delaware Valley graduation was a celebration not only
for its current seniors, but for all alumni and alumnae who ever graduated
from the school on the banks of the Delaware River.
The graduating seniors invited all former graduates to attend
the graduation and individually invited salutatorians and valedictorians
from every class going back to 1952 when the first graduation was held.
Many of these invitees were in attendance and all stood to
acknowledge the applause of the audience.
Thirty-two seniors heard Salutatorian Joanna DiCostanza and
Valedictorian Kayla Peters express praise for the past and hope for the future.
Guest speaker, former Congressman Benjamin Gilman, had some
solemn words of advice for the departing students. “So while today is a great
day of celebration … it is also a day tempered by the unprecedented world
situation which you graduates will soon face in the days ahead, be it in
college or in the workforce. It will be your solemn duty to confront these
problems head-on.”
—Tom Kane
Eldred Central School
ELDRED, NY — Saturday evening commencement ceremonies marked
the 60th anniversary of the first graduating class at the current Eldred
Central High School building.
Marking the occasion, the 51 members of the class of 2003
invited Charles “Chuck” Myers, a member of the class of 1943, as their commencement
speaker. The former Sullivan County Commissioner of Public Works admitted
that he could not recall, even after looking it up, who the commencement
speaker was at his graduation. Still he said, “if you only remember until
Tuesday,” he advised them to take care in choosing their avocations in life
and not to be afraid to change their minds if the first choice doesn’t fit
well.
Valedictorian Nikki Thiele said she would not presume to give
advice about taking “the road less traveled,” as it might be very dark and
“I don’t want to get mugged.”
Thiele went on to praise several teachers who, while not necessarily
the ones getting their names in the papers for recognition or honors, provided
her “the rock” for her high school years.
Salutatorian Peter Meyer advised, “Work hard and the world
will be yours for the taking.”
Principal and incoming district superintendent Ivan Katz advised
graduates to “go as far as you can see and always know that when you get
there, you will be able to see farther.”
The ceremony was the last ECS graduation for Superintendent
Candace Mazur, who retires in September.
—David Hulse
Sullivan West: Jeffersonville
JEFFERSONVILLE, NY — Two sets of seniors graduated this past
Saturday at Sullivan West: Jeffersonville. They were seniors who were originally
at the Jeffersonville-Youngsville High School and those who came from Narrowsburg
and spent their senior year in the Jeffersonville school.
In all, 74 seniors graduated.
As at Delaware Valley, it was the last year that the 65-year-old
Jeffersonville campus would host a high school graduation.
For economic and scheduling reasons, school officials merged
the two high schools for one year before the new high school opens in the
fall.
Since there were two sets of seniors, there were two sets
of salutatorians and valedictorians.
The Jeffersonville valedictorian was Jennifer Peters and the
Narrowsburg valedictorian was Heather Nober.
The Jeffersonville salutatorian was Sarah Nebzydoski and the
Narrowsburg salutatorian was Joseph Hawker.
Since there were four student speakers, no guest speaker was
scheduled.
—Tom Kane
Liberty Central School
LIBERTY, NY — The Liberty gym was packed with more than 1,500
vocal spectators who came to celebrate the rite of passage for 114 Liberty
seniors who graduated on June 28.
Valedictorian Megan Baxter and Salutatorian Corianna Sichel
decided to forego the separate traditional speeches in favor of a series
of anecdotes about their classmates that were humorous and sentimental. Sichel
told of a student who was late for free breakfast who had his breakfast paid
for by a magnanimous classmate who didn’t even know the distressed and hungry
child. Baxter referred to the commitment shown by her fellow athletes who
played through pain, injury and never gave up.
High school principal Robert Chakar gave a stirring speech
citing a litany of recent historical events that took place during the school
lives of this graduating class. He referred to the Class of 2003 as “the
class of modern history.”
Outgoing superintendent Edward Rhine remarked that the world
would be in good hands with the likes of such students as Renauld Buck, Megan
Baxter, Nick Christian and Corianna Sichel.
The final speaker, board president Dr. Phillip Olsen surprised
and delighted the audience with his exposé of students’ secret lives on the
Internet. “They are plotting to take over the world,” said Olsen, “but I
can think of no better group to put my faith in,” he said.
—Richard A. Ross
Livingston Manor Central School
LIVINGSTON MANOR, NY — Using the metaphor of gardening, high
school principal and Superintendent Designate Debra Lynker compared the process
of nurturing students from their formative years to gardening.
“Though both can be trying and rigorous, the results are well
worth the effort,” said Lynker at the June 28 ceremony.
Livingston Manor graduated forty-three students in the Class
of 2003.
Salutatorian Maureen Casey reiterated the wisdom cited in
Robert Fulgham’s “All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”
Casey pointed out the relevance of the lessons to “share everything, play
fair, don’t hit people, put things back where you found them and clean up
your own mess” as useful advice not only to her classmates but to the nations
of the world as well.
Valedictorian Brandy Maggio’s message was about the importance
of living for today. “All I really have is today, for the future is not guaranteed.”
While citing the value of reflecting on the past and looking forward to the
future, Maggio emphasized the value of the present. “Right now will always
be right now,” she said.
Retiring superintendent Kenneth Gray advised the graduates
to avoid “toxic people” who can be discouraging or disparaging in favor of
“positive people” who are encouraging and affirming. “Surround yourself with
people who say you can,” said Gray.
—Richard A. Ross
Monticello High School
LOCH SHELDRAKE, NY — On June 29, 184 students from Monticello
High School gathered at the Sullivan County Community College field house
to receive their diplomas.
The three-hour ceremony was highlighted by class speakers
Lauren Brinkerhoff, Casey Berson and Timothy Billias and Fulton essay contest
winner Cristina Bendi. The ceremony not only marked the end of the student’s
high school careers but also the last time that long-time music director
Steve Rovitz would conduct the band as it played “Pomp and Circumstance”
and “Song of Joy”, the processional and recessional songs for graduation.
—Chris Conroy
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