Eldred seniors say adieu

Posted 8/21/12

ELDRED, NY — Seniors of the class of 2015 gathered for a graduation ceremony from the Eldred Central School District on June 27 in the high school gymnasium.

Salutatorian Kayla Carcone …

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Eldred seniors say adieu

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ELDRED, NY — Seniors of the class of 2015 gathered for a graduation ceremony from the Eldred Central School District on June 27 in the high school gymnasium.

Salutatorian Kayla Carcone kicked things off with a light-hearted speech about how life will be different now, with graduating students making many more choices on their own. She said, “The power of choice has instantly expanded 10 times over; I mean we’ll be the ones choosing whether or not to go to class, but we will go to class.”

Quoting an address by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill as the tide began to turn in Britain’s favor in World War II, Superintendent Robert Dufour said, “‘This is not the end; it is not the beginning of the end; but perhaps it is the end of the beginning.’” Dufour said this graduation day for the seniors was perhaps “the end of the beginning of the first phase of what we hope will be a long, prosperous, productive and happy life for you all.”

In keeping with a tradition that was started about 10 years ago, there were inductions into the Eldred Central School District Hall of Fame. Norman Sutherland was inducted as a lifetime resident of the area, a Vietnam veteran, a member of the American Legion, past president of the American Legion Ambulance Corps, a volunteer firefighter in three different departments and many other achievements.

The other induction was awarded posthumously to Charlotte Levin, who taught in local schools from 1908 through 1961, and arrived at her first school in a horse and buggy. She taught for over 50 years, and 46 of those years were at Eldred, oftentimes in a one-room schoolhouse, teaching children of many grades all at the same time.

The keynote speaker of the day was Doris Braun, of the Eldred class of 1979, who has excelled in a career in banking and on Wall Street. She told the students they should take risks. She told a story about joining in a dune-buggy race, where she and others were told “don’t use the brakes; drive the vehicle like you just stole it.” She took off, following the other drivers as instructed. She said, “I was scared, but I stopped doubting myself because I was doing it.” She told the graduating students to embrace the many opportunities that will come their way, and she said, “don’t put the brakes on your life.”

Heather Hallock, the class valedictorian, said, “As the valedictorian of the graduating class of 2015, we have worked so hard to be here today, and I am as proud of all of you as I am [of] myself.” She said she could not have achieved what she did without the support of her family.

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