HAWLEY, PA — Seniors from Wallenpaupack Area High School were adorned with sashes, bows and decorated caps as they walked across the stage, ending their high school career.

240 graduating students were at the June 12th commencement ceremony, where students from different backgrounds gave speeches and celebrated.

The first speaker was Benjamin Scholl, the class president.

Scholl’s speech focused on how unique the graduating class of 2026 is, with a message of perseverance.

“We made it through 12 years together as people who are genuinely different from one another, and we did it well,” he said.

Scholl brought up the senior sunset event students organized, and how it didn’t exactly go to plan. “It rained a little, the sky was gray and it really wasn’t a great sunset,” he commented.

He added that the lesson to take away was that even a rainy day “doesn’t mean the sun won’t shine tomorrow.” He continued on, stating that students should persevere even when others tell them no.

Wallenpaupack High splits the student body in three different academies, which all focus on different career paths. For example, someone in Academy 1 might study visual arts and someone in Academy 3 might focus on aviation. More about Wallenpaupack’s academies can be found here.

Each of the different academies had their moment in the spotlight during the graduation ceremony.

Genieveve Neenan, Academy 1 speaker, took to the stage to send the graduating class a message of appreciating the present moment.

“A milestone means nothing without the work you put in and the relationships you built with others,” she commented. “You are now on the other side of the tunnel; you’ve done it,”

Neenan further stated that the anxiety she felt about next steps upon graduation has turned into excitement, even though she sometimes still feels like “that little girl on her first day of kindergarten with a loose nametag around her neck.”

JP Yeo, Academy 2 speaker with a concentration in exercise science/sports medicine, echoed Neenan’s sentiments about fear.

Yeo explained to audience members that he had moved in 7th grade from loud New York City to Wallenpaupack, which is “beyond quiet.” As participants laughed, Yeo shared that the size of the school was also a big adjustment, as he had gone from a student body of 40 kids to 270.

“As soon as I got my foot in the door at Wallenpaupack, the fears slowly started to fade,” he remarked. “Everyone from my classmates to teachers, coaches and faculty accepted me with open arms and showed me how special a place like Wallenpaupack really is.”

Yeo thanked his coaches and teachers for their help, and left attendees with a final message. “We’re all sitting here in cap and gown because we kept moving forward,” he concluded. “When fear showed up in many different ways, we did not succumb to it.”

Academy 3 speaker Izael Rodriguez, with a business focus, then shared a message about success and the different pathways to it.

“Success isn’t a fixed destination; it’s personal,” he said. “I found that fulfillment only comes from pursuing what matters to you.”

Rodriguez related to Yeo, sharing that he also moved to Wallenpaupack in 7th grade.
Rodriguez, who is originally from New Jersey, added that the change had happened during
COVID, and his grades were consequently slipping.

Rodriguez then joined an after school program for additional help, which he describes as changing the trajectory of his life. He started becoming more active in school, joining sports and activities. He has now made the honor roll every year at Wallenpaupack High and has medaled in track & field.

“My success journey started by a belief others had in me, when I didn’t see it myself,” he beamed. “It helped me build a new definition of my own success.”