"There is so much more out in front of you...Please promise me that you will never stop growing and challenging yourselves," Superintendent Susan Swartz told the Class of 2012 during today's 105th Scotia-Glenville commencement exercises at Proctor's Theater in Schenectady.
About 2,000 parents, friends, faculty and others watched as 210 students received diplomas at the ceremony. They heard selections sung by the senior Choralaires and played by the High School Symphonic Band. Here is the graduation program. (PDF)
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Here are two video files of students walking into the theater:
▪ Watch students proceed into Proctor's Theater (MPG file - You may need Quicktime or Windows Media Player to watch this file.
▪ Watch students proceed into Proctor's Theater (MPG file - You may need Quicktime or Windows Media Player to watch this file.
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Here are two vocal selections performed by the senior Choralaires at graduation:
▪ "They Can't Take That Away from Me" (MPG file - You may need Quicktime or Windows Media Player to watch this file.
▪ "A Parting Blessing" (MPG file - You may need Quicktime or Windows Media Player to watch this file.
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Graduation speaker Kerry Lewis was introduced by Allison Atchley, high school band teacher. In Kerry's speech, entitled "Chasing Meese," she recounted how many chase dreams, both big and small. She said that her mother's personal dream, of seeing a moose one day, continues to be unfilled - but it remains her dream.
"As I look in front of me, I see a group of people who are all ready-made to go and chase their dreams," she said. "Our generation is so unique: we are the babies of technology, able to figure out all the gadgets, no matter how new or bizarre. Were equipped to chase whatever dreams we want to: this is a world ready-made for us."
▪ Here's the full text of Kerry's speech (PDF)
▪ Watch Kerry's speech (MPG file). You may need Quicktime or Windows Media Player to watch this file.
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Student Anne Bongermino was introduced by Connie Zack, chairperson of the Family and Consumer Sciences Department. In Anne's speech, "A Defining Class," she spoke of how the Class of 2012 came into kindergarten in 1998 thinking about Mulan and Spongebob and then witnessed September 11 in second grade, natural disasters in the Indian Ocean, New Orleans and Haiti and political change and hope in Washington.
"Now, as we go forward, we will remember the incredible things we have seen, and use these experiences to make our own history, to change the world we live in, and to shape our own environment. We are a class defined by history, and we are a defining class," she told her classmates.
▪ Here's the full text of Anne's speech (PDF).
▪ Watch Anne's speech (MPG file). You may need Quicktime or Windows Media Player to watch this file.
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Board of Education President Pam Carbone told the graduates that change is happening all around us all the time.
"Most of us do not like change. But, change is inevitable. It is how we face change that matters," she said. "We can face change with fear and trepidation or we can embrace change always looking for the opportunities that lay ahead. If we choose to fear change, we often miss the positive effects of change.
▪ Here's the full text of Pam Carbone's speech (PDF).
▪ Watch Pam Carbone's speech (MPG file). You may need Quicktime or Windows Media Player to watch this file.
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"Thank you for your leadership, intelligence and unique spirit," Principal Lynda Castronovo, who is retiring as of June 30, told students. She encouraged them to "face conflict with determination and optimism" and to "teach tolerance and accept diversity."
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Here are a few scenes from today's graduation ceremony. Click on each photo to enlarge it:
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June
12, 2012The Board of Education last night recognized
five graduating seniors with Outstanding Student Leadership Awards
and 16 retiring staff members for their many years of service to the
students of Scotia-Glenville.
[MORE]
The senior class was recognized today with several scholarships and awards. Here is the listing of awards and the recipients. [MORE] PDF
Also
at the ceremony, these students received the Scotia-Glenville HS
Scholastic Honor Award - Medal. The medal is presented to the
members of the graduating class who have completed their studies with
the highest achievement. For this year's class, the top students had
cumulative averages between 95.848 and 98.868.
The recipients were: Matthew Ashcroft, Kullen Bailey, Sarah Dean, Linnea Feldman, Kerry Lewis, Christopher Omicinski, Emily Peterson, Aurora Phillips, Lauren Roberts, Cadence Trapini, Noah Wegener and Alexis Yagielski.
Here are their future plans:
▪ Matthew Ashcroft, studying Mechanical Engineering at Villanova University;
▪ Kullen Bailey, studying Radiologic Technology at SUNY Fulton Montgomery Community College;
▪ Sarah Dean, studying Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania;
▪ Linnea Feldman, undecided, studying at SUNY Albany;
▪ Kerry Lewis, studying Neuroscience/Dance at Bates College;
▪ Christopher Omicinski, studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Rochester;
▪ Aurora Phillips, studying Biology at SUNY Stony Brook;
▪ Emily Peterson, studying Wildlife/Fisheries Biology at the University of Vermont;
▪ Lauren Roberts, studying Biomedical Engineering/Business at SUNY University at Buffalo;
▪ Cadence Trapini, studying Psychology at St. Lawrence University;
▪ Noah Wegener, studying Engineering at Cornell University;
▪ Alexis Yagielski, studying Biochemistry at Syracuse University.
These additional school-based awards have also been presented to the senior class. [MORE] PDF
