BROCKWAY – The 131st graduation ceremony of the Brockway Area Junior-Senior High School combined old traditions with new ideas.
As with every graduation before it, the Class of 2024 stood for the National Anthem, listened to a song sung by a student choir, rocked side-to-side to the alma mater, and enjoyed speeches from their classmates. However, this year marked only the fourth graduation outside at Varischetti Field, which was punctuated by fireworks, and it was the first where students got to decorate their caps.
Students’ caps had messages about graduation, honored lost loved ones, or connected to friends’ caps. The caps had to be approved ahead of graduation, and Superintendent Brian Mulhollan said the decorations should make it easier for students to find their hats after the traditional hat toss.
The ceremony opened with Sophia Lorentz singing the National Anthem, then Student Council President Raegan Gelnette led the group in a prayer asking God to guide the service and the graduates’ lives, guiding them to whatever his will is for their talents.
Mulhollan, who took over as superintendent in February, told his first group of graduates to dream big, be themselves, and learn from failure.
“You have to try new things in life,” he said. “How you respond to failure is important to your personal growth.”
Mulhollan reminded students of the Emerson quote about forging a new path.
“I have always been a believer in finding a new path,” he said. “Set a goal for yourself and follow through with it.”
Class President Jacob Newcamp said it was hard to find one event that defined his grade.
“We’re not a class with one moment,” he said. “But we are a class of leaders. We try to find solutions.”
He concluded: “Let us be fearless in the next steps of our lives.”
Salutatorian Hannah Holt held a moment of silence for a classmate, Brian David, Jr., who would have graduated with them but passed away in 2013. She concluded her speech by saying, “Never give up. There’s no working too hard for what you want.”
Graduation capped off an emotional week for the Class of 2024. Graduation practices and awards ceremonies did not drive the finality of their time at Brockway home quite like the annual senior walk where they tour Brockway Area Elementary School again after being out of it since seventh grade before walking through the high school one last time.
“I felt like I was sort of sharing everybody else’s memories for a moment, and I enjoyed the feeling,” Trinity Feronti said. “It felt special. The teachers and students tearing up, clapping, and cheering for us was wholesome.”
“I felt sad, but also very happy to see where my future is headed and make new memories and meet new people,” Kiara Brown said. “I did not expect to cry but after I saw [Mr. and Mrs.] Weaver, Mrs. Matusky, and Mrs. Deemer, I did cry. I’m very thankful to have been a Rover for my entire life.”
“Although I don’t want to leave, I’m ready to move onto the next chapter,” Lena Hess said.
“I felt both excited for it to be the last time I walked the halls, but also sad that I won’t be able to see my favorite teachers anymore,” Aubry Ryan said. “I most likely won’t see all of the people I grew up with anymore, too.”
Valedictorian Jacob Maze brought up that point during his speech. He said that graduation might be the last time everyone in the Class of 2024 was together.
“You need to pause to cherish every moment,” he said. “We need to go with courage, determination, and unwavering faith in ourselves and the community we’ve built.”
Mulhollan reminded the students that they will always be a part of their hometown.
“Wherever you end up, you will always be a part of the Brockway Community,” he said.
The Brockway Class of 2024 graduated 68 people. During the awards ceremony earlier in the week, those students gained $920,321 in scholarships from their universities and private donors.
The Brockway Class of 2024: Hayden Allen, Samantha Barber, Dylan Bash, Madalyn Bennett, Evan Botwright, Kiara Brown, Andrew Brubaker, Matthew Brubaker, Zona Calhoun, Adam Carnahan, Jendy Celestino Cuello, Max Cooper, Kaden Coulter, Isaac Crawford, Lillie Dierolf, Hailie Eiselman, Logan Faith, Trinity Feronti, Dante Fields, Jorja Fitzgerald, Aubrey Freemer, Logan Freemer, Karissa Fremer, Mayson Fremer, Raegan Gelnette, Alexa Gonzalez, Isaac Guaglianone, Gabriel Hamilton, Lillian Heilbrun, Lena Hess, Clayton Hirchert, Hannah Holt, Troy Johnson, Amber Lathrop, Sophia Lorentz, Jacob Maze, Trevor Murray, Jacob Newcamp, Owen Petrini, Weston Pisarchick, Ashleigh Pontious, Marajah Porrin, Eliza Powell, Lauren Rendos, Alyssa Rittenhouse, Aubry Ryan, Kylie Ryckman, Kyra Salizzoni, Christopher Schneider II, Tehya Shaw, Austin Shepler, Jack Smith, Madison Smith, Emelia Snell, Abagail Spellen, Jeremy Swanson, Austin Tami, Myer Tretick, Johanna Troutman, Jacob Trunzo, Damon Tucker, Levi Wilcox, Rhyus Wilcox, Andrew D. Williams, Andrew T. Williams, Aaliyah Witherite, Reese Yahner, and Chad Young.
