MOUNT CARMEL - Jennifer Bolick, the valedictorian of the Mount Carmel Area High School Class of 2015, took the audience back in time 30 years, and hopes the results are the same.
At Friday's graduation ceremony, in the high school gymnasium, Bolick talked about her parents graduating from MCA in 1985 and through her life, witnessed her parents' continued friendships with high school classmates.
"Their careers and geographical locations have never mattered. The friendships they built in these hallways remain strong today," Bolick said. "So I spread this message to you regardless of which path each one of us will take to find our journey in life. My wish for us is that we will keep the bonds that have been created and enjoy them in many years to come."
Bolick spoke about challenges in her address to the class, talking about how the 97 members of the graduating class have faced so many, including the biggest one - the decision process for what they will do with their lives following graduation. With more challenges to come, Bolick encouraged them to face them to define their character.
"Don't underestimate your full potential. Hold your heads high and never give up. Be confident knowing you are well prepared for whatever life has to offer. Make each and every challenge an opportunity to grow as an individual and to find success," she said.
Rise
The Commencement ceremony's guest speaker, 1995 graduate Dr. Michael Higgins told the graduating seniors that change is inevitable. He told the story of how in the summer of 1995, he was the big man on campus.
"I had just won a state championship in football and a district title in basketall, won a scholarship to Franklin and Marshall and was the valedictorian of our class," Higgins said.
But things changed quickly for him.
"In the first semester, I got the first 'D' grade in academic career, I lost the scholarship because my grade point average was too low, and was benched my freshman football season after the first game due to a lackluster performance in the opening game," he said.
The key to success, Higgins said, is that everyone, no matter how they crash and burn, has the ability to rise up from the ashes. While change in life will come, the one thing that won't, he said, is their upbringing.
"Your roots are like your DNA, never changing. You are all the influence of your upbringing, and background will be the foundation of your life forever," Higgins said.
Education is a passport
In her welcoming address, class president Isabella Stellar talked about how it wasn't a speech she wanted to make - or even write.
"I've been avoiding having to look back and write about the last six years of our lives, the years that, believe it or not, taught us all so much," Stellar said. "I've been avoiding this speech because I knew the day I'd finally be reading it would be the last day of this unforgettable journey... of high school."
Stellar said she and her fellow graduates have the power to make a new and better tomorrow, remembering the words of Malcolm X, "Education is our passport to our futures, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today."
"As we prepare to leave Mount Carmel Area High School tonight, do so with your head held high, with pride, and with excellence. And always remember, to become as much as we can, we must dream of being more, and believe we can become more," Stellar said.
In her address at Friday's ceremony, salutatorian Joanna Rompallo peppered it with quotes from various Dr. Seuss books, and joined with the class of 2015 to thank those that got them to this point, teachers, parents, family, classmates and elementary school best friends, neighbors and community.
Rompallo used social media for inspiration as well asking the Facebook community to describe in one word how they felt about graduating, with the most popular answers being "excited, nervous, happy, sad and bittersweet."
"My personal favorite was blindsided. Despite the fact that we have been waiting our whole lives for this moment, it seems to have come so suddenly," Rompallo said. "It's understandable to be scared. It's understandable to be excited. And it's most definitely understandable to have absolutely no idea how to feel right now. This time in our lives is filled with uncertainity, but within the beauty of uncertainty lies the possibility of exploration."
Mount Carmel Area's commencement also featured the presentation of awards, and several musical selections from the chorus, including the class song, "Defying Gravity" from the Broadway musical "Wicked."
Graduates
Graduating from high school in Friday's ceremony were:
Cody Allen, Lee Daniel Amarose, Macie Leigh Anderson, Joshua Ian Ashbaugh, Jeffrey Michael Ballard, Danyel Cambrea Balonis, Nathaniel Douglas Bartos, Glenn Joseph Barwacki Jr., Brian Bryce Beaver, Jacob Michael Belfanti, Colin Ray Bettleyon, Thomas Bielski, Brett Barrett Bolam, Jennifer Marie Bolick, Andrew Ryan Campbell, Timothy Campbell, Jonathan Charles Capozello, Taylor Nicole Conches, Caitlyn Marissa Curran, Tina Mary Delbo, Paige Grace Dombroski, Maliyah Janae Edwards, Jonathan Thomas Engelke and Jessica Ashley Feldman.
Nadia Alexandra Ferri, Hannah Laura Fetterolf, Ciaran Patrick Fisher, Sean Michael Fisher, Celina Isabel Frieswyk, Brianne Graff, Shane Michael Gudonis, Zachary Lee Guthrie, Linda Nicole Haas, Sheila Harris, Matthew James Haught, Amalia Hope Hinkle, Austin Lee Joraskie, Michael Bernard Kaminsky, Daniel Edward Kanowicz, Christian Robert Kelley, Jordan David limas, Jordan Daniel Klingler, Amber Nicole Kogut, Tyler J. Kruskie, Haley Kathryn Lahr, Daniel James Linn, Cody James Little and Thomas Joseph Lynott IV.
Amanda M. Manning, Eric Anthony Mazurkevich, Corey William McAndrew, Tyler James McCarthy, Shamus Ryan McGovern, Maura Kristen Mengel, Thomas James Moser, Brenda Lee Neidig, Kevin Patrick Nolder, Benjamin Ortega Jr., Brendin Gregory Pancher, Blake Aaron Panko, Charles Anthony Parkansky, Dylan Edward Patrick, Sean M. Percy Jr., Michael Reno Pupo, Gerard Michael Reichwein, Robert E. Rogers II, Joanna Cecelia Rompallo, Nicholas Vincent Rossi, Bianca Sandoval, Charlotte Judith Sarisky, Joseph Robert Schmoyer and David Fox Seltner II.
Jocelyn Shustack, Tia Nicole Slusser, Michael S. Snauffer, Rachel Angela Startzel, Christopher Michael Stellar, Isabella Janine Stellar, Rachel Ann Stevens, Ashley Elizabeth Stief, Juwan Donte' Sullins, Caitlyn Michelle Taggart, Shannon Marie Tanney, Zachary Robert Tocyloski, Jocelyn Taylor Trocki, Brianna Vincenzes, Michael Paul Vincenzes, Madison Berezovske Watkins, Treyvon Robert-Matthew White, Dylan Robert Williams, James J. Williams Jr., Jordan Taylor Winhofer, Kayla Marina Witt, Amanda Claire Wolfgang, William Sebastian Wolfgang, Kayla Ann Wondoloski and Brandon Lee Yuschock.