By Judith Kristen, AAP Columnist
The bittersweet ending of a childhood into the exciting journey of adulthood officially took place for over 330 Pennsauken High School students at precisely 6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 16, 2016.
The procession of soon-to-be graduates filed into their beloved PHS gymnasium, for one last time as students of Pennsauken High, to a welcoming throng of family and friends, all on their feet, applauding this proud milestone in their loved ones’ lives.
The crowd remained standing through a musical performance presented by the Pennsauken High School Concert band, under the guidance of Jennifer Lingesso, and into “The Star Spangled Banner,” sung by The Double Dozen, under the direction of Kate Brown.
A round of applause greeted the presentation of the Class of 2016, given by Interim Superintendent Monroe Logan, followed by the acceptance of the class by Board of Education President Nicholas Perry. Both Mr. Monroe and Mr. Perry gave encouraging, heart-felt speeches to the students and their families. They were the perfect mixture of wisdom, humor, faith, and hope. The words of so many on this night were to encourage the fire in these students that had already started within them, to make sure that they pursue their dreams and passions, to hold on to the truth that courage can be contagious, and that hope can take on a life of its own.
A round of applause also erupted when The Double Dozen once again took their places to sing a song called, “It Gets Better.” So joyful was the song and its message, that students and the audience, stood and joined in by clapping along as an accompaniment to the voices.
The carryover continued as Sienna Gross, student government president, gave the student welcome, followed by Trinh Tran, valedictorian; Briana Roberts, president of the Class of 2016; and Malek Maddah, salutatorian. Each greeted their classmates and friends, faculty and families, with meaningful words and wonderful memories of days gone by at Pennsauken High School.
All of these students left a mark on everyone within earshot, but the one who really hit home was Malek Maddah. Malek left his native Venezuela five years ago for a better life here in America. He wanted everyone to know that despite a difficult past, tough hardships, fear, low income, and everything else that comes with a rough beginning in life, we should never give up on our dreams or on ourselves; that we must forever realize our potential and see it through to the very end, because action is always the key to success in everything.
The speakers were soon re-seated, allowing for the introduction of the Class of 2016 to take place. As each name was read, the student rose, acknowledging his or her place in the Class of 2016. Some students simply stood and smiled, others waved, and some even danced; while at the same time, their joyful and very proud families also stood and smiled, waved back, and yes, some even danced.
Soon, the time had come for the transfer of the class flag from Briana Roberts, president of the Class of 2016, to Asia Davis, representative of the Class of 2017.
The concert band, once again led by Jennifer Lingesso, started to play the recessional melody, and 338 soon-to-be college students, future military personnel, and viable members of our American workforce walked out of the gymnasium into a beautiful summer evening filled with joy, celebration, and promise.
Alexa Nunez was one of those joyful graduates and she expressed her happiness freely. She was looking forward to the newest chapter of her life. Her plans? To become an art teacher and come back to Pennsauken High School to teach; to give back to the place and community that encouraged her, her dreams, and her art.
Another member of the Class of 2016 was Allie Sheriff. Allie easily acknowledged she was excited about this new part of her life unfolding and that she would surely miss a lot of her friends and teachers that made her experience at Pennsauken High so enjoyable and even at times, hilarious. Allie is also quite creative and would love to become a writer one day. She believes in herself, she’s confident, and trusts in the fact that her dreams will come true.
Obviously, Alexa and Allie are off to a very, very good start with their new lives.
As for this writer, I was torn between two quotes to bring this wonderful event to a close, and decided for reasons that both are necessary.
The first quote is from a man who was a courageous dreamer, hard worker, and self-starter. His name was Steve Jobs.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”
The other quote is from a fellow who believed in the power of self, genuine friendships, and not sitting on the sidelines of life. He wrote and spoke in a plain, simple, and straightforward way. His name was Dr. Seuss.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose, You’re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.”
Go joyfully in the direction of your hopes and dreams and may you have a million happy tomorrows because if it.
Congratulations, one and all: Pennsauken High School’s Class of 2016!
