'It is Real': Claysburg-Kimmel Honors 73 Graduates

Class Treasurer Chelsie Noah welcomed the packed crowd to the brand-new Bulldog Stadium on Saturday, June 3, for Claysburg-Kimmel High School's 102nd Commencement Ceremony. Noah quoted rapper J. Cole and told her classmates "not to compare yourself to others,." Noah also quoted poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, saying, "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

Secretary Sarah Helsel led the class and crowd with the pledge of allegiance.

"Today is a great day," Class President Emma Gill said opening her speech. "A day you've been waiting for since you entered kindergarten 13 long years ago. For some of you, it's waiting to get out of school and to get on with your life. For others, graduation is just the next step on your education journey."

Gill closed her speech saying the lyrics to Miley Cyrus' hit "The Climb": "'There's always gonna be another mountain. I'm always gonna wanna make it move. Always gonna be an uphill battle. Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose. Ain't about how fast I get there. Ain't about what's waiting on the other side. It's the climb.' To the class of 2023 ­- we did it."

Class Salutatorian Taylor Mowry was next with her speech. Mowry said that she has been asking all those around her the last few days, "Is it real?" At graduation, she said, "It is real." Mowry talked about the 13 years together with her classmates at Claysburg-Kimmel, making memories at Friday night lights, art room karaoke, "Sweet Caroline," praying that Dale Manning of Manning Photography gets your best angle, Mr. C's "Free Day Fridays" and singing "Fireball" at homecomings and proms.

"These memories are the ones we will be telling our children about," Mowry said.

Mowry concluded her speech with an anonymous quote that said, "One day, all of us will get separated from each other. We will miss our conversations. Days, months and years will pass until we rarely see each other. One day, our children will see our photos and ask, 'Who are these people?' and we will smile with invisible tears, and say it was with them that I had the best days of my life."

Class Valedictorian Robert Schneider challenged the class of 2023 to "take a risk." Schneider said, "Life's too short to not take a risk.

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," Schneider said.

Schneider joined the class in tenth grade and thanked those for making him feel like "one of the guys."

Vice President of the Class of 2023 Erica Norotsky presented the Teacher Appreciation Award to Aaron Burket, a teacher who made "school a little easier each day, who joked around with us, and gave us freebies on tests when we really needed it," according to Norotsky.

Burket teaches history and driver's education. All seniors vote on the Teacher Appreciation Award. In his acceptance speech, Burket referenced the senior quote: "It's not May.. yet." Burket spoke about how the seniors were always anxious for the last month and weeks of school.

"Honestly, this is one of the nicest, most pleasant and most respectful groups of students I have ever met," Burket said.

High School Principal Charles Kassick presented Jerome Dodson with the Legacy Award, which was engraved with the "power of someone's life is the story they leave behind."

Dodson was one who helped start CKTV. According to Kassick, "No one knows what all he does for this district."

Kassick told seniors, "Please remember all those who helped you get here. Your post high school dreams can be a reality."

Kassick quoted Thomas Edison: "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

Kassick encouraged the Class of 2023 to "seize those opportunities and get to work."

The 73 seniors were presented to Board President Richard Gergley and Superintendent Mark Louckst. Loucks told the class of 2023, "It's my pleasure to spend this day with you, from being with you during kindergarten graduation to dressing up as Batman and being silly. These silly moments became great memories."

He closed his speech to the class with a poem by Nadine Stair - "If I Had to Live My Life Over," which said she (the author) would make more mistakes, travel lighter and pick more daisies.

The commencement ceremony ended with a cap toss at the Bulldog at the 50-yard line followed by a parade to Claysburg Park honoring the seniors.