By Andrew Cluley AAPS Director of Communications
Song, dance, poetry, and heart felt messages of gratitude once again highlighted Community High Schools Commencement Ceremony celebrating the 124 graduates in the class of 2019. Each grad shared their own 30-second speech with a mix of humor, remembrances, and lots of thanks to the teachers, families, and students that were a part of their high school experience.
Dean Marci Tuzinsky shared her appreciation with the graduates for their decision to come to Community High School and the role they played in shaping the school. “Each person who comes through the doors of Community High School, you basically change, you impact Community High School by your presence in some way by how you interacted with teachers and students that are here,” Tuzinsky said. “That’s how we continue to keep getting better and better because what you’ve given us as well.”
Tuzinsky told the graduates they are hopefully taking with them something even more important than the content of the classes they took. “We hope even more that you have learned how to learn, how to complete something that was really hard at first or seemed difficult, how to work hard, to ask questions, to ask for help, to give help, to put in that extra time, to fail,” she said.
The ceremony also included a rousing performance of “I Want You Back” led by the Community High jazz musicians, poems about Community from Andi Tappenden and Thea Rowe, a medley from Community Ensemble Theatre’s spring musical Disaster! and a dance performed by Emily Lancaster and Nicole Tooley.
Several graduates also received awards at the Commencement Ceremony.
- The Rick Burgess Music Scholarship- Aris Chalin
- The Jill Award- Betoul Yousef Ajin
- The Community Resources Award- Julia Ammer and Sam Ciesielski
- The Nathan Lyndell Hall Memorial Scholarship- Mira Simonton-Chao
- The Susanne Ruth Springer Award- Aviva Satz-Kojis
- The Judith DeWoskin Writing Award- Nicole Tooley
- The Dean Al Gallup Scholarship- Andrea Schnell
- The Bruce Bartman Memorial Scholarship- Emma Hoffman
So nice to see a school that sets out to truly recognize achievement and effort, not just give lip service. Nothing goes further in allowing graduates to believe in their dreams. Eight or eighty, a sincere pat on the back goes along way.
Community High School’s Graduation was an amazing experience. When I first heard that each graduate was going to get 30 seconds to talk, I thought, ‘we are going to be in for a long night!’ However, it was so impressive I didn’t want it to end. How incredible it was to hear so many young men and women share their appreciation for their teachers (yes, their teachers!), families and peers, as well as, their excitement for the future. I wouldn’t change a thing! It is also important to note that the teachers/staff had a profound impact on their experience at CHS and belief that they are well prepared for the next chapter!