MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Sebastian Robinson takes a selfie as he waits to receive his diploma during the WAHS 2022 Commencement Thursday.
Families and friends at Williamsport Area High School’s 151st graduation ceremony Thursday night were not only shivering with excitement as the students entered STA Stadium, but the cooler temperatures atop the hill accompanied with wind gusts left some people wrapped in blankets and wishing for warmer clothing.
As the ceremony progressed for the 321 students who moved from seniors to alumni with the toss of a tassel, the sun moved from behind the clouds, warming the stadium.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Timothy S. Bowers, superintendent, highlighted the resiliency of the class of 2022.
“In preparing for my remarks this evening, the word ‘resilience’ kept coming to mind,” Bowers said.
“The definition of resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. If someone refers to you as being resilient, they believe you have the capacity to work through hard times, learn from them and grow to be even stronger which in turn makes you more capable of overcoming hardships in your future,” Bowers said, adding, “Class of 2022, I believe you are indeed resilient.”
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport Area High School graduates switch sides of their tassels during the WAHS 2022 Commencement Thursday.
Bowers went on to enumerate the way in which this particular graduating class had navigated going to school during a global pandemic for more than two years.
“You have adapted your learning styles, your face coverings, your hand washing. You have learned new vocabulary, such as social distancing and experienced what I can only describe as one of the most politically polarizing times in our modern history,” he said.
“Through all of these distractions, you have managed to keep your eye on your educational goals and you have emerged tonight, poised to receive your diplomas, turn that symbolic tassel and be officially declared high school graduates,” Bowers said.
Student speaker Kydreece Burks, also touched on the difficulties he and his classmates faced following their first year in high school.
“Unfortunately, ninth grade was the first and last normal year of high school,” Burks said.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Family and friends cheer on on of the graduates during the WAHS 2022 Commencement Thursday.
“As we became sophomores, you were confident about having another great year. This year, we had the choice to join numerous CTE programs and schedule ourselves according to our own interests,” Burks continued.
“The first three-quarters of the year was great, continuing the traditions of numerous spirit weeks, pep rallies and student events, but this would come to a screeching halt as did the world when COVID hit,” he said.
Burks stated that the quarantine times during the pandemic offered everyone the opportunity “to work on themselves as individuals.”
Emerging from the lockdown during their junior year, Burks noted that they had to “weave their way through hybrid online and full-time learning.
“We started to come together in an effort to bring back as much normalcy as possible,” he stated.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Members of the WAHS Class of 2022 wait in line to receive their diplomas during the WAHS 2022 Commencement Thursday.
Although COVID protocols limited what the students could and couldn’t do, Burks noted,“We stuck together and made the best of what little we had.”
“And that’s what I love about this class, our perseverance. At any point we could have waved the white flag, but now, instead of doing less, we chose to engage more,” he added.
Senior year for his class brought decisions about their future, which Burks said brought fear of uncertainty.
“After we made our decisions, this fear is still present as we have not had the opportunity to see what the future holds. In order to suppress this feeling of uncertainty, you must come to terms with what is certain,” he said.
“One thing that is certain is that everybody who will walk across the stage took different opportunities to grow themselves and others around in this building. This is where we have all built our foundation for our adult life to come,” he said.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Adriana Williams waves after receiving her diploma during the WAHS 2022 Commencement Thursday.
Cameron Sims encouraged his peers to take a risk.
“You are going to stumble on this journey to your dream. You’re going to fail at something. Accept it. If you think you’re going to be perfect in this life…I’ve got some news for you,” Sims said.
I understand that it sounds scary to fail and the unknown is terrifying. I’m telling you right now-take the risk,” he added.
Sims, who joined the track team his senior year, compared facing hurdles on the track field to facing obstacles in life.
“Just like in track, in life, there are going to be hurdles that you don’t know how to get over and you spend your life trying to avoid them,” he said.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Mallory Pardoe is hugged by her father Dr. Brandon S. Pardoe, head principal during the WAHS 2022 Commencement Thursday.
“You miss finding your gifts along the way. How are you supposed to discover your gift and be successful if you don’t take the risk, all because you’re scared of the unknown. The only way to succeed is to fail,” he stressed.
“You don’t have to be the smartest or the richest person in the room to become successful or have value in life. Just be yourself in anything that you do. Don’t let anyone tell you what you should or shouldn’t become,” he said.
In summing up the years that the class had spent together, Senior Class President Teagan C. Marty, built upon the theme of actors in a movie.
“We worked together to create a high school experience unlike any other seen before. It is now time to let the credit roll. Reminisce about your favorite scenes and build excitement for the sequels,” she said.
“We are the future. Not just in our own individual prospects, but in helping to define what the world will be, so let the world see what we have already made together,” she added.
During the ceremony, Johanna Baker was announced as valedictorian of the Class of 2022 and Kendall Kelley as salutatorian.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent WAHS Class of 2022 Class President Teagan C. Marty gives her remarks during the WAHS 2022 Commencement Thursday.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Members of the Williamsport Area High School Class of 2022 y line up in the school hall before the WAHS 2022 Commencement Thursday.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Members of the Williamsport Area High School Class of 2022 leave the high school for the last time as they file out to the stadium during the WAHS 2022 Commencement Thursday.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Members of the Williamsport Area High School Class of 2022 pose for a photo as they line up in the school hall before the WAHS 2022 Commencement Thursday.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport Area High School graduate Garrett Laver receives his diploma from the school's head principal Dr. Brandon S. Pardoe during the school's annual commencement Thursday.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Members of the Williamsport Area High School Class of 2022 descend the stairs to the stadium during the WAHS 2022 Commencement Thursday.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent WAHS commencement
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport Area High School Class of 2022 graduates toss their morter boards into the air during the WAHS 2022 Commencement Thursday.
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321 make up Williamsport Area High School Class of 2022 - Williamsport Sun-Gazette
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