Florence seniors receive diplomas

Class of 2003 graduates 101 students

By: Scott Morgan
   FLORENCE — Yesterday — at least that’s how it seemed — Matt Rein was a nervous freshman. On June 19, he was the nervous salutatorian with the fortune to say goodbye to "the finest group of peers anyone can ask for." That night he was given the chance to lead the Florence Township Memorial High School Class of 2003 out of the nervous years and into those of possibilities.
   The topic of the future, however, he would leave to Chris Ferenzi, whom Matt called "my classmate … my closest competitor and, most important, my friend." Chris, the valedictorian, told his 100 classmates not to fear the world of uncertainty beyond the high school’s walls, but to strive for the inner strength to shape the world into a better place.
   "We must endeavor," he told them, "to make a difference." To the faculty, staff, parents and friends who took up every seat and most of the aisles in the high school/middle school auditorium, he declared, "Take a good look, because you have not seen the last of us."
   Student after student, receiving award after reward, seemed to want to prove him right. Students such as Michael Van Norman who was chosen over 11,000 statewide applicants to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy next year; Michael Lee, the first-ever recipient of the Richard Yurcisin Memorial Award — named after the late township police chief who died in 2000 — for "exemplary leadership and citizenship" and pursuit of criminal justice studies; and Stephen Ordog, who walked away with an arm full of scholarships based on athletic prowess, academic achievement and good conduct across the board.
   Around the auditorium, parents fanned away the heat while Gerard Steffe made his final public speech as school board superintendent. (He will retire on Sept. 1). Mr. Steffe spoke of success, not just of the students, but of the faculty that shaped their young minds into "mature, responsible heads full of knowledge and wisdom.
   "You," he told the graduating class, "are the masterpieces of our love. We will miss you. Go with God."
   Business Administrator Bruce Benedetti added, "The future is only what you make of it — make it a good one."
   As the ceremony wound down, the expression of emotions lurched forward. Parents grinned and beamed and shook their heads in disbelief; nervous legs twitched on the stage where the graduates sat; and in the band, one young flutist watching friends receive their diplomas could not keep her right eye dry.
   Chris Ferenzi, perhaps, summed the mood of many classmates saying that at any time over the past four years, he would have leapt at the chance to graduate. But it was a different emotion now that he was bedecked in his blue graduation robe.
   "Graduation," he said, "is a bit more bittersweet than I thought it would be."
   Following is a list of the graduating Class of 2003:
   Mazozy Zayed Abed, David Edwin Allen, Michael S. Bencze, Tricia Marie Benscoter, Karick J. Bintliff, Jamie Elizabeth Bodine, Nancy Marie Brophy, Jiquan Brown, Jared Martin Burg, Robert E. Cardone, Marcellus Cason, Kevin David Centofanti, Cullen Lee Baker Chadwick, Eileen Michelle Crayton, Jessica Lynne Davis, MaryKate Elizabeth Dillon, Patricia Lynn Donnelly, Joseph Dorsey, Jr., Jason Durenycz, Jennel D. Entwistle, Christopher Daniel Ferenzi, Jenna Floyd, Ashley Marie Gay, Thomas R. Giambrone, Xavier R. Gonzalez, Ryan Dean Patrick Gravener, John David Greenfield, Jr., Stacy Ann Haas, Astra Haldeman, Shenea Devon Harrison, Treniece Rene Harrison, April Lee Heller, Tara Elizabeth Hewitt, Sean A. Hogan, Amy Elizabeth Jacobsen, Kevin Francis Jacobsen, Jorron K. Jenkins, Jason L.F. Karmazin, Rajdeep Kaur, Kenan Kol, Timothy Michael Krisak, Jillian Alicia Lacombe, Andrea Michelle Larcome, Ethan Lawrence, Michael G. Lee, Amy M. Lippincott, Jenny C. Liu, Jasmyne D. Lively, Sharra Lynn Loftin, Jenaleigh Lukis, Vito Mannino, Brian Joseph Manser, Bryan J. Maus, Katelyn Veronica McArdle, John J. McMonagle III,. Jellebien L. Medina, Megan E. Mershon, Philip Matthew Mersinger, Jason T. Mich, Bryan Michael Miller, Matthew R. Miller, Susanne J. Moss, Ralph G. Mullenax III, Trisha J. Muni, Matthew John Niver, Cemile Okur, Stephen Anthony Ordog, Jr., Thomas Jared Paglione, Pranay P. Patel, Josette Marie Pennacchi, Murjani Rawls, Shavon Denise Reddick, Matthew Christopher Rein, Jessica Amy Sawicki, David Charles Schuster, Jagdeep Kaur Sekhon, Gregory Joseph Selm-Orr, John Louis Shields, Amarpreet Singh, Patricia Alexsandra Soto, O. Ryan Southerland, Jason Thomas Stackhouse, Jacqueline B. Stark, Desiree N. Stemmer, Amanda Rose Stoner, David Michael Tardiff, Danielle Aileen Taylor, Aman Tejpal, Laron Thomas, Kelly A. Tompkins, Ryan M. Tully, Chiarina Marie Turner, Michael Anthony Van Norman, Lauren Nichole Verduchi, Shakia Tasha Virgil, Jennifer Alexandra Wilchacky, Travis E. Woodson, Deanna Kimberley Woodward, Matthew Wright, Randolph James Young, Amanda Christine Zacharkow.