Sunny outdoor ceremony for class of 2006
By: Jake Uitti
MONTGOMERY When ceremonies began, the sun was shining over the members of the class of 2006 the first class to graduate from the new Montgomery High School building as they awaited the moment when their names would be called and they would be official high school graduates.
It has been a tumultuous period for the district with a budget defeat just 14 months ago, a contentious school board election, transition from four school buildings to five and the announced retirement of superintendent Dr. Stuart Schnur but none of that mattered Tuesday. That day was the celebration of commencement the start of a new phase of students’ lives.
Hundreds of family, faculty and friends filled the bleachers of the new Cougar Stadium, surrounding the green-robed graduates.
Senior Class President David Dippold stepped to the podium and told his classmates: "So it’s come to this, the moment we’ve been anticipating and dreading is here." He added, "For most of us, this day took 13 years, five school buildings and excellent teachers and administrators. For that we give them a round of applause."
Salutatorian Sabrina Chu offered these words of advice to her peers: "Have passion, take risks and, most importantly, laugh."
She used the poker game Texas holdem as an analogy, saying, "Just as in life, most of the cards (on the table) are shared by the community and the remaining cards are yours to do with what you can. Whatever you choose to do, do it as best as you can with whatever you have, and do it as if every hand is worth $1 million."
Principal James Misek stressed the importance of remembering the influential people and events that took place during the students’ time in Montgomery. "It is a wonderful thing to develop a love for learning, to be fascinated by a work of art or a melody," he said, "but it is equally important to have an appreciation for people."
He added, "As you leave with your diploma in hand, remember the encounters, both good and bad. Remember the promises you made to yourself and others. Keep in contact with those who have touched your lives, and take time to thank the people who helped make this possible."
He concluded, "I am honored to have been your principal."
Dr. Schnur, who noted this was his 27th and final graduating speech 11 as a principal and 16 as a superintendent focused on the importance of leaving a lasting legacy.
"It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us," he said. "Your playing small does not help the world. … We are meant to shine. So please, go forward, shine and create your own personal legacy so that we all can be proud."
Board of Education President David Pettit said the day was bittersweet.
"Today we celebrate your accomplishments here," he said, "but at the same time we feel sad that (your time here) is coming to an end."
He said he thought the most important thing the class of 2006 was taking with it after leaving Montgomery High was "the relationships you have made."
"Look at the people next to you," Mr. Pettit said. "No, really, look. Although there will be physical distance between you in the future, each of you carry a piece of the other with you always.
"Other things may change us," he said, "but we start and end with family. You have tremendous power to make the world a better place. Remember the power you have."
And then it was time for the diplomas.
As the names were read each syllable echoing off the brick walls of the adjacent high school building the sun began to set.
Finally, as the last name was called, and all the students were back in their chairs their gold tassels neatly shifted to the other side, indicating great achievement the sun was gone, hidden behind the tall evergreen trees that lined the school’s property.
In place of the sun were 360 emerald-green caps spinning, flying in the air as shouts of "woohoo" from the 2006 graduates could be heard far and wide.
Graduate David Ayache perhaps said it best as he walked from the stadium to a reception in the high school.
"The best part about Montgomery is definitely the people," he said. "They were amazing. I am definitely not going to forget this place."
The Montgomery High School graduating class of 2006:
Michael Addis, Nikhil Ahuja, Anna Albert,Nicole Amato, Tracy Anderson, Mahesh Andiappan, Lawrence Asprec, David Ayache.
Adam Bachrach, Brad Baldwin, Kristen Barrett, Christopher Batchelder, Amelia Behar, Nicholas Bellizzi, Joshua Berger, Sarah Bernardis, David Blitzer, Jacqueline Boccher, James Boyer, Scott Brady, Jonathan Burke, Ryan Butler, Daniel Byun.
Melissa Cafaro, Vaughn Calandra, Amanda Caldwell, Jack Cao, Michael Carco, Rachael Carson, Daniel Catalano, Delong Cen, Gregory Cender, Zubair Chaudary, Andrew Chen, Christine Chen, Linda Chen, Ruobing Chen, Xin (Maggie) Chen, Maureen Chenot, Chien-Cheng Chiang, Alaina Ching, Monica Chinn, Justin Chu, Katrina Chu, Sabrina Chu, Christine Ciaramella, Christopher Clark, Thomas Coffey, Julian Colletti, Meaghan Collins, Erin Columbia, Annelise Comollo, Diana Compito, Daniela Composto, Gabriella Composto, Ryan Conover, Shana Conroy, David Cook, Benjamin Copeland, Shanna Corey, Joseph Corso, Daniel Covino, Luke Cox-Bien, Michele Cristelli, Caitlyn Curtis.
Michelle D’Aguillo, Perry D’Amelio, Melissa D’Ercole, William Davey, Anoop David, Jessica Davis, Justin DeLuca, Christine DeMesa, Lara Dennie, Ryan Dennie, Jacob Desperak, Amanda Diamantoni, Joseph DiGangi, David Dippold, Kimberly Dougherty, Kelly Dubin, Andrea Dunham.
Timothy Eatwell, Jeremy Eckardt, Courtney Eldridge, Caitlin Erchick.
Cameron Faghani, Brittani Faleski, Brendan Faust, Nina Fazio, Mara Fedele, Christine Fields, Zachary Fini, Christopher Fischer, Anthony Fitzgerald, Brian Fitzgerald, Alyssa Flocco, Julia Flocco, Margaret Florio, Irene Foley, Laura Franzi, John Frenchu, Matthew Frommer.
Joseph Gall, Sarah Gange, Lindsay Gaskill, Benjamin Gavzy, Eric Gea, David George, Katherine Germak, Chelsi Gerstenfeld, Devin Giannini, Kandi Givner, Shira Gluck, Daniel Goldstein, Gabriela Goncalves, Francis Gossage, Mark Grundman, Erica Gutman.
Sarah Halabi, Lauren Hamerling, Rachel Hamlett, Margaret Hare, Cassandra Hartnett, Shehla Hasan, Jennifer Heil, Nada Hemantharaju, Dale Hering, Elizabeth High, Tori Hillock, Shane Holt, Sunghoon Hong, Kathleen Hopkins, Sean Hover, Jason Hwang.
Nikhil Jhunjhnuwala, Diana Jiang, Kelley Johnson, Taylor Johnson, Warren Jones.
Kyle Kadash, Jennifer Kantor, Meghan Karlik, Jenny Katz, Dustin Keeton, Joseph Keifer, Rachel Kelley, Whitney Kelly, Amanda Keri, Praveen Kher, Kate Kielek, Eri Koike, Ming Kong, Brian Konkowski, Michael Kowalczyk, Alysa Kozaryn, Edward Krafcik, Rodrigue Kreilmann, Joshua Krisiloff, Ryan Krukowski, Aparna Kumar, Andrew Kuzmich.
Alexander Lang, Jenna LaPorta, Rebecca Lee, Kelly Leffler, Michele Leffler, Daryl Leifer, Carly Leonard, Sara Lewis, Lily Li, Caitlin Librizzi, Jennifer Lin, Jonathan Lin, Loretta Lin, Sophia Lin, Kenneth Linden, Kenneth Llort, Michael LoCoco, Shih-Ling Luke, Amy Lum.
Elise Mac Pherson, Douglas Mallett, Alexander Marinaccio, Melissa Martin, Sarah Massone, Jennifer Maurer, Meghan Mazey, T. Patrick McCoy, Neha Mehta, Kelly Anne Meier, Valerie Mele, Justin Mendoza, George Menon, Larissa Merritt, Cory Mertz, Chelsea Middlebrook, Sean Mihalik, David Mikorski, Jarred Milich, Adam Minton, Teresa Mistretta, Anthony Molesphini, Diana Molfetas, Carrie Mottola, Matthew Muccigrossi, Caitlin Murray, Jeffrey Musante.
Thomas Nahass, Sheena Nanavati, Suban Narthana, Paul Nemeth, Brian Ng, Joseph Nosker, Sara Nutt, Cherise Nystrom.
Kerry O’Brien, Melissa O’Brien, Anne O’Toole, Breanna Olsen, Brianne Osborne, Matthew Osinski, Shana Ottey, Linda Ouyang.
Shuchi Parikh, Kyle Passarelli, Michael Peng, Stephanie Petrelis, Alan Philip, Adam Pihokken, Maria Pizano, Abigail Pleeter, Catherine Preston, Brett Pugliese, Douglas Pung.
Junfang Qian, Adrian Qua.
Kaitlin Reiman, Averil Ringheim, Lindsay Robinson, Brandon Rodrigues, Christopher Rogers, Dimitri Rogozhin, Elyssa Romino, Adam Rosen, Brittany Ross, Brittney Rossi, Sean Royer.
Dana Santye, Timothy Santye, Callum Satchell, Joseph Sauro, Andrea Savadelis, Benjamin Savage, Brian Scasserra, Laura Schafer, Valerie Scherr, Lauren Schreck, Katlyn Schroeck, Kevin Schroeck, Kelsey Schum, Spencer Schwab, Jillian Schwarte, Stephanie Scorza, Joshua Sefrin, Katherine Seither, Anjali Sethi, Thomas Sgammato, Nathan Shapiro-Shellaby, Kimberly Sherlock, Dayna Shi, Alexander Shindnes, Ilya Shuster, Jenna Simon, Matthew Simpson, Lisa Singleton-Baldrey, Sarah Singley, Tovah Skolnick, Mariya Skvortsova, Zoe Sloane, Jennifer Song, Robert Sparno, Eleonora Spinazzi, Sara Sprotzer, Margaret Stahlin, Jason Stall, Alison Steelman, Gary Stefanski, Jane Sun, Samantha Suryadevara, Raymond Swartz.
Kaitlin Taft, Tanjit Taggar, Ramya Takkellapati, Daniel Taraschi, Pauline Tastenhoye, Matthew Tave, Emily Tenenbaum, Michael Tholis, Justine Tien, Beverly Tow, Vladimir Tsalyuk, Kristen Turiano.
Jonathan Vaccaro, Laura Voigt, Caitlin Voorhees.
Dupree Wade, Justin Wage, Winston Wang, Sarah Warren, Daniel Weeks, Jennifer Wei, Adam Weichman, Brendan Welch, Jessica Wen, Lauren West, James White, Brian Williams, Mark Wiltse, Douglass Wintress, Katherine Wiseman, Michael Wolansky, Kevin Wolcott, Erin Wyckoff.
Xiaodi Xu.
Yao Yao, Sridhar Yegnasubramanian, Divya Yerramilli, James Yetter, Lauren Yoffe, Clotilde Yver, Thomas Yver.
Cara Zahorsky, Adam Zeller, Christina Zhang, Carleigh Zielinski, Christopher Zimmerman, Kaitlyn Zullo.