By Peter Sclafani, Staff Writer
ALLENTOWN — The students of Allentown High School turned the page to a new chapter in their lives as they flipped their tassels from right to left at their graduation Saturday.
The War Memorial in Trenton was packed with students’ families who eagerly awaited their child’s turn to walk across the stage, shake Superintendent, Dr. Richard Fitzpatrick’s hand and receive their diploma.
Students entered the theater to cheers and tears from their parents. For some parents, this was their first high school graduation, and for others, this marked their last child leaving the nest.
”You’re excited and sad,” said Lisa Albarella, a parent of one of the graduates, “It’s a new adventure in their lives, and it’s overwhelming.”
American flags, names of friends and logos of colleges adorned the graduates’ caps as they took the stage where they would sit as a class for the last time.
When valedictorian Emily Nalbone, addressed her class, she recalled class pranks, life-changing teachers and her classmates’ school spirit. Perhaps most importantly, she reached out to her fellow classmates and asked them to always remember, no matter where their journey takes them, the time they have spent together at Allentown High School.
”Some of us may be virtually strangers, but we stand together as a class, the Class of 2012, and that’s pretty great,” Emily said.
For students, there was a mixed bag of emotions. Some were excited to leave their hometown and explore what the rest of the world has to offer, make new friends and start a new chapter in their lives. Other students were nervous about being away from their families and leaving behind their friends.
”It’s bittersweet,” said class President Delaney Bader, who will be attending Georgetown in the fall. “I don’t want to leave, but it is a fresh page in our lives.”
Amidst the joyful hugs, celebratory high fives and tearful goodbyes, students, parents and teachers shared fond memories of the past four years.
”They were an exceptional class,” said Principal Constance Embley with tears in her eyes. “They really are the nicest young kids.”
”I’m going to miss the solid community of Allentown,” Student Council President Michael Oliu said.
”It’s been great growing up with my friends and class,” graduate Sam Matino said. “We’ve become a family; it’s hard to watch everybody go.”
Allentown graduated 283 students in the Class of 2012. Many of the students will be attending college in the fall, others will be entering the workforce, and three students will be entering the military.
”Graduation is but one success in your lives,” Principal Embley said in her commencement address. “I am confident you will have many more.”
While students listened to the speakers reflect on the past four years, they looked to the future, to new experiences and new adventures waiting to be had.
”It’s always been my dream to work on ‘Saturday Night Live,’” said Emily in her speech to the class. “Lorne Michaels once said, ‘The show does not go on because it’s ready, it goes on because it is 11:30.’”
”Although, there are still many things we have to learn,” she said, “Allentown has prepared us well for whatever may lie ahead of us. Whether or not we are ready, in a few minutes, we’ll be graduating, so live from Allentown High School, it’s Saturday Night!”
The graduates of the Allentown High School Class of 2012 include Justin Abate; Shannon Theresa Abbott; Ariana Suzette Albarella; Matthew Alpaugh; Elisa Josephine Andrew; Asyia Iona Andrews; Christopher Anzalone; Melissa Arbia; Michael Armellino; Mary Elizabeth Babin; Devin R. Bachmann; Delaney Michelle Bader; Jamison Tyler Barbaruolo; Nikole M. Barkalow; Jonathan J.S. Barnett; Brittany Ann Barnstead; Barbara Barricella; Frederick Valentine Barth; Mark Romero Bascara; Robert Bassi; Meredith Baum.
Andrew R. Baylor; Megan Bea; Robert Joseph Beasley Jr.; Alexis Bennett; Brian R. Bennett; Sheridan Bennis; Taylor Marie Biada; Stephen Edward Bielic; Peyton Amanda Black; Jeffrey H. Bloom Leeds; Lauren Bonham; Gerald Borna; Laura Borton; Amy Bounds; Justin Bregman; Kristina Ann Brockman; Alden Brown; James Taylor Brown; Sarah Elizabeth Brown; Heather Bruett; Brianna Buckley; Joseph Anthony Budrewicz; Evan Joseph Burek.
Raphaela Cacamese; Andrew Caccamo; Erin Olivia Cadigan; Katherine Cann; Kevin Jhon Carbin; Nicholas Daniel Caruso; Nicholas Patrick Cassera; Katherin Chabur; Alexander Charles Cheff; Kristen Hope Chiafullo; Ogbonnaya Chikezie; Alexandra L. Ciongoli; Emily Anne Cocorles; Baldassare Cole; Michael J. Coleman; Domenic Colletti; Mark W. Collins Jr.; Jeana Coppa; Julia Corsaro; Karlee Michelle Corvasce; Brooke Michele Cote; Bianca Bremer Covitz; Tatyana Simone Crespo; Justin Anthony Crujeiras; Alexandria R. Daugherty; Kyle Davis.
Rico Z. Davis; Sergio Davis; Zhanee Cierra Davis-Bayyan; Christina Lauren Diecidue; Alexandra DiGuglielmo; Angelina C. Donofrio; Randi Chase Dorr; Shawn Dziepak; Morgan Johanna Eisenberg; Valentina Esposito; Ian Faber; Alexander Ferro; Taylor Fields; Autumn Nicole Fiordland; Ashley Fischer-Kennedy; Robert Jordan Fisher; Matthew David Fleischacker; Kenneth A. Forman Jr.; Brian French; Alexandra Catherine Froehlich; Daniel Gartland; Luis H. Gastelum; Vincent Cosmo Gazzani; Anthony Steven Geranio; Gage Joseph Giannella; Brandan Giehl.
Sara Gilanchi; Sami Gjonbalaj; Andrea Marcela Glenn; Monique S. Glover; Kyle Alan Golla; Aaron Gollubier; Joshua Gabriel Golub; Danielle Joann Gramer; Kathryn Green; Jenna Christine Gregor; Gary Grossi; Arissa Kimberly Guerrero; Joseph Gullace; Stephen T. Haines; Rachel Hannon; Graham Joseph Haun; Alyssa Heideman; Jessica F. Hempel; Steffeny Henderson; Anthony Hendrickson; Ian M. Herrighty; Rebecca Hill; Barry Anthony Hogan; Katherine Hombach; Alexander Hoover; Mary Elizabeth Horzepa; Nicholas N. Howell; Samuel Hunte; Nicole Janny; Fitim T. Kanacevic; Dustin Kaye; Garrett R. Kern; Amanda Rose Kilcher.
David Kirby; Zachary Aaron Knight; Kaitlyn Anne Kohlhepp; David John Kopera; Rachel Kozak; Dylan Kraszewski; Nicole Alyssa Krosnowski; Desiree Dallas Kudrick; Jenna Kunze; Daniel Robert Lamb; Kelsey Marie Lamb; Deanna Marie LaMont; Aimee Elizabeth Lane; Daniel Langione; Lauren Langione; Domenic Anthony Lazzaro; Richard C. Lenartowicz Jr.; Kyle Edward Lewis; Kimberly Lin; Amanda Leigh Lincoln; Sarah Vivian Llopez; Andrew LoBianco; Kevin Brandon Lourenco; Morgan Lubbe.
Brianna Ashlyn Malinowski; Grace Mannino; Kane Maraday; Caitlin Marie Masse; John Masserini; Samuel Joseph Matino; Jenette Rose Mazzaroni; Kayla McCaffery; Terranda Mone’t McCallum; Caitlin Erin McDermott; Michael McLaughlin; Mark Meloro; Eric Joseph Mendelsohn; Erin P. Meyer; Theodore Meyer; Robert Christian Millar; Michael Milonas; Connor Monroe; Ryan Dumont Moran; Matthew Joseph Morini; Michael Mottershead; Sarah Christine Mottram; Samantha Ann Mummolo; Gabriel Alberto Muñoz; Salvatore Muscaritolo; Jenna Myers.
Emily Elizabeth Nalbone; Darren Nash; Benjamin Gabriel Nazario; Corey Nebbia; Zachary Evans Nelson; Nicole Margaret Newman; Mary Dorothy Nickerson; Kea Sadé Noyan; Frank Salvatore O’Brien; Kevin Joseph O’Grady; Molly Jean O’Neill; Hayley Marie O’Rourke; Richard J. Oberci; Leah Michelle Ogrodnik; Luke E. Olexsak; William Olexsak; Michael Fausto Oliu; Melissa M. Olmeda; Salomey Owusu; Evalyse Kayla Pallante; Olivia Nicole Paschkes; Sophia Pereira; Clayton Perry; Megan Ashley Pfisterer; Jesse Pierce; Daniel Anthony Ponzio; Michelle Nicole Prendergast; Michael Protinick.
Kalli Anne Qutub; Carl-Eric Raimondi; Rachel Ralston; Ryan Louis Ramsay; Scott Raslowsky; Nicholas David Reeder; Raina Reeves; Kaitlyn Ashley Reiss; Matthew Richard Richvalsky; Matthew Ritter; Danielle R. Rivas; Vanessa A. Rivas; Ian C. Rooney; Kyle Rose; Jason Rosenstein; Farra Rosalia Angela Rosenzweig; Carrie Elizabeth Ruge; Lauren Russo; Thomas Michael Russo; Patrick Ryder.
Ginamarie Salonna; Cassandra K. Sammarco-Sebenick; Alyssa Nicole Sanfilippo; Zachary J. Santarsiero; Katelyn Savignano; Regina Carmella Scaccetti; Elena Schumakoff; David Schupsky; Christian Sciaulino; Nicole Elisabeth Seip; Dana Joyce Sensi; Justin Settlecowski; Christie Leigh Seyglinski; Victoria Daru Sharp; Briana Sigona; Devin E. Sinha; Maria Rose Sinicropi; Sarah A. Stanhope; Andrew J. Stefanowicz; Coty M. Stover; Elise Stroud; James R. Sweeney; Jacob Swerdel.
Gianna Tassone; Leahannah J. Taylor; Stephen Testa; Rachel Thomas; Jessie M. Tice; Anthony Christopher Toleno; Mary Andreas Toth; Alec Patrick Townsend; Peter G. Turowski; Francesca Ursino; Tara Elizabeth Van Pelt; Michael J. Varvar; Shane Thomas Vaughan; Luke Vincent Vrabel; Ryan Waldie; Jessalyn Hart Waldron; Bridget Marie Wardell; Dana Wardell; Stephanie Warga; Alyssa Marie Weil; Janelle Christina Whitfield; Errick Steven Wiggins Jr.; Carly Rose Witkowski; Thomas Joseph Wlazlowski; Nichole Marie Yannuzzi; Tyler Michael Yatauro; Jasmin Sala Zendaki; Juliet Zigler; and Joseph M. Zupko Jr.

