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ROBBINSVILLE: 214 Ravens leave the nest

Class of 2012 bids farewell to Robbinsville High School

By Jennifer Bradley, Staff Writer
   ROBBINSVILLE — Friends and family packed into the Robbinsville High School stadium’s bleachers to watch the Class of 2012 on the football field’s 40-yard line — not for a game, but for graduation.
   There were 214 proud graduates celebrating the start of a new chapter in their lives and bidding farewell to their high school experience at the June 19 ceremony.
   According to Michael Reca, Board of Education president, it was the school’s fifth graduating class and the largest.
   ”You are not done,” Mr. Reca said in his speech to the graduates. “This is the first chapter in creating the story of your life. Protect all that you love, and don’t forget where you came from.”
   Steven Mayer, the schools superintendent, told the Class of 2012 the most important characteristic of this new chapter of their lives will be the choices they make, and Dr. Mayer framed his speech around this theme.
   ”Try to build choices on two main principles,” Dr. Mayer said. “The first is putting others first and the second is choosing to use your time, talent and energy to help solve the world’s problems.”
   Dr. Mayer discussed the importance of being considerate of others.
   ”It’s possible that making someone’s day may actually mean making everyone’s day,” he said. “All I can do is ask you to choose. It is up to you to make the choice.”
   RHS Principal Molly Avery echoed the idea of putting others first.
   ”There’s a great need for generous caring in our society,” she said in her remarks to the class.
   Ms. Avery also said graduates should be careful with their bodies and get plenty of exercise and fresh air.Assistant Superintendent Kathie Foster awarded Christopher Karousatos the valedictorian medal. Christopher’s valedictorian address emphasized how the graduates’ success is actually a combination of the efforts of many people, such as friends, family and administrators.
   ”I am not Christopher Karousatos,” was how Christopher began his speech. “Well, I am not just Christopher Karousatos … The name on the diploma may be yours, but it represents the summation of everyone you’ve encountered here during your time at RHS,” he said.
   Christopher, who will attend Boston University in the fall, also reminisced on Raven memories and left graduates with advice for the future.
   ”We may have different personalities, different haircuts and different clothes from our first day of high school,” he said. “However, the one thing that has and always will be is the fact that we are Ravens. No matter where you go, you are taking this place with you.”
   After sharing some jokes and memories, Christopher also talked about what it meant to be a Raven.
   ”A Raven knows that good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment, and we Ravens have a lot of experience,” he said as the audience laughed.
   He also emphasized graduation does not mean goodbye.
   ”We’ll meet again in five to 20 years when we’re all smarter, wealthier and better looking than we are now, but congrats to the already intelligent and ridiculously attractive Class of 2012,” he said.
   The other student speaker was Class President Ralph Petagna, who also spoke about what it means to be a Raven and highlighted some of the accomplishments of the Class of 2012.
   He said that of the 214 students graduating, seven are going on to be Division I athletes at a university and five are headed to Ivy League schools.
   ”Do not forget our beginnings and embody the Raven spirit for the rest of your lives,” Ralph said to his classmates.
   Teacher Joy Wolfe was the keynote speaker at the graduation and took the opportunity to offer insight about success.
   ”You are the most important person in your life right now,” she said. “Go to places that sound interesting. Don’t wait for someone to go with you. Opportunity is for those who are prepared.”
   Ms. Wolfe also suggested graduates find a true friend and a mentor. She said friends are important because people need someone to watch their backs, and mentors are important because they give you the gift of a lifetime — a part of themselves.
   ”Find your kryptonite — someone who is good at what you cannot do well — and create your Mission Impossible team,” she said.
   She also said studying, partying and sleeping may all be things students want to do in college, but it is important to remember students can have it all, but not at the same time.
   ”Call home before you want money,” was one of Ms. Wolfe’s last pieces of advice to the graduates. “Don’t screw this up!”
   The graduates of the Robbinsville High School Class of 2012 include: Chris P. Artemiou; Steven Avellaneda; Ahmed T. Bahgat; Nicholas Baldassano; Kyle Justin Banas; Christopher Dillon Banziger; Christine Barry; Ryan William Bauer; Ramy Yosry Bekhiet; Brandon Henry Bellero; Kelly Blake; Tyler Anthony Blyskal; Adam F. Bodkin; Zachariah A. Brown; LeeAnn Olivia Bruno; Matthew J. Brzuszkiewicz; Katherine Victoria Rose Buda; Lauren Alexa Budzinski; Sean Martin Pozzuoli Buecker; Katherine E. Bukovec; Christopher David Burgess; Samuel Graham Burum; Alexander Joseph Buzgo II.
   Alexandria Calabro; Sean Calabro; Matthew John Cannizzaro; Alexa Simone Caplinger; Emily Ann Caputo; Peter Jesse Caputo; Erica Danielle Carambot; Kara Elena Cardona; Joseph A. Carfaro; Shannon Alexa Casserly; Nicole Marie Celano; Nicholas M. Cenni; Kevin Centifonti; Julie Elizabeth Challender; Paul Cheung; Venkatesh Prabhukumar Chinnakonda; Christopher Cifelli; Breanne Casey Clements; Abigail M. Coggins; Kwame Colecraft; Daniel Connolly; Tyler Joseph Cooke; Connor Leigh Cortina; Kristina A. Coscio; Shaun Matthew Cox; Michael Cruz; Owen Patrick Cummings; Kerry Anne Curran.
   Devin J. DaBronzo; Brett Charles Dawidowski; Grace G. Delate-Flynn; Colleen DelGrande; Matthew T. Delre; Ryan Andrew Dempsky; Jason Dertony; Andrew Patrick DiMaggio; Bridget Anne Dowling; Heather M. Dring; Mark J. Dziubas; Jared Michael Eckert; James A. Eckstein; Alison Emilie Esposito; Teresa Esposito; Julian M. Esteban; Kristoffer R. Ezzo; Melissa Ferrono; Alexandra Filipek; Ryan Thomas Fleming; Joshua Michael Fortes; Sigala Fosam; Nicki Ann Francisco; Danielle Marie Frank; Jessica Leigh Friedberg.
   Karis Patricia Gallant; Ashley L. George; Gabriel Howard Giraldo-Wingler; Morgan Alexa Goldstein; Travis Alan Gross; Alison Jude Guido; Roberto Guiducci; Brett J. Hackel; Alexander Hallmark; Kyle S. Hallmark; Brielle Lauren Harris; Christopher B. Harrison; Ryan Corey Hegedus; Kimberly Lynn Heller; Gabrielle Renee Heverin; Margaret Casey Holland; David Richard Holzbaur III; Ryan Steven Hornberger; Lauren Clare Hunter; Filip Ilic; Julian Alexander Jiggetts; Jeffrey Michael Kalczynski; Shawn Michael Karagjozi; Lauren Mary Kardos; Christopher M. Karousatos; Tanmay Kayande; Katherine Marie Killeen; Samantha Morgan Kleiber; Amanda Jeanne Korbar; Jacob A. Krakowski; Brianna Maria Kulak; Peter James Kvartek.
   Marvin Lajara; Thomas J. Langford; Jaclyn Nicole Lazzaro; Melissa Lekulitch; Lisa Leszcynski; McLean Carl Lipschutz; Yifan “Leo” Liu; William A. Lovering; James Sheridan Lynch; Daniel Lynch-Fries; William P. Lynn; Emily J. MacCarthy; Justin Michael Magariello; Alexander W. Magee; Ashley Marie Maleson; Tyler James Margotta; Kyle Joseph Masterpole; Amanda Anne Matyas; Taylor Nicole Mayweather; Martin G. McGowan; Kasey G. McKiernan; Bridget McLaughlin; Tyler Shaun McLaughlin; Matthew James McMahon; Hetali A. Mehta; Nilkesh Mehta; Elizabeth Anne Micharski; Morgan Alyssa Michon; Andrea Lynn Miller; Maloree J. Mills; Matthew J. Mindnich; Constantine Moraitis; Samantha Ashley Morales; Nicholas David Munn.
   Vedasi Nalla; Kari Nicole Nickels; Jessica Rae Noonan; Carlos Gabriel Nunez; Austin Patrick O’Connor; Mollie Loren O’Kane; Emily Bristol Olsson; Amanda Orlak; Morgan Ashley Owens; Ralph Francis Petagna, Jr.; Nicole Catherine Piet; Michael Polito; Joseph M. Poliziana; Giuliano Ercole Porchetta; Alena Anne Principato; Eric Taylor Principato; Michelle Lydia Principato; Andreas Purlund; Jaipartap Singh Ranu; Brian A. Rauth; Alec James Regulski; Joseph Anthony Rejent; Serena Delicia Rodriguez; Alyssa Nicole Rubinstein; Jordan Martin Rubinstein; Rachael Lauren Rutsky.
   Matthew Steven Samel; Anthony Sanguinetti; Michael Jared Sass; Salvatore T. Scavo; Heather M. Schaible; Matthew Dean Schwartz; Victoria Rae Scialfa; Carly N. Setaro; Amanda Rose Seymour; Ryan Patrick Shapiro; Srishti Sharma; Reilly M. Sheehan; Hailey Marie Skopas; John Robert Snee; Justin Christopher Snyder; Shannen Stanek; Danielle Marie Stepien; Aparajitha Suresh; Erin Elizabeth Sutphen; Juliann Nicole Swift; Melissa L. Thompson; Benedict William Tizzano; Heather Nicholle Tozzi.
   Jamie Lyn VanHise ; Michael Vargo; Joseph M. Vito; Adam Vorraso; Joseph David Walsh; Ryan S. Walter; Kristopher Weigand; Skylar D. Welch; Ryan A. Wermann; Bethany Lynn Whiteman; Alexandra L. Wilczynski; Michael Lewis Williams; Nicole Therese Wohn; Sarah Caitlin Woidill; Cole Tyler Wujek; Zachary S. Wyche; Sreyas Yadav; Lindsay Marie Young; Eric Michael Yurejefcic; Bryan Charles Zeitzer; and Ryan Zuczek.