On Sept. 13, South Brunswick High School conducted its annual convocation ceremony in celebration of the seniors as well as incoming freshman.
By Gowri Cheepurupalli, Sophomore , Viking Vibe Staff
On Sept. 13, South Brunswick High School conducted its annual convocation ceremony in celebration of the seniors as well as incoming freshman.
High School Principal Peter Varela stepped up on the podium, speaking a few words of encouragement regarding the year’s core value, kindness.
”My hopes include the ability for all student to get along and understand that it’s one thing to say we live by our five core values and it’s another thing to live by our five core values,” Mr. Varela said.
Similarly, both Student Council President Allie Wahl and Class Council President, Matt DiIusto, emphasized the importance of kindness, this year’s core value, by performing a skit that brought laughter from the audience.
In order to encourage acts of kindness, the school awarded members of the South Brunswick community with the “Kindness Award” as a token of appreciation.
The awards were presented to Mayor Frank Gambatese, and the four advisors of the Viking Closet, paraprofessional Jennifer Webb, special education teacher Karen Lopez, Spanish teacher Mary Frances Ryan-Howley and math teacher Jennifer Logan.
The Viking Closet is an SBHS organization where students and staff can recycle used clothing and accessories as well as make donations of new items.
The Closet then makes these available to anyone in the South Brunswick High School community who has need of them.
Mr. Varela described these individuals as the “perfect candidates for this award because of their involvement and service to the community of South Brunswick.”
Mayor Gambatese accepted the kindness award, and in turn, awarded music teacher Mark Kraft, with South Brunswick Township’s Citizenship Award.
This marked the first time this award was given to a member of the South Brunswick High School community.
Mr. Kraft also received the key to the township.
This key represents the values that South Brunswick Township strives toward and is awarded as a measure of the town’s gratitude.
”I was very surprised to be the recipient of this award and I’m so happy that the South Brunswick Township chose me out of all the amazing individuals they could’ve given it to because this award not only represents me but the whole music department,” Mr. Kraft later said.
Mr. Varela seemed just as excited as Mr. Kraft.
”I couldn’t be happier that Mr. Kraft received this award especially after all of his personal accomplishments as well his accomplishments in the South Brunswick Music Department,” Mr. Varela said
After the ceremony, both the seniors as well as the freshman were filled with mixed emotions regarding the upcoming senior year.
Senior, Aishwarya Lanka expressed her sorrow at beginning her last year at the high school.
”It feels like only yesterday we walked in as awkward freshman struggling to find our way around this school and before we even knew it we were walking down an aisle wearing our senior shirts and everyone was clapping,” she said. “It was sort of like a preview of high school graduation and maybe even college graduation.”
The opinions differed strongly from seniors to freshman as the freshman embraced the fact that they still had a long while to go within South Brunswick High School.
No matter who was asked about the upcoming year, everyone replied that he or she was excited.
Senior Connor Jew said he was, “motivated by the speakers at the assembly and ready to face a new school year”.