BY JOYCE BLAY
Staff Writer
JOYCE BLAY Uriel Paskind (l) and Mark Silber are Lakewood High School’s valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively. Graduation ceremonies will be held June 22. LAKEWOOD — The members of the 109th graduating class of Lakewood High School will receive their diplomas on June 22 at 6:30 p.m. on the Russell Wright Football Field behind the Lakewood Middle School. In the event of rain, the graduation exercises will be held in the high school gymnasium.
The commencement will mark the 32nd to be held at the high school’s current location on Somerset Avenue. According to an alumni directory by historian Benjamin G. Pulcrano of the Lakewood Heritage Com-mission, the town’s first high school was built in 1892 and graduated its first and only alumnus, Frank Winters Todd. More than a century later, approximately 285 students will also receive their diplomas from the school district.
“I would like to wish them all success in their future endeavors,” Acting Superin-tendent of Schools Ed Luick said.
Uriel Paskind, 18, will be the valedictorian, while Mark Silber, 18, is the designated salutatorian. Both seniors are planning careers that they hope will lead to employment in the aeronautics industry.
“I’ve always been into planes since I was little,” said Uriel, who will be studying aeronautical engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park, Md., in the fall.
Uriel is musically gifted and a member of several bands. He is also president of the English Club. He credits his advanced placement courses with providing rigorous study in scientific disciplines, but also credits his instructor, Ross Todd, with providing a self-directed approach to physics.
“He gave me the tools to see how nature actually works,” said Uriel.
Other students can follow in his footsteps through their devotion to scholarly excellence, according to Uriel.
“I have found that education is the key to success,” he said. “It’s been said many times, but it’s true and it pays off in the end.”
Mark agreed with that philosophy, but will follow a career path of service to his country upon graduation.
“On June 29, I’ll be reporting to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md.” he said. “I decided a few years ago that I wanted to be an astronaut. I’ve taken a flying lesson once, but I’m hoping to go to flight school after graduation” from the USNA. “If everything works out, I’ll go to Pensacola, Fla., for flight training.”
Mark’s advice for his fellow graduates and those that will follow is to stay focused on a goal.
“Find your dreams and do whatever it takes to achieve them,” he said.
Among the graduating seniors will be 29 adults enrolled in the district’s Evening Adult High School. Michael Matta currently oversees the program in addition to his duties as director of the Lakewood Community School. Next year, supervision of the community school and the adult high school will fall to David Weintraub, who will assume the title of director of community programs and fine arts.
Weintraub said he will become principal of the adult high school, as well as director of the community school’s evening enrichment classes. In addition, he will also oversee the after-school clubs in the elementary schools, after-hour school use, community school trips to New York City and the senior citizens club. He will continue to function as head of the school district’s fine arts department.
“Mike Matta, who founded the community school, will be retiring effective Aug. 31,” Weintraub said. “We’ll be working in tandem over the summer.”
Jeffrey Snyder, who currently serves as coordinator of the adult school and is also a math teacher, said the adult program is one of the few still operating in Ocean County. Students have ranged in age from 18 to 58, said Snyder.
“There may even have been someone older than that,” he said. “We find the older the student, the more serious they are. Once they make the decision to come back to school, because of their maturity, they do have a different slant than a 16-year-old or a 17-year-old. They also understand how important it is to have a high school diploma.”