Monday dawned bright and warm in preparation for the outdoor evening commencement exercises.
By John Tredrea
In a heartening departure from the weather pattern that’s dominated this part of the country for months, Monday dawned bright and warm in preparation for the outdoor evening commencement exercises of Hopewell Valley Central High School’s Class of 2003.
Ceremonies were held on the high school’s varsity lacrosse field.
"The sun is shining and that has to be a good omen for the Class of 2003," Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education President William Hills told the 274 graduates and hundreds of their assembled friends and relatives.
"My colleagues on the board and I have had the privilege of learning about your accomplishments and watching you meet your many challenges," Mr. Hills said. "A silent hope goes with you from your parents and educators. It is a hope that you work hard to succeed, that you do succeed, and that you have fun along the way."
After the CHS band played "Pomp and Circumstance," Class of 2003 President Nicholas Miller Gregg welcomed everyone to the commencement.
Class of 2003 Vice President Jonathan Lisle Williams then led the Pledge of Allegiance. Caitlyn Elizabeth Cook, a member of the National Honor Society, led the band in "The Star-Spangled Banner."
After the national anthem, student speaker Amanda Quay Blount said she and her classmates share the burden that goes with being "part of a generation that was forced to grow up too soon." Words like "terrorism, nuclear capacity and anthrax" are staples of dinner table conversation in many families, she said. "Some of us have been very busy doing things like help raise younger brothers and sisters so both our parents could work full time."
Class Valedictorian Michael Gray Campana said graduation is a time of profoundly mixed emotions. "We have to cut many ties that we have had since childhood," he said. "Many of us will never see each other again. If we do see each other, it may be only sporadically. We try to put a happy spin on graduation by calling it ‘commencement.’ But for everything we gain, we lose something."
Hopewell Township Mayor Francesca Bartlett hailed the Class of 2003 as one that has excelled in "academics, athletics and community service."
CHS Principal John Bach agreed, saying the Class of 2003 is one that has distinguished itself "by its accomplishments, its civil behavior and its tradition of service to others."
Graduates are:
Ameya Pradyot Agaskar, Corey A. Agin, Vikram Agrawal, Jordan Everett Alexander, Rebecca L. Allibone, Erik Joseph Allsopp, Gina Frances Amalfi, David John Amidon, Caroline Elizabeth Anderson, Matthew M. Apoldite, Adrien Appello, James Stephen Arkuszewski, Kristin Lauren Avagliano, Scott Alexander Babinowich, Patrick George Barch, Matthew T. Barrett, Marc-André Basile, Alexander Lie Baumbach, Daniel R. Benken, Zachary J. Beyer, Balvinder Kaur Bharj, Jennifer Lynn Blake, Amanda Quay Blount, Alexander Mark Martin Boczkowski, Christopher Lawrence Borkowski, Graelyn Hill Brashear, Robert J. Brashier, Jacqueline Levin Bray, Kaitlin Marie Brittingham, Lucretia Myers Brower, Alexander Robert Bruccoleri, Stephen Douglas Bruestle, Mia Miriam Bruno, Curtis Albert Bugbee, Ashley Burrell, Amanda Mary Butler.
Jennifer Joyce Cahill, Edward Scott Camp, Michael Gray Campana, Thomas W. Campana, Vincent Robert Caristo, Alexander Soutar Carney Jr., Matthew A. Castagna, Sean Morgan Castro, Hae-An Chyun, Seung-An Chyun, Elizabeth Caroline Clare, Bryan C. Clark, Maegan Elizabeth Clarkeson, Jason Matthew Cochran, Jon R. Conley, Caitlyn Elizabeth Cook, Charles Ryan Braun Copeland, Courtney Lee Crine, Ryan William Culver, Matthew Nicholas D’Oria, Adam Robert Davis, Lauren Delgosh, John Paul DeLooper, Alison Regina Dembe, Emily Eastham Devlin, Kathleen Marie DiBiase, Sean Delaney Di Ianni, Jeffrey W. DiNatale, Sean A. Dixon-Sullivan, Kathryn Anne Dobson, Jennifer A. Dragert, Jamie Cheryl Drake, Ian Clemson Driscoll, Leah Caitlin Ellenbogen, Katherine McCullough Emhof, Jessica Lauren Esposito, Oscar Antonio Estrada, Michael F. Ey.
Ashley Edith Facompre, Melanie Dale Falzone, Christian Ricardo Fernandez, Nichole Kumiko Figular, Emily Marie Fitzpatrick, Alexandra Witherbee Foster, Chad Michael Frascella, Adam Seth Friedland, Ronald L. Galisewski, Jr., Michael Patrick Gallagher, Anthony J. Gangi, William Garriga, Matthew Paul Gawloski, Maryll Elaine Geherty, Sarah A. Giallella, James R. Gilroy, III, Donald Louis Giovacchini, Thomas Harry Goodban, Marie Rose Goyden, Gregory Paul Grafton, Nicholas Miller Gregg, Matthew Kurth Griswold, Daniel Eric Grossman, Chester Endersby Gwazda, Leslie Claire Haines, Natasha I. Hansson, Vanessa Rae Hansult, Brian K. Hartel Jr., Elizabeth Theresa Hayes, John Rion Hennessy, Seth Robert Henrie, Katherine Elizabeth Jackson, Lillian C. Jackson, Jason A. Jacobelli.
Graham Ledger Johnson, Rachel Clare Jordan, Daniel Evan Kassel, Matthew Joseph Kazior, Sarah Crawford Kelley, Ashley Elizabeth Kerr, Timothy Michael Kerr, Meredith Carey Kimball, Denise Pauline Kintzel, Brenna L. Klingler, E. Tucker Kollman Furnish, Lindsay Beth Korwin, Marita Ann Kosek, Joshua L. Kramer, Laura Danielle Krawiec, Brian Walter Kurland, Christina Catherine Kurnellas, Brianna Lynne Kuzniacki, Suet Kam Lam, Caitlin Esther Lane, Janice Elizabeth Lang, Christina Renee Lauter, Nicole Alié Lebbad, Alan J. Lee, Kelly Anne Lenarski, Antonette Licciardello, Kent Kendrick Burney Long, Timothy James Lovero, William G. Lowe, Jonathan Adam Ludwig, Daniel Ian Lurie, Briana Noreen Lyons.
Lauren Alexis Manley, Kristen Elizabeth Mapp, Noah Segall Marder, James Darien Marotta, John Wayne Marryott, Sean Patrick Martin, Jeffrey Keith Martinson, Rochelle Ann Masi, Ryan Lawrence Matejka, Sarah Lynn Materniak, Leslie Julia Maurer, Alexander Stephen Maybury, Jessica Lee McAlinden, Owen Christopher McDonough, Peala De étta McGee, Kristyna Maria McKee, Catherine Patricia Veronica Megna, Robert Alfred Mermet, Elizabeth A. Miele, Trevor James Mierta, Nick P. Mohacsi, Alissa D. Molinelli, Megan K. Morgan, Allison Mary Moriarty, Michelle L. Morici, Jenna Helene Most, Colby Dennis Mueller, Allison Muentener, Winifred C. Murphey.
Bretton W. Neider, John Thomas Nettles, Sarah L. Newport, Blaire Catherine Nichols, Amanda Elisabeth Nini, Anna M. Nyktas, Joseph Cullen O’Connor, Candace M. Ofner, Jessie Lee Ofner, Emeka Ogbonna, Jennie Noelle Oliver, Brian Gabe Orland, Heather Jean Orlando, Nina Terese Orlando, Marin Jennie Dale Orlosky, Braden R. Orr, Spencer Louis Palder, Jessica M. Pall, Amanda Louise Brewster Palmer, Akash Valentine Patel, Margaret N. Perrine, Noah John Pinto, Charles Michael Pisano, Michael Jeffrey Prince, Michael Mauro Rabito, Michael J. Ranbom, Heidi Rose Rarich, Kimberly Marie Raschdorf, Gabrielle Anna Reed, Brett Michael Reese, Emily Sarah Reichman, Peter Thomas Reinecke, Noah Martin Rizo-Patron, Lizette Melissa Rodriguez, Gregg E. Roman, Bruce Chandler Rosen, David Michael Rout, Jarrett Talmadge Rush, Brandon Thomas Rust.
Karen Lee Saar, Leslie Anne Saar, Matthew Steven Saporito, Morgan Renee Sayre, Stacey Ann Scannella, Corinth Jeanene Schlund, Jessica Alejandrina Schor, Daniela Angel Sciarrotta, Nicholas Peter Scott, Sarah A. Secoolish, April Ann Seifert, Sarah Elizabeth Seiler, Christopher Walter Seiz, David A. Shack, Sagar Snehal Shah, Leigh Kara Shainwald, Jamie L. Shelmet, Scott Thomas Shults, Brandon A. Silva, Amanda Elizabeth Silvani, Vito Gennaro Silvero, Rajni Singh, Charles Richard Sista, V, Daniel C. Skevington, Marley Elizabeth Skinner, Andrew William Smith, Chelsea Anne Smith, Nicholas Langton Smith, Melissa Lee Soganic, Marco A. Solia, Jessica L. Sparks, Julie Catherine Spencer, Charis Malana Sprague, Joseph Stellino, Michael Craig Stem, Gregory Charles Stephan, Mazeratie Stephens-Sweet, Anna M. Stevens, Amanda C. Stevulak, Abigail Catherine Stewart, Amy M. Stires, Michael Jay Sullivan, Deyo W. Swartz III.
Avery Arthur Tarasov, Matthew David Templon, David Thomlison, Elise Virginia Thompson, Victoria Liana Thompson, Joseph Thomas Tirpak, Nicholas Ward Tramdack, James M. Treadwell, William Tycie Truelove, Andrew Raymond Varhley, George Aaron Vurgason, Bryan David Waladkewics, Jamie D. Ware, Saralyn Grace Webb, Alexandria Victoria Wierzbowski, Katherine Marie Willever, Jonathan Lisle Williams Jr., Michael Louis Williams, Joseph Dane Wood, Jason R. Worek, Nicholas L. Wright, Grace Yu, Anthony Vincent Zavaglia.