Seniors in Bermudian Springs School District celebrated their graduation ceremony on Thursday evening surrounded by friends, family, and supporters.
During the ceremony, class president Amelia Peters thanked the school administration, faculty and staff, and students’ friends and families for their help. Peters noted that the students’ time at Bermudian Springs would help set the course of their lives.
“For some, high school has been the glory days and will be recalled with a smile and fond memories. For others, high school will be the stepping stone to future success,” Peters said. “Whichever boat you are in, the time spent at Bermudian Springs has laid the foundation for a lifetime of achievement and created lifelong relationships with classmates, teachers, administrators and community members.”
Peters urged the graduates to fully enjoy their lives.
“I implore each and every one of the students sitting here today to proceed into the unknown future with confidence, joy, and love,” Peters said. “I ask all of you to remember how valuable our time is. Whatever choice you have made for your future, do not forget to make the most of every moment and live according to your own ideals and dreams, not someone else’s.”
Andrea Guiher, the class salutatorian, said each graduate is special.
“In Mr. Pepoli’s 8th-grade science class, he told us that no matter what we did, there would always be someone smarter than us. There would always be someone faster than us. And there would always be someone stronger than us.”
While that sentiment could be demoralizing, Guiher said Pepoli’s next words have stayed with her over the years.
“(He said) if you are truly passionate about something, you don’t care that there is someone smarter, faster, or stronger than you,” Guiher said. “You pursue it anyway. You give it your all and when you get knocked down, you get back up again. Why? Because it’s your passion. You want to. Your passion and your goals outweigh the situations life throws at you.”
Guiher challenged the graduates to keep that in mind as they face their next steps in life.
Katherine Elliott, the class valedictorian, said she only moved to the area two years ago but always felt welcome in the school district.
“To be brutally honest, I was a little, intimidated junior my first few weeks here,” Elliott said. “But as the days carried on, every single person here has shown me how wonderful our community truly can be. So many of you welcomed me into this school with open arms, and to say I am grateful is an understatement.”
While Elliott was settling into a new high school during her junior year, her entire class faced challenges during their high school career.
During the novel coronavirus pandemic, Elliott said some students returned to school full-time while others stayed in cyber school, or went back and forth to adjust for their needs.
“Either way, we are all still here, ready to move on, ready to take on whatever life throws at us next,” Elliott said. “Our class is strong. We were able to adapt through all the new changes throughout our high school career while still maintaining our good times.”
Early in the ceremony, Jon DeFoe, principal of Bermudian Springs High School, presented a diploma to the family of Andrew A. Karabinos Jr.
Karabinos died on July 15, 2022 following a car accident. He was a junior fireman with North East Adams Fire and EMS in East Berlin and a member of York Springs Fire Company #1, according to his obituary.
Karabinos would have graduated this spring. His seat was left open during the ceremony to remember him.
The senior choir sang “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield.
Olivia Kuntz delivered the benediction.
Featured image captions: Superintendent Shane Hotchkiss and Michael Wool, president of the Bermudian Springs school board, presented diplomas to the graduates.
Imari Scarbrough is a freelance journalist. She was a staff newspaper reporter for five years before becoming a freelancer in 2017. She has written on crime, environmental issues, severe weather events, local and regional government and more.
You can visit her website at ImariJournal.com.