The Alternative Press

SUMMIT, NJ -  Some chat amicably with people they will never see again. Others reflect on the past four years, remembering both the good times and the bad. They are nervous, excited, and melancholy, all at the same time. Soon they will walk across a stage, accept their diploma, and forever leave behind a world in which they had thrived. As summer begins, so too does a new chapter in the lives of Summit High School graduates.

The 2012 Summit High School graduation was held Wednesday evening inside an auditorium so packed that some audience members had to view the ceremony on television in classrooms. The 122nd graduating class contained about 265 students, 41 of which were graduating with honors, according to Principal Paul Sears.

Though the sweltering weather forced a move indoors, the ceremony went off without a hitch, featuring both faculty and student speakers, music from the school band and senior members of the chamber choir, and of course the presentation of diplomas. To conclude the festivities, the students rotated their tassels and threw their caps in the air before leaving the auditorium for the very last time.

“It’s always an honor and a tremendous pleasure to see the young men and young women finish their high school careers and embark on the next phases of their lives,” said Dr. Nathan Parker, superintendent. A veteran of more than four decades in education, Parker has seen a lot of classes graduate, but he said this year’s stands out among the rest.

“This class is a particularly talented class in the ways in which they contributed to the community, their success academically, their success in the arts, and also in athletics,” said Parker. “They’ve gotten into the best colleges, they’ve gotten recruited onto some of the best Division I teams or Division II teams or Division III teams in the country, [and] they’ve been recruited into programs in the arts.”

Sears said he views the graduation ceremony as more than a school function, but a city event.

“I always see it as a celebration of the entire community because although the students are graduating from high school, most of them have been through the entire school system and have been involved in the community in many ways,” he said. “I see this as a special night for the students and families, but really a chance for the entire community to celebrate another group of kids that have gone through the school system and are ready to move on.”

Parker and Sears both spoke at the ceremony – Parker lauded the students’ accomplishments and told them that the evermore complex world needed their talents to take on its challenges, while Sears advised the students to always do what is right in facing hard times and to never lose sight of the big picture. George Lucaci, president of the Summit Board of Education, also gave a speech about the importance of persistence in pursuing goals and how one
should never be afraid of taking risks.
 
However, Sears called the ceremony was student-centered, and there certainly were plenty of speakers from the graduating class. Class President Matthew Wong welcomed the audience, Student Council President Sharon Kwak recognized scholarship winners, and Class Treasurer Olivia Galuppo presented the school with the class gift – a table for outdoor dining.

This year’s Voice of the Class was Michael Nitzberg, who was selected by a panel of faculty members based on his school accomplishments and his ideas for his speech, according to Sears.

Nitzberg took a humorous look at the students’ past four years, comparing their high school experience to the world of Harry Potter, which caused students, faculty, and audience members alike to laugh uproariously.

Though a happy occasion, student Alexander Vega said he has mixed feelings about graduating.

“It’s amazing and sad at the same time,” he said. “The years went by really fast, but now I can look to the future and be ready for college.”

As he prepares to begin his higher education at York College of Pennsylvania, Vega said he is appreciative of everything Summit High School had offered him.

“I’ll never forget the teachers here who gave me so much help, the soccer program, athletic programs – they’re really great,” he said. “I’ll miss all of that, but I’ll take whatever I’ve learned here to college and hopefully make something of myself.”

For Will Brenn, graduating means leaving behind the environment he had grown up in.

“It’s overwhelming,” said Brenn. “We’ve been here in Summit our whole lives, and now we won’t be here next year.”

Yet Brenn said he will be taking with him the encouragement of the school community.

“We have so many people here who are willing to support us and are wishing us well as we go forward.”

Sam Vorchheimer said graduation is the culmination of a lot of time and effort.

"This is what we’ve been working for our entire lives,” she said.

The ceremony was special not just for students, but for parents as well. Bill McIlroy’s daughter Meghan will soon be going to the Villanova School of Nursing, following in the footsteps of her nurse mother and sister. The graduation gave Bill and his family the chance to recognize Meghan’s high school accomplishments.

“We are very proud of her and sure she will do great things in the future,” said Bill.

The Reverend Dr. Denison D. Harrield, Jr. did not have a relative in the graduating class – he was there to support one of his parishioners. However, he did offer some advice useful to any new graduate.

“Stay focused, tune out negative thinking, don’t get with the wrong crowd, let God be first in your life, and work hard to reach your goals,” said Harrield.