OSWEGO – Oswego High School seniors proudly walked the graduation stage yesterday, solidifying their final academic achievement; OHS celebrating their 166th commencement ceremonies at the Deborah F. Stanley Arena & Convocation Hall on the campus of SUNY Oswego, Saturday, June 25.
A full video of the graduation can be viewed here.
Superintendent Dr. Mathis Calvin III, OHS Principal Ryan Lanigan and Board of Education President Heather DelConte along with several school officials, joined the 253 graduates in celebrating their hard work, effort and determination in making it through the many unseen challenges brought before them during their academic quest, especially throughout the pandemic.
Calvin shared some poignant words from colleague and Superintendent Sue Green on the tenacity, courage and creativity all students have shown throughout the pandemic, saying her words so eloquently reflected his own thoughts and feelings about the OHS students;
“Throughout the last couple of years, your high school experiences and career took some various twists and turns due to the world-wide pandemic that we are all now coming out of. While we were all challenged by the various traditions that were missed because of the pandemic, I must say that you each demonstrated that you can still accomplish much even in the face of adversity,” Calvin read. “You have shown us that you have the ability to endure, to be strong, even when things are disappointing and somewhat unknown. That you can face difficulties with encourage, tenacity and humor, and that you have learned in tough times, so many people, including yourself can still display creativity and find ways to enhance the lives of others. And you have learned and demonstrated what it means to stretch your own abilities.”
2022 Senior Class President and Salutatorian Katelyn Nettles spoke, gleaning from a memoir she wrote for her Fitzhugh Park Elementary School sixth-grade graduation. At the end of her journal, Nettles penned these words:
“So as this young flower finds herself at a new school next year, she will never forget her time at FPS and the person she has become because of it,” Nettles said, also adding;
“While I was not wise beyond my years at 11-years-old as I had hoped, I realized that as much as we have grown up, we are
in the same shoes now as we were then. We are preparing to walk away from all that we know, to learn a new place and discover who we can be in it. We are fortunate though – we get to face the unknown as the people our younger selves dreamed of some day being. Whether you consider these last four years to be the best or worst of your life, it is undeniable that high school forces you to define who you are and who you want to be.”
2022 Senior Class Valedictorian Mary Kate Cloonan also addressed her classmates, encouraging them not to fall prey to the idea that they are not good enough to achieve their goals and dreams, especially when asked about plans for their future.
“At first glance, it’s easy for us to believe that we won’t measure up; that it’s easier to choose the safe route where our answers are clear and favorable. But in truth, we have all dedicated ourselves to something, whether it be academic, sports, music, theater or maybe even gaming,” Cloonan said. “Don’t diminish who you are and what you’ve accomplished maybe because someone else seems more impressive. The reality is that there will always be someone or something that intimidates us – money, talent, intelligence – a list of accolades a mile long; you name it. So take pride in your achievements, in where your imaginations have already taken you, because no matter how they may seem to stack up, the true value lies in their worth to you.”
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