Oswego High School Class of 2017 Ready To Change The World

Jeremy Braiman waits for the rest of the Class of 2017 to arrive Saturday morning.

Two members of the Class of 2017 chat before getting ready for the ceremony.

Stacks of diplomas waiting to be handed out.

It’s time for photographs.

The OHS Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Scott Ciesla, performs prior to the start of the ceremony.

Bill Gregway checks the program for his grandson’s name.

Jordan Tryon displays the electric lights adorning his graduation cap.

The ceremony gets under way. Entering the arena from left are: Dr. Dean Goewey, Dr. Heidi Sweeney, Brian Haessig, Lynda Sereno and Tom DeCastro.

Members of the Class of 2017 march in to begin the graduation ceremony.

Valedictorian Sarah Smolinski offers some words of encouragement to the Class of 2017.

Derek Caramella, Class President, addresses the graduates.

School board member James Bell congratulates graduate Madison Bell.

Mark Schuffenecker is congratulated by Principal Dr. Heidi Sweeney. Looking n is Superintendent Dr. Dean Goewey.

The final diploma is presented.

OHS Principal Dr. Heidi Sweeney congratulates the Class of 2017.

Time to move the tassels.

Graduate Samantha Porter was one of many who placed messages atop their caps.

Congratulation, OHS Class of 2017.

OSWEGO, NY – After 13 years of school, it took 28 minutes Saturday to turn the OHS Class of 2017 into freshly minted graduates.

The first diploma was presented at 10:52 a.m. and the clock above the SUNY Oswego Campus Center’s ice rink clicked to 11:20 a.m. as Richard P. Yurkon received his diploma.

Valedictorian Sarah Smolinski said, “It’s kind of hard to believe (graduation) is actually here.”

Jeremy Braiman said he knew graduation was approaching, but didn’t really give it much thought.

“It wasn’t really until after my last class that I started thinking out it,” he said. “I am looking forward to it. It’s kind of sad but exciting, too.”

Superintendent Dr. Dean Goewey said 37 years ago today, that he sat in (the graduates’) your seat.

“From kindergarten through your senior year, many of those friendships will stay with you for a lifetime,” the member of the Class of 1980 told the Class of 2017. “Your lives will be filled with blessings, challenges and opportunities. Be resilient when times are tough.”

Regardless of the paths they choose in life, Dr. Goewey encouraged the Class of 2017 to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

He believes members of the class will change the world in a bright and positive way.

Lynda Sereno, board of education president, encouraged the graduates to continue learning, no matter what age they are. She went to college at 32, she pointed out. She continued to take administration courses, she added.

“It’s OK to take on a challenge. Don’t fear failure,” she said. “Don’t let it stop you.

“Your words are powerful. They can change lives and inspire others, but just as easily cause harm,” Dr. Heidi Sweeney, principal told the graduates. “Many people will offer you advice. But develop and follow your own internal compass.”

“Thank you to my friends for keeping me sane when we were all up late working on the same assignments that we left to the last minute and to all the teachers I’ve had that put just as much time into my success and learning as I did into their class,” Smolinski said.

“We’ve spent more than half of our lives working towards getting a piece of paper with our names on it and go forward into the ‘real world’ as adults,” she continued. “Which is kind of funny because we’re expected to be adults now and up until a few weeks ago we still had to ask for a pass to go to the bathroom. But, I digress.”

She told her classmates to not fear the unknown.

“There are endless examples of people who stepped into the unknown and came out successful on the other side, typically in a fantasy setting where they go on the hero’s journey that I’m sure all of us learned about,” she said.

She used Captain America as an example, who “started as Steve Rogers, a random, scrawny guy who wanted to sign up for the military to fight the Nazis and ended up being turned into a super soldier and saving the world.”

“While I’m sure none of us are going to be turned into super soldiers by the military, we are about to go into something that we aren’t entirely sure where we will end up, just like Steve Rogers did,” she explained. “Right now we are all about to receive the call to action in our own hero’s journey.”

No one knows where they are going to end up, or who or what they may change on their journey; “but don’t doubt for a second that we won’t change the world in our subtle and unique ways,” she said.

“So, congratulations to the graduating class of 2017! Don’t ignore your call to action. And, for the last time as a student of Oswego High School, Go Bucs!” she told the graduates.

Derek Caramella, Class President, said, “We strived and were persistent keeping the end in sight; dedication brought us here. In regards to faculty and family, they acted as our pillars. They were there when we needed them the most. Friends were present when you and I failed our first quiz or went in the wrong bathroom, or went to the third floor as a freshman. That was my attempt at making a joke, please laugh. I worked kinda, sorta hard on this speech, well until like 2 a.m. today.”

Following graduation, best friends now may be far acquaintances in the future, he noted.

“One of us may move to Timbuktu and never see OHS again in our lives, but who’s complaining? But remember one thing from this speech, home is where the heart is. Life goes fast, moments move even faster, but love always remains.”

No matter how far or distant you are from your home, that best friend in high school was still your best friend, your family is still your family, he pointed out.

“Each and every one of you is loved in some shape or form,” Caramella said.

“Do not rush out into the world, enjoy your time where you are. There is only so much time available to us. Go places, see things, enjoy wherever the location maybe. If you ever are under the condition where life is moving too quickly, recall this – home is where the heart is,” he said. “Remember the laughter we have shared, remember the ways things can be, remember to enjoy the times.”

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