VENTNOR – The Ventnor Middle School held graduation Wednesday, June 23 under a brilliant blue sky as the ceremony moved outdoors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Students filed in two-by-two to “Pomp and Circumstance,” taking their places in two groups opposite the raised platform were student Arden Hazlett introduced the “Star Spangled Banner” and VECC class song.
Three student speakers reflected on their years in elementary and middle school, their eight grade experiences and what the future holds for their fellow graduates.
Madison Siglin remembered her first days as a 6-year-old kindergarten student where she learned “sharing is caring” and “2+2=4.”
“During these years, we had so much fun and got to be kids,” she said.
As she progressed through the years, she recalled class trips to the Camden Aquarium and Cape May County Zoo, Valentine’s Day parties and more.
“It was third grade was probably where we all stepped up…and fourth grade was the best, where we were the big kids in the elementary school.”
They made a smooth transition to their middle school years where they said goodbye to simpler days and learned to enjoy the “perks” of middle school including dances and independence.
“Sixth grade was our last full normal year. Seventh grade started normally with no masks and then in mid-March we all went home for a week. Little did we know, we were not going back. We were stuck behind a computer screen learning at home,” she said. “We made it. We are the big eighth graders.”
John Leonetti talked about the present and how the students will hold the year in their hearts forever. “Nobody expected this year to go as smoothly as it did, but we buckled down and did what we had to do, and had fun doing it,” he said.
Nonetheless, their eighth grade year was the best year of all, with lots of exciting times, laughter, activities and, of course, Philly sports, he said.
“Although there were no dances, assemblies…we wouldn’t want it any other way,” he said. “This is the moment we all were waiting for. Our eighth grade year is over.”
Cassie Parsons considered the next chapter of their lives in her farewell address, cautioning her classmates that “the next four years will be over in a blink,” asking them what they will do with the rising sun.
“It is your choices and actions that will determine if you do well,” she said, predicting they will all be successful.
Although their paths may take them in separate directions, “I will look at the six years at the VECC fondly,” she said.
She imagined her classmates as doctors, lawyers, animators and more.
Gen. Colin Powell once said, that “dreams do not become reality through magic.” Success requires sweat and hard work, she said.
“The future is coming. All that matters now is where we go from here,” she said.
Students sang their class song, “The Time of Your Life,” by Green Day.
Principal Rob Baker, who was presiding over his 22nd graduation ceremony in the Ventnor schools, presented several school awards before presenting the class to Superintendent Carmela Somershoe for promotion to ninth grade.
He congratulated students and teachers for their perseverance during the pandemic.
“They never gave up under the hardest circumstances. This is a day to celebrate you all,” he said.
Baker recognized Somershoe’s planning, which helped the school get through the pandemic.
“This year was insane. But she was on top of all of it,” he said.
He also thanked the parents for “never giving up” on their children.
He encouraged students to emulate retiring teacher Margie Mousaw, whom he called “a cornerstone” of the school, and to be competitive, not with others, but with themselves.
“I hope September brings us all to full normalcy,” he said before closing the ceremony.
Ventnor Middle School Class of 2021
- Yeannelly Acosta Sosa
- Ipshita Arifin
- Ava Buccafurni
- Hilary Camacho
- Aliviana Connolly
- Angie Espinoza
- Mary Pauline Gayagoy
- Aqeel Ahmed
- Daniyal Ahmed
- Subayal Ahmed
- Elton Bajrami
- Luca Boianelli
- Brendan Cahill
- Colt Calhoun
- Yamileth Guzman-Herrera
- Arden Hazlett
- Carly Hennis
- Maya Hernandez Sanchez
- Shoha Karim
- Gisele Kivlin
- Kendra Levine
- Alexa Litrenta
- Frankie Marchese
- Mia Rose Marota
- Amy Matos
- Merrin McGeown
- Jomarie Mejia
- Mia Merlino
- Daniela Ortiz
- Cassie Parsons
- Wendy Paz
- Alyssa Perez
- Dulce Santos
- Madison Siglin
- Nijar Soliman
- Daniela Velasquez
- Sophia Vu
- Laura Waggoner
- Avirup Chakraborty
- Joseph Clark
- Ricardo Coello
- Anthony DeLorenzo
- Dauri Diaz Taveras
- Cole DiGiacomo
- Kristopher Erpelo
- Anthony Figueroa
- Ryan Gao
- Peter Gibson
- Michael Gomez Newcomer
- Chase Heyward
- Sheikh Ilhan
- David Kane
- Mohammad Khan
- John Leonetti
- Bryce Manera
- Anthony Olivero
- Jael Perez-Garcia
- Luis Rodriguez-Elvir
- Luis-Isai Santiago
- Lucien Santoro
- Maxwell Suandika
- Christopher Valdez
- Dylan Wolos
