Eugene A. Tighe Middle School Class of 2023
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
MARGATE – Parents, family members and friends offered support for the 48 students graduating from the Eugene A. Tighe Middle School Tuesday evening. Commencement services were held in the Dominick A. Potena Performing Arts Center after an awards ceremony was held earlier in the day.
Ryan Southard, president of the National Junior Honor Society.
Ryan Southard, president of the National Junior Honor Society, honored the members of the society who reflect the four pillars of the organization – leadership, scholarship, character and service. He stated he is confident NJHS members would be moving on to “bigger and better” opportunities to demonstrate their leadership abilities, remain “vigilant” in maintaining high grade-point averages, display the characteristics of “integrity, honesty and courage,” and continue with community service and helping others.
“Whether it is for the rest of your life or just the summer, try to exercise one of these pillars in your life. Embrace self-improvement to elevate yourself or maybe make a change in your community. Or maybe just help your parents slightly more than usual,” he said. “These ideals can aid you in improving not only yourself, but others around you.”
Evelyn Lowry gave her keynote address about adapting and adjusting to change, such as when they found the courage to be themselves when they became fifth graders at the Tighe School four years ago. The halls seemed to “straighten themselves out” during their first year at Tighe, despite living through a worldwide pandemic that kept them from attending classes in-person, socializing with their friends and maintaining a 6-foot distance from each other. She chose to speak about the “silver linings” of the epidemic, such as convincing her parents to get a dog.
“We learned to be resilient, and we learned how to adjust to a situation even if it is far from perfect. We learned we could still form connections with our teachers through Google and Zoom meetings,” she said.
But smiling faces eventually emerged from behind masks, she said.
“As individuals, we grew into our personalities, and we have grown together as a class. We shared many laughs and some sorrows…and we became more grateful for our health and grew closer to our families and friends.”
Those experiences will shape their futures, but the memories made at Tighe will last forever. She thanked teachers, parents and her classmates for making the past four years a chapter she will never forget.
“Let us continue to be the leaders we are in high school and beyond. Never forget your roots will always be a Tighe,” she said, encouraging her classmates to “spark mountains of change for the better.”
After words of encouragement from Principal Ryan Gaskill and Superintendent Audrey Becker, Commissioner and former Board of Education President Cathy Horn and current school board President Dr. Joel Frankel presented students with their diplomas.
Class of 2023
Dalton Jeffrey Silva
Codie Elizabeth Knapp
Angelina Gia-Marie Damiani
Michael A. Juskus
Sophia Claire Blanco*
Stella Grace Tomaselli
Elena Settimia Bahuriak*
Carly Renee Cavacini
Addie Rose Scanlon
Lauren Morgan Albert*
Jacob N. Allaham
Brendan Paul Mooney
Isabella Angela Sciarillo
Tyler Christopher Cavacini
Marina Rita DeFamio
Ashleigh M Hallissey
Sadie Elizabeth Gorbig
Ella Jean Fattell*
David Osoria
Elizabeth Coffey
Evelyn Grace Lowry*
Aaron Jonah Cutler
Donald Eugene Cantrell III
Kennedy Monroe Connors
Sean Thomas Scanlon
Kai Patrick Cooke
Michael Alexander Lerner
Valentina Dolceamore Rosenfelt
Kaiden Robert Brewster
Michael Blaze Brestle
Bruce Richard Hunt III
Jason Alexander Silverstein
Mason Robert Cermanski
Charlie Brown Levin*
Colin Michael Doyle
Sloan Ava Swift
Joswel Esteban
Francis Albert Holton
Timothy David Windfelder**
Abby Elizabeth-Nicole Rubenstein*
Aron Thomas Desch
Dannicka James Barkalow
Anthony Richard Dilorenzo*
Jacob Stephen Chapman
Andrew Peter DeFeo**
Kevin Carl Brewster
Ryan Patrick Southard*
Sean William Gormley
*Straight As during 8th grade
**Straight As all four years
