Hoosac Valley Class of 2011 Bids Farewall to School
 Hoosac Valley High School graduated a class of 89 on Friday night. See more pictures here; scholarships and awards are here. |
It was an evening of nostalgia and hopes for the future as the graduating class of 89 prepared to exit the halls of Hoosac to the cheers of family and friends and the handshakes and hugs of instructors.
While those teachers may have been occasionally cursed as students worked into the night on reports and papers, valedictorian Dylan A. Alibozek, "we know that by pushing us you prepared us for our next challenge and we thank you for that."
"I'm sure we're all a little nervous but thankfully we have been given the tools we need to be successful," he said. "The people and things we say goodbye to tonight have helped us grow from children to graduating adults responsible for our own futures — whether we are ready or not and, personally, I think we're all ready for the challenge."
Change was in the air and the excited troop of more than 80 was admonished to keep calm by Principal Henry Duval as they gathered in the courtyard before the ceremony. "This is your parents ceremony until you are presented as graduates."
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Earlier this week the class had opened its time capsule, giving them a peek back at what they had been like as freshman. It was a riff of inside jokes and outstanding achievements, as Larabee chronicled their passage through Hoosac's halls to this spot where the class whose [unofficial] motto was "raise Hell" was ready to take on the world.
But of all that had happened, there was one night recent night when almost the "whole senior class, all 89 of us, was together at the campout here at hoosac, cooking hamburgers, hot dogs, playing volleyball and sitting by the fire ... that will probably be the best memory I'll take from this school."
Salutatorian Jessica Bailot pondered the question asked of so many teachers: "When are we going to use this in real life?"
The question may be debatable, but "high school did teach every student one universal rule: to be yourself," she said. "Most of us haven't quite figured out who we are but every experience in high school has shaped us into who we are."
Sometimes their school experiences had created unplanned results "but these obstacles helped to shape us," she said, for example, how the class had discovered at the beginning of the year that there wasn't enough in its account to even pay for their cap and gowns. They spent the whole year fundraising to have enough not only for graduation gowns but for the all-night party at the school that would keep them together a little bit longer.
"We are not defined by situations but how we handle them," said Bailot. "Our futures are always changing so let's not be afraid to put ourselves out there."
The graduates kept their calm as they were presented diplomas from Adams-Cheshire Regional School Committee Chairman Paul K. Butler with the aid of Duval and class adviser Colleen Case. Then their exuberance exploded with Silly String and pop caps, filling the gym with a smoky smell.
Outside, machinery was already poised to begin the tearing up and reconfiguring of the half-century old school this summer, changing it significantly from what this and past classes remember.
Many of those graduates filled the gymnasium — family, friends and teachers, said Alibozek. "We have to say goodbye to this school, at least in its present condition, which is probably a good thing."
"But even though walls and halls may change the spirit will stay intact and we will always have a connection to this place. We will always be Hurricanes at heart."
The graduates:
Kaitlyn M. Affhauser
Nicholas Aitken
Dylan N. Alibozek
Kelsey A. Alibozek
Nathan D. Alibozek
Jose R. Alvarez
Cierra M. Andrews
Brandon L. Asher
Scott R. Bailey
Jessica M. Bailot
Bionca R. Barrett
Samantha L. Beckwith
Gregory C. Bosworth
Nicholas W. Bourdon
Corbin A. Brassard
John T. Bresett
Kaitlyn M. Brown
Hailey M. Burke
Kyrsten E. Burns
Nicholas J. Burzimati
Corinne S. Butler
Katherine E. Butler
Rachel A. Butler
Russell E. Capeless
Antonio J. Cardeno
Hollye A. Caron
Katelyn T. Charon
Nathan A. Czerwinski
Michael T. Davis
Stephen A. Davis
Daniel P. Dermody
Dennis J. Dermody
Patrice A. Dermody
Amy N. Dubuc
Jessica L. Ellis
Kayla M. Ferrill-Gibbs
Brittany S. Gage
Andrew L. Galisa
Taylar M. Gallup
Michael J. Gancarz
Chantelle L. Gladu
Kaitlyn M. Goebel
Joshua T. Graywerth
Andrew J. Harmon
Ethan J. Harmon
Alexander M. Hart
Alexandra C. Hill
Nicole M. Holland
Samantha C. Howe
Jameson G. Hurlbut
Carmen M. Hyatt
Kaitlynn M. Iacuessa
Jason R. Jennings
Hannah M. Kittler
Collin M. Kline
Jay S. Krutiak
Marissa L. Kurley
Erica J. LaCosse
Zachary D. Larabee
Jeffrey P. Lincoln
Patton T. Linder
Mark T. Lindner
Dalton P. Martinelli
Amanda C. Meczywor
Sarah M. Mikutowicz
Kristina M. Morin
Dominique S. Morrison
John W. Murray
Kathleen Nguyen
Adam J. Ouellette
Zachary R. Peltier
Kailey A. Pero
Nathan J. Pitoniak
Samantha L. Robinson
Emily S. Rodowicz
Michael J. Rossi
Nicholas R. Sabin
Karli B. Schrade
Tyler C. Sherman
Makayla L. Skubel
Aaron P. Solari
Nathan D. Staffin
Bridget A. Tanguay
Lindsey C. Tatro
Robert K. Tellier-Pierce
Anthony P. Tovani
Jonathan M. Wiles
Michael A. Zieba
Angela E. Ziemba
Tags: graduation, Hoosac Valley,
