At the risk of invoking metaphorical reference, high school graduation ceremonies often take on the grandness and luminosity of a NASA launching, when its most celebrated contributors, tutored and taught and trained for years leading up to the event, prepare to finally take flight.

At the 96th annual Avon Grove High School commencement, held June 4 at the Bob Carpenter Center, 444 young pilots took off with their diplomas in hand and their engines running, ready to soar into their next adventures.

They are headed everywhere. In her opening address, Principal Dr. Christie Snead said that 82 percent of the class will be continuing their education at 102 colleges and universities in the fall.

Referring to the resilience of the Class of 2024, Snead said that they entered Avon Grove in the fall of 2020 as first-year students, when COVID-19 was becoming a world-wide pandemic.

“You adapted and you persevered through challenging times, and I want to remind you of this because whatever happens in your future, you have the knowledge and skills and the resources to rise above whatever comes in your path,” she said. “Instead of throwing in the towel, you accept challenges.”

Ushered in to the sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance” performed by the school’s Graduation Band under the direction of Michael Daviano, the graduates took their seats at the center of the 5,000-seat arena and for the next hour, they and a near-capacity audience heard the prepared speeches of five of their fellow graduates. 

In his commencement address, “Always Try,” valedictorian Tyler Dalton thanked the families of the graduates.

“Whether or not you realize it, your family has done a lot of things right in order for you to be here today,” Dalton said. “Whether it was for after-school practices or the lunch they made for you every morning, your parents have obligated time and effort in molding you into becoming the person you have become.”

Dalton also thanked the school’s teachers, administrators and staff, and encouraged his fellow students to “never be afraid to try.”

“If there is anything that I have learned, it is that if you try, you might fail, but if you don’t try, you will never know, so always try,” he said.

In his speech, “Gift of Today, Promise of Tomorrow,” class Salutatorian Avinas Thakur spoke about the importance of entering into community service.

“You remember where you are from, the things you conquered and most importantly, the people that helped you on your journey,” he said. “If you asked me at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter where you are in life or what you have achieved unless you pay it forward. We, the Class of 2024, are our country’s future leaders: scientists, engineers, innovators, you name it, and we ought to give back to our communities.

“What I have learned and what I can share with all of you is that it is always worth it to make a positive change in someone’s life. In the words of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, ‘Service to other is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.’”

Additional speeches were presented by Senior Class President Zaida Caulder and Senior speakers Sindhuja Kanamarlapudi and Alexandra Segura-Nunez. The school’s Senior Chorale Ensemble performed “Omnia Sol,” under the direction of Amanda Wilcox, and the Graduation Band closed out the ceremony with “Sine Nomine.” 

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].