SV Valedictorian: Class of 2019 is resilient
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SENTINEL PHOTO - Shenandoah Valley graduates at the school's commencement ceremony on May 31, 2019.
By Kaylee Lindenmuth
SHENANDOAH – Eighty-one students received diplomas during the commencement ceremonies Friday evening before a nearly capacity crowd at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Shenandoah.
Speaking at the ceremony Friday evening, Shenandoah Valley Class of 2019 Valedictorian Emily Demalis had a key word to describe her class: resilient.
She was speaking of one of three R’s — reflection, respect, and responsibility — as is tradition for Shenandoah Valley’s valedictorian, salutatorian, and class speaker. She considered resilience to be a fourth R.
“When I truly and deeply reflect back on the Class of 2019, one word comes to mind: resilience,” said Demalis, before defining resilience. “I don’t think there is a better word to describe our class through the last fourteen years.”
“Coming into freshman year, we were considered a class of troublemakers,” Demalis added. “We struggled to find an advisor willing to take on the challenge of our class. Many believed we would never have enough money in our class fund to have formal, homecoming, prom, or even graduation. Thankfully, our wonderful advisors, Jolene Dombrowski and Mrs. Mehalick stepped in and here we are. We made it. We not only had formal, homecoming, prom, and graduation, but we also added a class trip and revived the tradition of class night.”
Demalis also noted the challenge students in her class faced, being the first in school history to take multiple dual enrollment courses.
”We faced the challenge with resilience, and after much stress, many tears, and numerous late nights finishing essays, several of us earned 12 college credits,” said Demalis.
Demalis then recognized Christian Rosario, a classmate who passed away in 2017.
“By far, the event that required the utmost resilience was the loss of one of our own. Christian was one of the kindest souls you could ever meet. He was the kind of person whose smile and laughter followed him everywhere. It breaks my heart not seeing him sitting here next to us right now,” said Demalis. “He will never be forgotten and he will always hold a special place in our hearts.”
At the end of the graduation ceremony, a dove was released in Rosario’s memory.
Following Demalis, Salutatorian Katilyn Hepler spoke of respect, specifically emphasizing the importance of self-respect.
“Our level of success will be determined by our self-dignity, moral, and assurance, all aspects of self-respect,” said Hepler. “In the last four years, we’ve grown as both students and people. We gained knowledge academically, learning about the organelles that make up the cell in biology, how to solve derivatives in calculus, and the causes of the Great Depression in American History. This scholastic knowledge was accompanied by lessons of respect.”
“We learned to listen to those in positions of authority, to welcome the viewpoints and opinions of others, to be considerate of the needs of others, and to accept diversity and our differences,” Hepler added.
Three distinguished alumni were inducted to the SV Wall of Fame as well, and each spoke. Read about them here.
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