THROOP - Mid Valley High School valedictorian Lindsey Evans has always had a problem with nerves, but when she addressed her fellow graduates at Friday night's commencement ceremony, her voice was unwavering and her message was clear.
She wrangled the butterflies in her stomach to deliver her speech, and she wanted her classmates to do the same in their post-graduate life.
"Learn how to get your butterflies to fly in formation and then you can soar," Lindsey said.
She was one of more than 130 graduates to don caps and gowns and march across the stage of the high school auditorium to receive their diploma - girls clad in white robes and boys in royal blue.
Although their high school careers drew to a close, salutatorian Corinne Negvesky encouraged her peers to be lifelong learners.
"We want to have a heart of a student in life. That makes us eager to learn," she said.
Keynote speaker Dr. Cynthia Oleski, a Mid Valley alumna herself, spoke to the graduates, stressing the heritage of hard work in the Midvalley after generations. She challenged the class of 2013 to adopt that attitude as they started their lives in the real world.
"Aspire to something greater than the status quo," Dr. Oleski said. "Raise the bar beyond your reach and stretch. Do not settle for mediocrity."
Contact the writer: ksullivan@timesshamrock.com, @ksullivanTT on Twitter
Graduates include
Melanie Leigh Abda, Robert Andrewsh, Ender Arias, Desiree A. Bauer, Kenneth K. Beavers, Jonathan Paul Joseph Beckage, Amber Lynn Bello, Krista Lynn Berardelli, Maria Alison Berg, Victoria Bigelow, Kierstyn Marie Bonaddio, Nikko Anthony Bonavoglia, Lexi Christine Borgna, Kasey Boyarsky, Jessie C. Brudnicki, Matthew Joseph Bukowski, Perry Joseph Caines, Ashley Canjar, Natalie Carmella Cantarella, Michael Ceccoli, Justin Chaput, Emily Cifuentes, Mike Cipriano, Michael Alex Collins, Idelgardo DeCarlos Colon, Cassandra A. Cutter, Zachary J. Davitt, Zachary Gaetano DeBlasio, Natasha DeJesus, Carmen Joseph Dellia, Nicholas James Demian, Kyle J. Devereaux, Erica Lynn Dixon, Kevin Durkin, Marissa Dzanis, Taryn Ann Egnotovich, Marquita Engram, Alexandra Evanina, Lindsey Ray Evans, Ciarra Falzone, Brianna Faith Faux, Andy Felix, John J. Gavin III, Matthew Gibbon, David D. Graff, Justin D. Guzzi, Kyle Grzech, Tyler Harvey, Dane Matthew Hill, Jacob Hinders, Katie Ann Holeva, Heather Louise Horvath, Shea Hughes, Brittney Jean Jordan, Brianna Julio, Ashley Ann Karzenoski, Allison Kasper, Brian Alexander Kasperowski, Maria Kerecman, Sara Kime, Justin King, Cody Kisel, Christopher Kramer, Jamie Lee Kuzmiak, Melissa Latniak, Aniya Lewis, Tyler Matthew Marcinkevich, Ryan Martinelli, Dominique Alexa Martino, Juilianne May, Victoria Maza, Rachael McColgan, Chelsea Marie McDermott, Allyssa Marie Menendez, Rosabel Guzman Medina, Megan Mercanti, Nicholas S. Michini, Casey Moore, Shadeau Muia, Corinne Lee Nagvesky, Jamilyn Elaine Nemetz-Hopkins, Tyler Patrick Nolan, Erin Marie North-Mozda, Aaron Olecki, Francisco Olivera, Cassidy Alexandre' Orrell, Christopher Ottone, Jesus Ozuna, Matthew Pasquale, Danielle Marie Perrone, Tara Rose Phillips, Samantha Pierro, Emily E. Pieshefski, Brian A. Pisarcik, Joel Muehling Polidori, Danielle Priblo, Amanda Promovitz, Sara Radicchi, Christopher Michael Rebar, Michael James Reid Jr., Delaney Reynolds, Victoria Angelina Rinaldi, John Rocco, Francisco Rodriguez, Dominic Theodore Runco, Mario Runco, Kaeleigh Schaffer, Mark Seber, Robert Sekelsky, James Senecal, Sarah Sherman, Melissa Shygelski, Zackery John Spears, Matthew Carey Tanner, Ronald Tomasetti, Amanda Travis, Nicholas T. Urbanick, Yerissel Hernandez-Victor, Joshua Warwick, Josh Whiteduck, Ashley Wolo, Amy Yakacki, Kristin Yorkanis, Duane Robert Young IV, James Vincent Yzkanin, Zachary Zagursky, Eric Zelinski and Dominique Theresa Ziegler.Valedictorian Lindsey Ray Evans
Parents: Ted and Denise Evans
Awards and activities: Soccer, student council, Leo Club, senior class president, Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science, Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership, National Honor Society, jazz band, concert band, steel drums band, went to space camp in 2010 in Alabama, People to People Student Ambassador Program, Science Olympiad
Plans: Attend Penn State University to major in aerospace engineering and one day work for NASA or a government contractor
Salutatorian Corinne Lee Negvesky
Father: David Negvesky
Awards and activities: Gifted program, treasurer of science club, editor in chief of Spartan Outlook, secretary and vice president of Future Business Leaders of America, secretary of home economics club, student council, scholastic bowl, National Honor Society, student of the month November 2012, Flag of Excellence, dual-enrollment program at Penn State Worthington Scranton and the University of Scranton.
Plans: University of Scranton to major in biology in pre-med to one day become a pediatrician.