SOUTH CAANAN TWP. - Hannah Peifer offered her fellow Western Wayne graduates three nuggets of wisdom to carry with them through life as they take their first leap into the world.
A packed auditorium of friends, family, supporters and faculty who greeted the first appearance of the graduates with loud whistles and a powerful, sustained applause when the curtain was pulled back revealing them together on the stage.
Before the class of 2013 lined up to receive their diplomas and step off the high school auditorium stage one last time Friday night, the class salutatorian took to the podium to remind them that life is fragile, failure is inevitable and it is wise to maintain perspective when all appears seemingly bleak.
"Do not sweat over pettiness," she told them.
In her remarks, class valedictorian Nicole Buehring began with a note of comfort for her fellow graduates who may be a little terrified to venture from the safe confines of school.
"The future begins here. It begins today," she said.
But because of the support of the community including teachers, family, and classmates who pushed them to aspire, they are well prepared.
"You are incredible," she said. "I have no doubt that you can achieve anything you want."
Contact the writer: smcconnell@timesshamrock.com, @smcconnellTT on Twitter
GRADUATES ARE
Ronald Alexander Jr., Robert Lee Anderson, Tyler Beck, James Jeremiah Berger, Kaitlyn Berkoski, Brandyn Lee Black, Charnelle Breanna Blackwood, Conrad Borowski, Monika Ann Breault, Nicole Elizabeth Buehring, Dylan Burdick, James A. Catanzaro, Janine Amber Cavage, Aurleigh Denise Chapman, Joseph Chapman, Cameron Chism, Tyler Cohawitz, Autumn Marie Cole, Kelly Sue Conklin, Jacob Covey, Shannon Elizabeth Croney, Elizabeth Curtis, Michael Carl Danchak, Kaleb Davis, Sierra Dawn Decker, Alyssa DeKenipp, Vincent Ralph DeLeo, Brian De Vito, Katie Sue DeVito, Samantha Lynn Dougherty, Megan Elizabeth Dzikowicz, Kenneth Emerson, Ian Fairclough, Joseph Robert Faust, Paul J. Faux, Samantha Lynn Fawcett, Ileany Marie Figueroa, Alec John Fink, Jennifer Grace Finkle, Paul Frankovsky, Destiny Sky Fraschilla, Beau Fuller, Emily Rose Funk, Tyler Gale, Samantha Giombetti, Ryan J. Gisinger, William Gleason, Raymond Golden, Brittney Greaney, Natasha Gregorski, Brandon Hadden, Sarah A. Hampton, Dakota Moon Hanlon, Jonathan Hanna, Rachael Nicole Hartnett, Tanya Lynn Harty, Diana Hassan, Aubri Danae Heaslet, Kaitlin Lees Hemmler, Allison Alizabeth Hess, Shanae Howard, Ashley Mary Jackson, Kaelyn C. Jacques, Amber Rivera-Javier, Sally C. Jellock, Mari K. Johansen, Frank S. Juhasz, Cameron Charles Karnick, Lucas D. Karnick, Leah E. Kellogg, Colin F. Kovaleski, Ashley Krenitsky, Raymond J. Langendoerfer, Victoria Elizabeth Lanza, Matthew D. Lawler, Jordan M. Liptak, Krista Locklin, Thomas V. Lodini, Kevin Francis Lopatofsky, Samantha Marconi, Elijah Matoushek, Shawney Jane Matoushek, Ryan McDevitt, Melanie L. Megela, Madeline Rose Miller, Manuel Aaron Mirailh, Davont'e Donte Moore, Kendra Morgan, Evan P. Munley, Tyler Jordan Murphy, Cassandra Marie Nelson, Amanda Ostroski, Kimberly Anne Overpeck, Nathaniel Clinton Packer, Hannah Grace Peifer, Jonathan Perez, Allison Lin Poltanis, Sky Nicole Pope, Matthew Joseph Poska, Nikolai Pritchyk, Bridget Colleen Quinn, Trevor Quinones, John Alton Rhodes IV, Julie Rieutort, Victoria L. Roberts, Hannah P. Robinson, Dana A. Rooney, Reno D. Rosa, Conner David Rosensweet, Allison Nicole Ross, Malcolm Khalil Terrence Satchell, Joshua Michael Serafin, Joseph Michael Sherrer, Robert Vincent Siclari, Jacob Edward Silfies, Elizabeth Ann Sledzinski, Derek Sosa, Adrianna Stares, Angel Stewart, Ariel L. Stine, Shannon Stone, Roberta May Swingle, Gary H. Thoman II, Alfred Thorne, Jamie Elisabeth Thorpe, Joshua Tighe, Christopher Tomasetti, Kaitlyn Marie Torquati, Joshua Torres, Kyle Mark Troiano, Michael P. Trygar, Alexander Tufano, Destiny Tuthill, Acacia Christine Urian, Louis Michael Vitorio, Kaitlin Elizabeth Warnock, Jacob Weston, Samuel White, Margaret Williams, Angelena Elizabeth Wilmot, Veronica Ann Witt, Cassandra Wolfe, Cassidy Wombacker, Rachael L. Yamialkowski, Douglas Yatsonsky and Matthew Walter D. Francis Zeiler.VALEDICTORIAN Nicole Buehring
Parents: Patricia and Carl Buehring
Activities: 10-year 4-H member who has held numerous offices including secretary, treasurer, historian committee chairwoman, Block and Bridle Livestock judging team; multi-year reading team member; National Honor Society; Scholastic Team; Science Iditarod; Science Olympiad; Students Against Destructive Decisions; volunteered at Marley's Mission; camp counselor at 4-H Camp Shehaqua
Plans: Attend Slippery Rock University to major in therapeutic recreation; wants to work with physically and mentally handicapped individuals and use horses as a form of therapy.
SALUTATORIAN Hannah Peifer
Parents: Cheryl and Randy Peifer
Activities: Basketball for one year; track for two years; soccer for four years; community service includes Community Attitude Toward Success, formerly president and currently co-president; 4-H, serving as vice president, secretary, treasurer and currently president; Youth Advisory Committee for the Wayne County Community Foundation, secretary for two years and currently co-chair; Future Business Leaders of America; Technology Students Association, treasurer; Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science; Brain Bee; Scholastic Team; reading team; watershed; National Art Honor Society; National Honor Society, vice president; Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership ambassador; recently certified EMT.
Plans: Attend University of Pennsylvania; hopes to become a medical doctor and work outside U.S. in an area of need.