ALLEGANY, N.Y. — “It’s crazy to think that we have just had our last first day of school, played in our last game, went to our last dance and taken our last Regents” tests, said Kiley Kinney, Allegany-Limestone High School valedictorian, in addressing her fellow graduates during commencement exercises Sunday.
“And it’s crazy to think this is the last time we have to worry about the length of our shorts,” Kinney added, drawing laughter from the audience.
The 22nd-annual Allegany-Limestone Central School District ceremony, held in the middle/high school auditorium, provided diplomas to 61 graduates of the class of 2017. The graduates honored the memory of their late classmate, Erica Linn Lamberson, with the placement of a graduation cap and flowers on a chair on stage.
During her speech, Kinney quoted former NFL football player Tim Tebow, who currently plays minor league baseball for the New York Mets.
“Success comes in a lot of ways, but it doesn’t come with money and it doesn’t come with fame,” she said in quoting Tebow. “It comes from having a meaning in your life, doing what you love and being passionate about what you do.”
Kinney added her own comments on success, stating she believes “true success comes when you’re sitting in a rocking chair, 80 years old and reading to your grandchildren all your favorite stories.”
In his farewell address, Sean Conroy said his mother had given him a “pep talk” before the ceremony and told him to not try to be charming, but to be himself.
“What is the value of receiving a diploma,” Conroy asked the graduates. “You can’t exchange it for cash, you can’t have it do an interview for you, you can’t eat it and you’re not supposed to use it to start a fire,” he added, drawing his own laughs.
Instead, he said earning a diploma entailed participation in classes, programs and extracurricular activities at Allegany-Limestone that provided a “strong foundation” for skills and knowledge needed in life.
“We learned to deal with deadlines, time management and stress individually,” he said, noting the many nights of preparing speeches were extra stressful, “especially following someone like Kiley Kinney.”
Following the two presentations, Principal Cory Pecorella called on all the award- and scholarship-recipients to stand and be recognized. He said the Allegany-Limestone graduates received a total of approximately $442,000 in scholarships and awards for their efforts.
“They’ve done some great things,” Pecorella said of the class.
Following that segment of the ceremony, diplomas were awarded to the graduates by Superintendent Dr. Karen Geelan, Dr. Joseph Zimmer, president of the school board, and other school board members.
The Allegany-Limestone High School class of 2017 graduates are:
Baylee Marie Austin, Jazlyn Ball, Shana M. Bebko, Fayth Christine Bigley, Alix Deanna Boser,
Damien Bottomley, Alexis Paige Cline, Sophia Corryn Colley, MaKenna Arianna Collison,
Sean Michael Conroy, Michael-Anthony J. Cook, Mary Christina Dixon, Hannah Rae Domes,
Cora RichAnn Emery, Zachry Edward Ensell, Kaysha Talien Ertell, Shaelin Marie Everetts and Claire Marie Fischer.
Marcus Robert Grove, Zachary M. Hemphill, Tiffany Christine Hulse, Anthony L. James Jr., Daniel William Kelly, Kiley Noelle Kinney, Kaitin Kolasinski, Shane O. Lindquist, Jeffrey D. Louser, Thayuni Marks, Garrett Tanner Martin, Michael John McMullen, Thomas Monroe, Megan Karen Moricca, Hannah Lee Mousaw, Jessica Lynn Myers and Jessica Owen.
Tyler Michael Paar, Rachel Rene Paschen, Justin Michael Patterson, Jonathan D. Privette, Hannah Marie Schifley, Austin Matthew Schlepko, Ryan Michael Schlosser,
Maddison Nicole Schoonover, Lucy Marie Shoup, Jordan Gaige Sisson-Moore, Jay Michael Spencer, Danielle Nicole Spring, Tyler Laurence Stady, Joie-Rose Stangle, Jacob Alexander Struble and Joshua A. Struble.
Maria Wallace, Shannon Paige Weatherley, Kalynne Nicole Whitehead, Matthew James Wild, Gillian Williams, Hunter Donald Williams, MaryJoe Marrisa Williams. Daniel Paul Wymer and Ethan Michael Zalwsky.
