Parents, family members and friends packed Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in Oakland June 4 to watch members of Fox Chapel Area High School’s Class of 2023 receive their diplomas.
“You are sitting here today because of your successes,” Superintendent Dr. Mary Catherine Reljac told the graduates. “Your successes were the results of your talents and efforts. However, they were also shaped by your challenges and failures. I hate to break it to you, but that’s pretty much how life goes.”
Senior Blaz Vavpetic talked about the stability and guidance the graduates received from parents, district administration, staff and teachers.
“Change is inevitable, but it’s manageable,” said Vavpetic, who also gave special recognition to his younger brother, Niko. “It can be good if you make the most of it. Next, take that FC hospitality, sense of family and friendliness forward. Use the lessons you’ve learned here and you will succeed.
“Finally, whatever your future holds, find what grounds you. Whether it be a community, hobby, person or even a meaningful word. Hold on tight and don’t let go.”
High School Principal Michael Hower recalled the challenges of finding inspiration for his speech. They included soul searching, deep thinking, looking at sunsets, going for walks with his cat, watching the Emmy award winning show “Ted Lasso” and relying on his own experience as a parent.
“It’s OK to let the gamut of emotions flow,” Hower told parents. “There are times that I wanted to cry. There are times I wanted to help him pack, and there are times I wanted to bribe him to stay so my wife has someone else to yell at. Regardless of the emotions felt, I know that we’re all proud.
“We’re proud of these young men and women and proud of the types of people that they are striving to be. Even though this occasion marks the end of a chapter, we all know it’s just one of many in each of their books.”
Lawrence Liu, the final student speaker, said many of his fellow graduates may never see one another again, and it is the “small moments” that will be missed most of all.
One such moment, he recalled, included one educator trying to do equations only to realize he did not have on shoes.
High school was a time for him and his classmates to find their passions, from Russian literature to in-depth discussions about artificial intelligence, to raising money for leukemia and dominating in athletics, music and arts.
“Discovering (your) passion doesn’t end after high school,” he said. “Whatever we’re doing next, from college to the military, trade school or even straight into the workforce, we’re still discovering who we are, figuring out what we love and what makes us have that rouse of passion. Your passions, especially this year, have been such an inspiration. From one student to another, keep inspiring.”
Conductor Daryl A. Lesnik led the high school symphonic band in the processional “Pomp and Circumstance” as well as other selections. The choir performed under the direction of Benjamin P. Murray. English teacher Jennifer Cuda was the faculty representative speaker, which she called the most exciting, validating and scary thing in her career.
Here are the 330 members of Fox Chapel Area High School’s Class of 2023:
A
Andrew David Acevedo, Ishaan Acharya, Lilly Carolyn Adamo, Lily Claire Winterhalter Adams, Roman Anthony Agurs, Donay Tiyana Allen, Jayvion Andre Allison, Aiden William Aluise, Ryan Thomas Angerman, Delaney Rae Asbury, Johanna Leah Asplin, Willow Pauline Aupke
B
Andrew David Begg, Halina Rose Bell, Aisling Elizabeth Beresford, Sava Joseph Berger, Kathryn Riley Billings, Damian Michael Blum, Abigail Elise Boleng, Caroline Scott Bonidy, John Paul Albert Brach, Maya Annabel Bradley, Zoe Elizabeth Broyles, Eden Cecelia Brush, Talia Marie Bugel.
C
Ross P. Carney, William Madison Carney III, Dominic Andrew Cassol, Camila Nunes Cavalcanti, Davina Yo-Fang Chang, Siheng Chao, Samuel Sheen Charlson, Aura Sofia Chuck Hernandez, Tasiana Marie Clark, Linus John Cline, Ava Maria Clump, Daniel James Clyde, Emilia Indira Cody, Grace Isabelle Coleman, Mahala A. Collar, Elijah Mark Conklin, Kaylin Nicole Contento, Donald James Cooley, Monique Lauren Coutu, Luke Xavier Curran
D
Jonah Paul Davis, Thomas Phillip De San Martin, Enzo James DeCecco, Michael Joseph DeCecco, Kaiji Kenneth Dehus, John Joseph Delaney, Sophia Kathryn Demetri, Zoe Jade Demuth, Ella Teresa DiClaudio, Nicoletta Celeste Didomenico, Collin Donaldson, Aiden Dorneich, Daniel Charles Downey, Emmanuel Marius Drappatz, Philipp Bernhard Drappatz, Anna Marie Drum
E
Olivia Gene Ebel, Samuel Arnold Elder, Madisyn Alivia Elwood, Christopher Johannes Ernharth, Benjamin Nicholas Evashavik
F
Evelyn Seul Kee Fabel, Alexis Catherine Fabrizi, Jonathan Karl Farah, Coleman Hunter Faub, Sean Michael Feczko, William Anthony Fera, Natalia Patricia Fernandez Trevino, Matthew William Fiedler, Katherine Jean Fisher, Zoe Josephine Fitzsimmons, Dylan Thomas Flanders, Casey Charles Forst, Mia Lucille Fortun, Eleanor Elizabeth Fox, Mia Dharma Fraga Ruiz, Sydney Anne Francis-Perka, Tatiana Patricia Free, John Cooper Friday ,Zachary Charles Friedberg, Matthew Jeffrey Fugh
G
Lucia Josephine Gargarella, Tyler John Gasiorowski, Christian Calvin Mikel Gaston, Dylan Martin Geibel, Harbor Paris Geller, Aviana Rose Gerasole, Arjun Ananth Golla, Lilygrace Goodworth, Zachary Samuel Gordon, Laura Justine Graca, Keeley Natala Graham, Nathaniel Holden Green, Kameron Michael Greil, Kayin Ausar Grisham, Sophia Peyton Gustafson
H
Caleb George Hahl, Katherine Elizabeth Hallman, Hassan Haji Hamadi, Helia Hamidi, James Ross Hanna, James Ogden Harris, Nicholas John Harris, Mason David Heininger, James Anthony Helbling, Shannon Grace Held, Danel Hernandez Barboza, Liam Robert Hitchens, Jordan Thomas Howe, Sonny Shim Hur, Jack Rylan Hursh
I
Noah Mitchel Indianer, Mikhail Ion, Saidi Issa
J
Talis John Jacob, Katherine Ford Jenkins, Tyler Mac Jennings, Ashlee Morgan Johnson, Cali Brianna Johnson, Lauren Elizabeth Johnson, Nora Corinne Johnson, Zachary Alan Johnston, Bella Marie Jones
K
Ananth Amarnath Kashyap, Trevor Thomas Katz, Kelsey Dawn Kavalir, Julianna Elizabeth Kelly, Leah Claire Kenyon, Kenneth Lee Kidd, David Joseph Kihn, Tyler Lawrence Kiley. Daniel Minjoon Kim, Nurie Kim, Alexsander Scott Kirby, Matigan Elisabeth Kirk, Isaak James Kirkland, Derek Andrew Kramer, Oona Amelia Kreidler, Dawson Joseph Krisky, Samuel Noah Kuhns, Paul George Kullmann, Benjamin Curtis Kurtz
L
Zoe Isabelle LaGamba, Tyler Owen Lawton, Chasity Kathleen Leas, Stephanie Lynn Lee, Anna Lim Li, Jonathan Gao Li, Nathania Joseph Lingam, Lawrence Liu, Grace Katherine Lowe, Matthew Shiyuan Lu, Scarlett Claire Luden, Charles Keegan Lusk, Mia Aubrey Lynch
M
Alexander Daniel Macek, Ramadani Abdulwahab Mada, Schuyler Lourdes Mainier, Iliana Lucky Malloy, Mahnoor Manha, Antonio Michael Mantella, Amelia Rose Marchese, Tatum Rose Markel, Diego Paul Marshal, Jacob Allan Martin, Roman Anthony Mason, Hiro Stone McCutcheon, George Morris McDermott, Jacob Vaughn McDonnell, Emma Allen McIlroy, Molly Mary McNaughton, Nathaniel Redding Merriman, Eliza Hope Meyer, Andrew Adam Michalak, Dylan Edward Michalowski, Tyler Douglas Miller, Quentin Richard Miske, Ailani Kai Mitchell, Elisabeth Jean Mooney, Landyn Allen Moore, Layke Renee Moore, Nathan Blaine Moore, Makayla Lindsay Mulholland, Zoe Nicole Murphy, Kathryn Marie Murray, Mercer Reed Murton
N
James Joshua Nanci, James Tommaso Nicholas, Mia Grace Nury
O
Aidan James O’Brien, Violet Elizabeth O’Connell, Michael Patrick O’Day, Payton E. O’Toole, Andrew Anjiri Olando, Tessa Marie Ondo, Efrain Orozco, Robert Jack Osborne, Silas Zachariah-Thomas Owens, Owen Susanj Patel, Aadil Thimmaiah Pattada, Darryl Tyrone Pennix-McElrath, Rachel Anne Persichetti, Catherine Petrovich, Devin Walter Pick, Isaiah Matthew Pick, Sofia Victoria Pinizzotto, Molly Moran Piper, Marley Sarah Pistella, Santino Michael Pistella, Aiden Ray Pounds, Gavin Robert Purnell
Q
Kevin Seamus Quinn
R
Samuel Jackson Rabinowitz, Mahitha Ramachandran, Nabeel Ahmad Raza, Diya Reddy, Jack Rudy Resek, Christina Angelina Ricci, Rian Richard Ricci, William Frank Rice, Ellie Morgan Rich, Chloe Violet Riffle, Victor Michael River, Hyunjin Ro, Hyunsu Ro, Olivia Claire Roenker, Timothy James Lang Rolewicz, Luka Romero, Katelynn Mary Rothwell, Keagan Murray Royal, Stella Marie Ruane, Liviya Johanna Rubin, Shawn Andrew Rygelski
S
Stephen James Sabol, Abigail Rose Saleone, Stephen James Santilli, Jaspal Singh Sarkaria, Lindsay Ella Scheffler, Agustina Lara Schopfer, Thomas Charles Selwood, Arvind Seshan, Sophie Wanyi Shao, Musa Forest Shay, Rabia Shay, Zulaikha Audrey Shay, Peyton Sophia Shema, Simon Tedla Shiferaw, Payton Louise Shurina, Seth Lee Simpson, John Reid Sipe, Elsie Galley Smith, Luke Matthew Smith, Rayquan Davon Smith, Salvatore Michael Smith, William Ryder Smith, Colten Snow, Ghost Snyder, Nathan Gary Snyder, Sean Patrick Snyder, Alexandra Jill Solomon, Giavona Rose Spadafora, Prajval Sreenivas, Dylan Michael Srodes, Martin Robert Stanton, Mary Charlotte Victoria Stanton, Percy Starz, Charles Reid Stasolla, Oliver Burton Stephany, Cooper James Stevens, Jackson Hunter Stevens, Alina Kate Stiger, Isabella Rose Stipetich, Alagammaai Subramanian, Zachary Thomas Sullivan, Nicholas Anthony Sundo, Jack Lyall Swenson, Stella Agnes Swenson
T
George Frederick Tabor, Ethan C. Tan, Vincent James Tavolario, Hunter Olivia Taylor, Persefanie Airelle Teaderman, Harshavardhan Thennanchar Rajaram, Joseph Ken Thomas, Lal Hruai Tluang, Laci Danielle Toomey, Peter Khoi Tran, Alex Michael Tsai
U
Daniel Isaac Uhl, Alexander Michael Ulrich
V
Blaz Alexander Vavpetic, Matthew David Veltri, Dylan James Verderber, Jack Myers Visco, Emma Sofia Vlahos
W
Daniel William Wang, Sydney Michelle Ward, Allie Lomnet Watters, Lydia Catherine Weidner, Luiza Piva Weissman, Colin Robert Westerberg, Faith Marie Wheeler, William Keith Whitmer, Emma Elizabeth Wienand, Jack Thomas Wilk, Aden Rhys Williams, Bowen Swenn Williams, Alexander Daniel Wilson, Erik Mathew Wilson, Addison Michael Wong. Milo Joseph Wright
Y
Keonha Ye
Z
Alexa Rose Zacharias, Jacob Patrick Zacharias, Joseph Anthony Zgurzynski, Adam Joseph Zimmerman, Raymond Hou Zong, Sophia Isabella Zonno, Matthew Philip Zoschg
Michael DiVittorio is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Michael at 412-871-2367, [email protected] or via Twitter .