Archive: Around Town

115 Lansing seniors received diplomas last Friday at Lansing's 58th annual commencement ceremony.  The weather was uncharacteristically perfect, sunny, but not too hot.  As the seniors gathered in the high school gym to don robes and mortarboards, proud families and friends spilled out of the bleachers at the high school track.  Arch bearers formed a huddle as seniors lined up for the last chapter in their Lansing education.

The district symphony orchestra opened with Elgar's ubiquitous "Pomp and Circumstance" as the long line of administrators, guests and graduates worked their way up the hill.  The seniors entered through the traditional flowered arches held up by underclassmen, before finding their seats. Once there the orchestra played the Star Spangled Banner.


Principal Michelle Stone introduced class president Katie Bruno, who congratulated her classmates and recounted events from their years in the Lansing schools.  She said that she was amazed at how close her class has remained over their years at Lansing, and recalled memories from elementary school to commencement day.  "Our class has most definitely left its mark on the academic, athletic and artistic success of this school district," she said.  "Today is the day that we can celebrate every ounce of pride that we have in our class." 


Next Stone introduced Salutatorian Sarah Matier, whose speech was anything but standard.  "What we are going to do is sing My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean," she said.  "The catch is that every time we get to a word that starts with the letter B you need to either sit down or stand up, depending on your current state."  Hundreds of administrators, school board members, students and families found themselves standing and sitting wildly, especially as the lyrics went "Bring Back my Bonnie..."

When they finished Stone said, "Now I'm sure you're all happy you are sitting.  But if you doze off I'm going to make Sarah sing that song again!"  Then she went on to say, "I stand before you today proud to be the principal of the class of 2007.  I feel fortunate to have spent the last four years watching them grow into the fine individuals that they are today."

"Although experiencing joys with them might be considered the best part of my job, in some ways guiding them through the rough spots is where the real power is.  Those are times when students grow, where their true character develops, where we can really see the substance of who they are inside.  I'm confident that this group is ready to face the new challenges that lie ahead."

She then shared facts about the graduating class, saying it is the largest class to graduate in her tenure as Lansing principal.  More than half the class had earned a Regents diploma with advanced designation, and 97% planned to attend two or four year college or technical school.  For the first time in at least ten years she said that every member of the class of 2007 was accepted to a college, university, or technical school.  55 members of the class took a total of 113 advanced placement exams.  75 seniors took 141 dual credit classes at Tompkins County Community College, earning 418 college credits.  "Let me just say that no mater what situation they have been in this year, they have astounded me with their talents and abilities," Stone said.  "You leave us tonight with all of the tools necessary to be wonderful, successful members of society."

Next more than 40 scholarships and awards were presented by Stone and an array of school and community luminaries.

2007 Senior Awards and Scholarships
Automotive Technology Most Improved Award	Richard Bower
Automotive Technology Greatest Achievement Award	Curtis Fenner
Auto BodyTechnology Highest Achievement in the First Year Award	Andrew Hughes
Certified Nurse Assistance Highest Achievement in the Second Year Award	Brittany Manley
Cosmetology Most Adaptable Award	Sonya Thomas
Alexander Lauzun Memorial Scholarship $1,000 renewable for four years	Adam Nedrow
Cayuga Medical Center Foundation Scholarship $2,500 to s atudent entering the medical profession	Brittany Manley
Chester Bednarczyk Business & Accounting Memorial Awards Awarded By Cargill, $500	Breanne Nichols
Cargill Award $500	Anzhela Vorobyev
Cargill Community Scholarship $1,000 to student and $200 to school library	Claire Eckstrom
Cargill Scholarship for Sons and Daughters $3,000	Kristin Carlson
Clarence Townsend Memorial Scholarship	Scott Sevey
George Stevens Achievement in Science Award $300	Josh Darfler
Lansing Rod & Gun Club Award $500 divided over 2 years	Ryan Earl
Joseph, Grace and John Magill Scholarship $1,000	Rachel Strohman Ben Bolyard
A.C.E. Distinguished Senior Award	Katie Fenner
Michael F. Nozzolio Citizenship Award $50 savings bond	Marlene van Es
Masonic Lodge Scholarship $300	Leigh Conley
New York State Lottery Scholarship $4,000 over 4 years applied to college tuition	Ryan Emerick
Richard 'Cecil' Jones Memorial Scholarship	Kiley Jordan Ryan Shaff
Lansing Alumni Association Awards	Vernon Nabinger Veronica Glennon Robert Bartlett
Ithaca/Cayuga Rotary Club Scholarship $300	Veronica Pallidino
Barbara J. Abraham/ Raymond C. Buckley Scholarship	Katelyn Bruno
Clayton & Janet Bradley Scholarship	Keelin Davis
Raymond C. Buckley Scholarship	Kylee Jordan
Kim Davis Memorial Award	Brian Emerick
Eugene 'Charlie' Moon Memorial Scholarship	Rusty Landon
Emerson & Esther Mitchell Scholarship	Kyle Christopher
William M. & Francis L. Kelly Scholarship	Andrew Huges
AES Cayuga Enviremental Scholarship	Hannah Wingate
Joe Joseph Award $1,000	Brittany Manley
Lansing Bobcat Booster Club Award	Shawn Mix Devon Grant-Keane Randi-Lyn Randall Veronica Palladino
Lansing Faculty Association Scholarship	Julie Clark Rusty Landon
Lansing Lion's Club Scholarship	Julia Clark Sterling Gell David Jones Veronica Palladino Patrick Sweazey
Lansing Leo Club Award	Thomas Zarate
Lansing Parent Teacher Student Organization Scholarship $500	Katelyn Bruno Kelly Cheatham Josh Darfler Nicole Dean Veronica Palladino Colleen Trowbridge
Lansing School Service Association Award	Randi-Lyn Randall Andrea Fessenden
Lansing Senior Citizen Organization Scholarship	Alyssa Fessenden
Lansing Theater & Performing Arts Scholarship $500	Katelyn Bruno Will Hicks
Delta Kamma Gamma Scholarship	Kelly Cheatham
Matt Christopher Journalism Scholarship	Alexander Moolin
Stephen A. Kirk Memorial Scholarship	Trevor Wolf
Thomas Jones Scholarship	Rusty Landon
Lansing Star Online Award $200 to student pursuing journalism or some kind of visual media	Alexander Moolin
Clara Bower Howell Memorial Scholarship $200	Veronica Palladino Sarah Matier
Dean & Adaline Weibly Scholarship	Joshua LaCelle
Superintendent's Award $100 gift card for college store	Rachel Strohman
Salutatory Award Clock, Plaque, and $100 gift card for college store	Sarah Matier GPA: 96.431
Valedictory Award	Veronica Palladino GPA: 97.192

Following the awards Veronica Palladino delivered her Valedictory address, telling about how she fainted while delivering her eighth grade English book report, because she forgot to breathe.  After promising not to faint this time, she offered three pieces of advice to her fellow graduates.  "When you undertake something, give it your all," she said.  "Be genuine.  One of the most incredible things I have learned at Lansing is that the only way you can really live is if you are truly being yourself.  Third, the best moments you will have will be the ones you share with someone else."


"I present to you the class of 2007," Stone announced.  "In doing so I publicly affirm that each of these students has satisfactorily completed the course of study prescribed by the Board Of Education, and by the State of New York, and as such are hereby entitled to these diplomas presented this twenty-second day of June in the year 2007."


Each student came forward to receive a diploma, and Katie Bruno led the class in moving their tassels from left to right.  Mortarboards were soon flying through the air before the graduates recessed back through the arches into their new lives.


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