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Hoosac Valley Ready for ChallengesBy Jenn Atwell - June 09, 2008
iBerkshires Intern
CHESHIRE — Two by two, red by white, side by side, boy by girl is exactly how the Hoosac Valley High School graduating class of 2008 marched into the gym Friday night.
As they passed by their families, parents watched intently as their "babies" crossed the floor to collect their diplomas, leading to what parents don't like to think about and students can't wait for — independence into their adult lives.
As the students passed into adulthood, there were many mothers with tear-filled eyes and a few sniffles here and there.
Class speaker Douglas H. Rosenthal looked back on the last four years, admitting the hard times he had in the locker room, the good times he had with friends; even though parents always figured out where the parties were, he claimed they still were able to have a great time.
"I would just like to thank MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube. With out them we wouldn't have had an excuse to why we waited till the last minute to do our homework," said Rosenthal.
Parents, he said, were left out of most educational experiences of their child, so he wanted to fill them in.
"Year 1, we learned about the school's anarchy and how we were at the bottom and seniors were at the top, and that whale watches are the worst," he told them. "In the second year, we learned this famous quote by one of our fierce leaders, 'failure is always an option.'
"But as I look around at my fellow students, I see that none of us chose that option. The third year was that dodge ball has a new name, 'Warfare,' and that no matter how soft the balls kept getting we were always able to draw some blood! And, finally, the fourth year we learned that our minds where ready to be molded."
Rosenthal also reminded the crowd how Hoosac finally beat Drury in the finals, 20-13.
His classmates felt as if they weren't only students but thought of themselves as teachers, too.
"No matter how many ways the school tried to block us from game sites, we were always able to find away around it, and no matter what they did to keep us from text messaging in classes, I don’t thnk it ever really worked," said Rosenthal. "But no matter what they may have thought, we were always teaching them a lesson."
Some thought that the class was the smallest to graduate from Hoosac with only 86 students, but it's the second smallest.
Class valedictorian Courtney E. Hart urged her classmates to not to shirk from the challenges ahead and never forget where they had been. Jonathon Raftery, the salutatorian, spoke of the uniqueness of each class member and told them to always be themselves.
As the students walked toward their diplomas you could see the fear and, at the same time, the excitement in their faces. The graduation ended with the band's praises and the graduating class singing "High School Song."
Hoosac Valley class awards.
Hoosac Valley Class of 2008
Ethan F. Aitken
Stephen F. Albareda
Amanda L. Badorini
Jesse J. Baran
Thomas M. Barrett
Andrew G. Bedard
*+Matthew J. Bird
Kristina G. Biros
**+Allison L. Bleil
Ryan J. Boody
*+Rebecca M. Bosworth
Aaron F. Brassard
Scott F. P. Brassard
Erin M. Rand Breen
Alyssa M. Bresett
Brianna A. Bresett
Meriah E. Bresett
*Angela M. Bunting
Travis M. Burdick
*Brittany A. Bury
Alexandra L. Campoli
Kai M. Chee
**+Joshua S. Clairmont
Colby A. Clark
Katie M. Clarke
Joseph J. Davis
Kristina N. Desnoyers
Stephen A. Domenichini
*+Jordanna K. Dzierga
Trever J. Field
Nicholas R. Gale
*+Jacob S. Girard
*+Kathryn E. Goyette
Brandon S. Grover
*+Kimberlee M. Guettler
**+Courtney E. Hart
Kaylee C. Horn
Stephanie M. Hunt
*+Nancy M. Jaramillo
Ryan J. Joppich
Nicole E. Knapp
*+Stephanie L. Kolis
*+Casey W. Koperniak
Brandy N. Kruszyna
**+Erin M. Lahey
Aimee B. LeBlanc
Ronald P. Leja
**+Ayla A. Lewis
Zachary U. Long
Keisha M. Love
Ashlee E. Lukkarila
Dylan J. Malloy
*Rebecca L. Marszalek
Nicholas W. Martin
Matthew C. Massaconi
Katelynn M. Mazza
Thomas J. Meczywor
Brad D. O'Neil
Courtney E. O'Neill
Daniel J. Ouellette
Jeremy M. Pierce
Elizabeth R. Pinckert
**+Jonathan P. Raftery
*Andrew J. Rinaldi
Alycia M. Rochelo
**+Lauren E. Rodowicz
*+Douglas H. Rosenthal
Kirby C. Rowe
Corey J. Russell
*Raymond T. Skowronski
Cory M. Sobon
Hilary E. Solomon
*Brandon E. Sorel
*Megan E. Therrien
*+Susan L. Torchia
Ashley L. Tremblay
*Ashley J. Volpi
Celia L. Waltermire
*+Christopher W. Whalen
*Ronald J. Whitlingum
Scott R. Wojciechowski
Garret C. Wood
Joshua R. Wright
Stephanie E. Wright
Matthew D. Yorke
Elizabeth J. Ziter
*Denotes Honors
**Denotes High Honors
+National Honor Society
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