Written by Lily Struble
Our brave and fearless leader, Dr. Caruso, is practically shaking with excitement for this year’s graduation ceremony. He finds the privilege to host the Class of 2023’s graduation ceremony a remarkably high honor. “It is the culminating event for a student and to have the honor to stand up there and call every kids name is something I don’t take lightly and something I’m really looking forward to.” He has followed the class from middle school and feels a powerful sense of pride to host the commencement this year. “It’s bittersweet.”
The graduating class consists of approximately 230 students. Some students will decide that they do not wish to walk, instead having their diploma sent in the mail, so the number of students present at the commencement may be less.
It is unknown at this time how many board members will be attending. In past years, it has been a regular practice for several members to be present at the event.
So, what’s new?
In previous years, Wallenpaupack has followed a class rank system where the student with the highest GPA is named Valedictorian and the second-highest (GPA) student is named Salutatorian. These students would give speeches along with the class president. However, the system has been changed this year to a “percentile Latin honors system”
Research shows that the pros of not having a class-rank system or even a percentile-ranking system far outweigh the pros of a classical ‘raw” ranking system.
“This year, without a raw ranking system, we still have students going to some of the finest institutions available across this country, one of which is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which is probably about a 3-4% acceptance rate for the incoming class. I’ve heard cases with some folks who, instead of putting that they were number 5, or 10, or 30, on an application but that they were in the top 5%, they were actually able to get more scholarship money…We don’t want the opportunities that we offer here at this school to become ‘I want to take a class that’s going to equate to a specific rank.’ We want kids to take a class because they want to take a class. Because they want to increase their knowledge base in a certain area, or to take a class for the sheer pleasure of learning something.”
This year, qualifying students will be organized into one of three tiers: Cum-Laude, Magna-Cum Laude, or Summa-Cum Laude. Each qualifying student will receive a pin with their tickets to specify which tier they are in, which will be affixed to graduates’ stoles. Final grades will be posted Friday June 9, at which time it will be known which students qualify for which tiers.
“It really allows us to redefine success…Success doesn’t necessarily mean you took the highest-level courses we had, thereby having a weighted grade that puts you above other kids.”
Students have experienced success in innumerable ways, such as competing in national competitions tied in with Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs or in co-curricular activities.
“Having a system that gives students an opportunity to earn recognition for academics within the context of their pathway, we feel it’s a great way to highlight all the successful things we have here at this school.” Achievements of individuals will still be recognized via golden National Honors Society stoles and tassels. Medals will be awarded to students with the highest GPA in each course category (i.e.; one for math, one for science, one for automotive, etc.”
Speakers and Singers
The ceremony will begin with the national anthem, sung by a student from the graduating class. It will then go into the four student speeches to address their fellow graduates along with the audience. The class president, Grace Steffen, and one representative from each of the three College and Career Academies will provide speeches. The three “at-large” students will be announced in the coming week.
The national anthem and alma-mater singers were chosen via audition by Mrs. Neenan, who advised Dr. Caruso on her decisions. Final decisions will be solidified in the next few days. Any member of the graduating class had the opportunity to become a speaker. The first decision round was an application where students listed their interests and responded to one of four available essay questions. The second round, if candidates were invited to continue, was to write and submit what they would use as their final speech. The third round, if invited, was to give the speech in front of the committee. Speakers were chosen by a committee comprised of representatives from various capacities from across the district. These include district-level administrators, building-level administrators, teachers, representatives from special education and athletics, and the class president.
Practices
Graduation practices are at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, June 13, in the gym and Wednesday, June 14, on the football field. One of the most important aspects of this first practice is for Dr. Caruso to practice saying each student’s name correctly. “I want to do everything in my power to make it perfect,” he explained.
In the event of foul weather, the practice locations will be swapped (Tuesday will be outside if Wednesday will be rainy)
How long will the ceremony be?
Mrs. Mitschele, a graduation coordinator, said, “An hour and we’re outta there.” Dr. Caruso reminds students and their families that there is an additional speaker compared to years past. “It’s certainly not a long event,” he states, “I don’t think it’ll be an hour, it might be slightly more, but it certainly won’t be much more.” Mrs. Mitschele will have a better idea of the ceremony’s length when she knows the number of students who will be walking. Dr. Caruso recommends dinner reservations be made around 8:30 if families are planning to dine locally.
How do I attend?
Each graduating student will receive eight tickets. Students can request more tickets via a form that has been robotexted, sent home in a letter, and is available on the school website (wallenpaupack.org) Seniors are more than welcome to give leftover tickets to other students.
On June 16, the stadium will open to guests at 6:00. Graduating seniors should arrive around 5:30 due to the rigorous check-in procedure. Dr. Caruso asks graduates not to have any personal items such as phones on their person during the ceremony, instead asking that they are left in the car, with a family member, or with school personnel.
“We really must make sure that everybody understands that commencement is a very formal event. There is a tradition associated with it. We don’t want kids on their phones. We don’t want kids flashing pictures and hootin-and-hollerin, or things of that nature.”
The ceremony will be live-streamed, which can be viewed at home, or alternatively in the air-conditioned auditorium. Handicap passes are available as well, but handicap guests will also need a ticket.
Parking will be available at all lots on the campus. A shuttle will be available running from the north intermediate and middle school to bring families down to the high school campus.
Dress-Code
Dress criteria for the graduation ceremony are asked to be very formal and professional. Footwear is recommended to be comfortable for walking distances.
“Really long high heels, probably not, but again I am not a women’s footwear fashionista,” Dr. Caruso confirms, setting aside long heated debates on his modeling career.
“What we’re not looking for are sneakers, gym shorts, jeans.” Decorated caps are not allowed, or graduates are at risk of not being allowed to walk. Dr. Caruso explains that graduation is about celebrating the class as a whole and decorated caps mark individuals distinctly in a non-cohesive way. Once the ceremony is over, graduates are welcome to decorate their caps.
Cap and gown distribution will be on June 9, where students will be informed of all the rules necessary to follow at commencement. These rules will be reiterated at each of the practices.
Scholarships
The amount of scholarship and the total dollar amount will be announced on June 16 at the ceremony. “I do know, in general, that we are truly blessed to attend a school in a very very generous community,” Dr. Caruso explained, “Always willing to help our students out, to set them off on the right foot, and to contribute financially to their future endeavors. I do anticipate an impressive number of scholarship dollars being donated to our students.”
Sentimentality
At graduation, a jumbo screen has been ordered to display students cap-and-gown pictures with their name and their future plans. This provides an opportunity for guests to see where students are going. “What’s impressive about this place is, in the grand scheme of things, is that you have this school in Hawley, Pennsylvania, and you have more than 200 kids who are going to be going in so many different directions from here. Its impressive, it’s incredible, and its heartwarming for me to know that the school is the catalyst for providing opportunities for these’ kids…It’s an impressive group of kids with certainly a very bright future ahead.”
Dr. Caruso maintains that he is not nervous, “The best way to alleviate anxiety and nerves is to have a plan, and to have a solid plan and make sure that everybody knows what their role is in the plan.” He just hopes to effectively portray the plan to all graduates involved.
“When you think about it, there is one person in this entire district who gets to call all the names of the kids one final time. I mean, this is the last time that these students are going to be gathered together…It’s a tremendous honor, one that I don’t take lightly. I’m truly excited.”
