Pennsbury High School’s graduating class of 2020 had every right to feel upset about the way their final year unfolded.
Those precious last days in class, before everyone goes their separate ways, were cut short as learning transitioned online. The highly anticipated prom, which in the past featured extravagant themes and celebrity performers like DJ Pauly D, was canceled. And, for a while, it seemed as though a proper graduation ceremony would be impossible.
But, thankfully, that concluding milestone wasn’t lost after all.
Two commencement ceremonies were held at Falcon Field on Tuesday, July 21, and Wednesday, July 22. Half of the students attended the first evening, as immediate family members proudly watched from the bleachers, while the rest were recognized the second night.
Though the ceremonies were far from typical, with all attendees wearing masks and seated 6 feet apart, the teens were grateful for the opportunity to physically come together one final time.
For student speaker Diya Cherian, gratefulness was the theme of her speech.
“The class of 2020 wrote a story, and I know it feels like the best parts of the last chapter were suddenly ripped out. But let’s not forget that the last pages are being written here tonight,” she told the crowd. “To say the class of 2020 missed out would be the understatement of the decade. But tallying the losses of the big nights, the games, the performances and the accomplishments would still not negate the lessons we took away from Pennsbury, the importance of working together in a class of nearly 800 graduating students.”
Cherian explained how her years at Pennsbury, as well as the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, prepared her for not only college, but life. She learned to embrace and appreciate the little moments, because that’s when “life truly happens.”
“We need to make an intentional decision to choose gratitude. As cliche as it sounds, we need to count our blessings, realize how lucky we are and stop focusing on what we don’t have,” she said. “It’s not just about the way things end, but what it took to get us here.”
Student council president Jason Turner gave a powerful speech on the masks individuals wear … but not the kind that protect against COVID-19.
“The mask I speak of is far worse than the one that you see on my face right now,” he said. “We are too often afraid to be vulnerable, to be ourselves, to be different, so we wear the mask. But at what expense? For the things we fear the most are often the greatest.”
Turner encouraged his peers to remove their symbolic masks and go forth into the next chapter of life as themselves, just as he intends to do.
“Look in the mirror and think about the different masks you may wear. Beneath those masks there is something the world is missing,” he said. “To be great, you do not have to be an Oprah Whinfrey, Steve Jobs. The greatest people can be your elementary school art teacher, the goofy kid with the messed-up hairline you end up walking next to on the path, or even your mom and dad.”
Guests also heard from graduate Nick Erdogan, who offered some humor when describing the unprecedented year. Laughter erupted across Falcon Field when he explained how “Senior Skip Day” turned into “Senior Skip Semester.”
“Barely awake, we signed into school by noon and completed a whopping 60 percent of our assignments,” he said.
Still, despite not knowing what day of the week it was most of the time, he said the class continued to strengthen its Pennsbury bond through Zoom and social media.
“As Pennsbury graduates, we know it’s possible to help shape [the future]. We shaped a Pennsbury that transcends traditional bounds of high school life. You can’t slice and dice this class into arbitrary boxes,” he said.
According to Erdogan, the class of 2020 was diverse. Varsity athletes doubled as dancers, track stars were also musicians, and marching band members shared a passion for computers. He said the class also broke down barriers of race, political ideology, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status.
“We created a community that’s based on unity,” he said.
T.R. Kannan, school board president, expressed his pride toward the students. While teens are often referred to as leaders of the future, he believes they’re already leaders. Not only did the high school’s Odyssey of the Mind Team win third place in the World Finals for the first time, and its Mini-THON raise a record-breaking $73,000 for childhood cancer, he often saw students on the frontlines when COVID-19 began, working at grocery stores and helping to deliver essential items to locals in need.
“Look at [the pandemic] as an opportunity to be innovative and seek creative solutions,” Kannan said. “Be curious and find new ways of looking at things. Be humble and find ways to contribute to the community.”
Superintendent Dr. William Gretzula, after gracing guests with a few lines from Hello, Dolly!, provided words of wisdom. Even during imperfect times, there can still be perfect moments.
“Go be uniquely you. Go with humility and determination and have your perfect moment, or two or three or four,” he said. “Then come back and share them with us.”
Both ceremonies concluded with a roll call of the graduates.
Samantha Bambino can be reached at sbambino@newspapermediagroup.com
