Cranberry graduates 75

6/10/2021

"We won't be thought of as the
class that missed out, rather the class that endured."

- Cranberry class of 21 president Megan Heckathorne

We don’t always know the story behind what makes a high school graduate. We take it for granted, in a sense, that people that go to school, eventually graduate from high school. But that’s not always the case.

School is harder for some than others. We all learn in different ways. Some of us learn independently far easier than we do in a collective. Some folks survive their early education, some thrive and some fight like hell to get through.

Succeeding for the valedictorian is not much different than succeeding as that student who struggled to just get passing grades. Both took perseverance and determination. Both reached a pinnacle of success.

Not every high school graduate wanted to be on that stage in front of hundreds of people, but they did all earn it. And their families earned it. To deny the importance of this would be wrong.

It’s not a simple expectation. By no means is there anything simple about it at all. For some it’s the first great test of fortitude that they will ever have in their life and when they have that cap and gown and put that tassel from one side of the mortar board to the other, that means a lot.

When I see a mother hug her son so hard as they both cry I know exactly what this means. This was a test for this young man that I am guessing some never thought would come to fruition. This young man, Trevor Davis, stood strong in his mothers arms, both weeping uncontrollably, because what he accomplished was massive. Trevor did not have a valedictorian speech, but he stood on a stage with the top ranked student as her equal, a member of the Cranberry High School Class of 2021 having earned the right celebrate his accomplishment with the 74 other graduates.

One notable thing returned - the handshake.

But a few fist bumps were still employed.

And some fun handshakes and hugs with good laughs. Principal Ritt Smith emphasized that this was a good class to have throughout their years.

Most masks were gone, but a couple still take precautions for their own personal choices, the danger of COVID still exists, but we've entered the phase where choice is more personal than the direct need that it was a year ago.

Cranberry's salutatorian Sara Allaman took time to have each student stand in groups of those going into the workforce or taking a gap year, those headed off to college and those who have decided to serve in the military. She asked for rounds of applause for each group. Valedictorian Ava Ferringer told a story of her first day of school at Pine Grove Elementary School and how she never wanted to go back, but here she is giving a commencement speech. A reminder that even if the next step ahead for her and her fellow classmates is a bit scary, they have all been there before and things can work out better than they imagine.

At the end they all managed to snag their diplomas and are now headed out into their future without the collective they've known for the last 12 or so years. Their plans will likely change many times along the way.