Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance” kicks off every graduation, but the Verona High School seniors who delivered a jazzy rendition of the 1939 Arlen-Harburg classic “Over The Rainbow” did a much better job of capturing the spirit of the Class of 2012: A class with boundless optimism in the future and their future in it.
Valedictorian Heather Sweeney turned the cliches of graduation speeches on their ear, and urged graduates to create a future full of memorable truths. Salutatorian Filip Babalievsky kidded his classmates for their eagerness to get away from Verona, reminding them that it is more than a bit likely that they will return to raise their families here, and that at least one of them will teach at VHS. And the beach balls were back–literally and figuratively.
Thursday, June 21, was the 112th VHS graduation, and with the look to the future there was a poignant reminder of the past: Principal Glenn Cesa took a moment to honor Joel Throne, a 40-year veteran of VHS, who is retiring.
Congratulations, class of 2012!
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