From the individually decorated caps to the personalities beaming through a number of heartfelt speeches, Sunday was a day to celebrate the latest graduates from the Fredonia Central School District. Although the event itself is an annual tradition, Sunday was a singular highlight for each of the 119 students whose names were read aloud to echo through King Concert Hall.

Fredonia Principal Darrin Paschke was the first of many speakers to address the crowd.

“I stand before you feeling immense pride and admiration,” Paschke said. “This day is significant. Your transition from being students, whose world has been framed for you in many respects, to a world where you suddenly have a lot more individual choices. This might have been eagerly awaited, utterly feared, or not given a passing thought. Nonetheless, this chapter of your lives begins today.”

Paschke recognized all of the members on stage, and one who was not, Lauren Arch – a student who passed away earlier this year.

Fredonia Class of 2023 graduates waited patiently in the rows of SUNY Fredonia’s King Concert Hall in anticipation of receiving their diploma. OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen.

After Paschke spoke to the graduating class, Calder Annear, Student Council Vice President, took his turn at the podium.

“Congratulations guys, we finally made it. It only took us, what, like, 13 years, 9 months and 17 days,” Annear said. “… 5,038 days ago, many of us were walking through the doors of Wheelock. … Who knew 5,038 days could go by so fast?”

After quoting Ferris Bueller, Annear said to his classmates, “I invite every single one of you to savor this moment.”

The event also featured musical performances and awards presented to various students. Among the awards presented were the Ricky Burgstrom Memorial Scholarship, awarded to Ryan Davis, Allie Cook, Gabriel Hellwig, and Sarah Davis; the Thomas M. Heary Memorial Scholarship, awarded to Gianna Gullo; the Roger L. Pacos Memorial Scholarship, awarded to Calder Annear, Adam Lesch, and Asher McKnatt; and the Brian J. and Roger L. Pacos Memorial Award, awarded to Matthew Brown.

Speakers took turns sharing their words to the graduates throughout nearly two hours of the Sunday afternoon. Salutatorian Josephine Tomaszewski, Valedictorian Alexander Weiss, and Class President Maxwell Corrente each gave heartfelt remarks. Janet Byrne-Safier, a Fredonia graduate, gave the Commencement Address.

Fredonia High School Principal Darrin Paschke was the first of many speakers at the commencement ceremony for the Class of 2023. OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen.

“I can still remember my first day of kindergarten. I was a crazy young girl with messy hair, fidgeting in my favorite red dress. My biggest accomplishment in life was getting on the bus all by myself. To 5-year-old me, the world didn’t seem so large and intimidating,” Tomaszewski said. “… From that little girl running off the bus so excited to share how her first day of kindergarten went, to that same girl walking through the high school halls for the last time, to now speaking at graduation, it’s been a long ride.”

After a musical performance preceded his Valedictorian’s Address, Weiss joked, “It’s really going to be hard to top that.”

During his speech, Weiss noted his hobby of playing with legos and quoted Taylor Swift twice, while also taking time to thank the Board of Education and administration for attending the ceremony, as well as the teachers and the families in the audience. Weiss also dedicated part of his speech to serve as a moment of silence to honor Lauren Arch.

In his speech, Weiss attempted to ease the concerns of his classmates moving forward in life. Weiss said, “The universe will throw curveballs at you, and that structure that you’ve been building for years may crumble – but some things are out of our control, so let it crumble. Then take those pieces that are sitting in a pile and start building again. … As we move on out of high school, we will all have different experiences. We will all have different pieces that create our structures, so embrace those differences, and be happy.”

Gianna Gullo’s farewell speech as Student Council President concluded the ceremony. She held back tears as she singled out specific acts of kindness shared with her classmates throughout her time at Fredonia.

Alexander Weiss, Fredonia High School Class of 2023 Valedictorian, smiles during his graduation speech. OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen.

Gullo then issued a challenge to her classmates to usher her classmates out of the hall as high school graduates. “Be the person that brings light to other people’s day, and appreciate the light that others bring to yours. Spread your kindness and be genuine,” Gullo said. “The lessons we learned in kindergarten are perhaps the most important lessons of all.”

From laughter to holding back tears, remembering those who were there in person and in memory, Sunday was a day the Class of 2023 will remember forever.

Fredonia football and basketball captain Ethan Fry decorated his graduation cap to honor his love of sports and his commitment to play post-graduate football. OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen.