Video: Pine-Richland Class of 2011 Graduation

Amid bubbles and beach balls, the Class of 2011 graduated Friday night from Pine-Richland High School.

 "We leave our childhood behind us and take the biggest step of our lives," said Student Government Vice President Tara Natalie Trombetta as she welcomed "325 members of a very special class," and other attendees.

"Today is our last last day of school," she said.

Members of Pine-Richland band played Pomp and Circumstance as the soon-to-be graduates filed into Pine-Richland Stadium.

Members of the choir sang the national anthem and then the alma mater.

Students with the top three grade point averages were chosen to give speeches; a tie for second place meant there were two salutatorian speakers.

Michael Floyd Matty earned the valedictorian honor.

The salutatorians were Zachary Richard Dionise and Daniel Joseph Nigh. The tertiary speaker was Elizabeth Jean Tomczak. 

Andrew Dugger was chosen by the class to be the faculty speaker.

"Give your parents a round of applause," he told the students. "They did a very nice job with you."

Dugger's advice?

"Take what your parents say as gospel," he said, because they want you to succeed. Dugger also told the students that from this point on, their parents would become "exponentially cooler."

Pine-Richland School Board President Stephen Hawbaker introduced the school board and noted that six of the board's nine members had a student in the Class of 2011.

 He encouraged the students to serve others.

"You have been blessed so that you can bless others," he said. 

Superintendent Dr. Mary Bucci told the students that 290 in their class are going on to pursue degrees at 90 campuses; five are joining the miltary; three plan to go to technical schools; three are going "feet first" into a musical career; and two foreign exchange students are returning to their homes in India and Portugal.

The members of the class have been awarded 370 scholarships totaling $6.6 million, which is nearly double that of the previous year's class, she continued.

"You certainly have made your mark here at Pine-Richland," she told the students.

Diplomas were awarded as family members and friends clamored to the chain-link fence surrounding the field so they could get photos of their graduate's big moment.

Then, Student Government President Samantha Jo Lang led the graduates in the ceremonial changing of the tassles from the right to the left side of their mortarboards.

The Class of 2011 threw their mortarboards into the air and let cheers that had been pent up for 13 years.

Congratulations, Class of 2011!