No strangers to disruption, the Saucon Valley HS class of 2023’s commencement ceremony fell on an unseasonably hot June 2 evening. However, friends and families of Saucon’s 126th graduating class still filled Montford E. Illick, enthusiastically cheering the budding adults on.

Principal Walter Pawlowski, who joined the class at the start of the academic year, began the proceedings by offering his well-wishes to the graduates and expressing gratitude to the faculty and staff who guided them.

After senior memoirs of the Chamber Choir performed the Star-Spangled Banner, class President Joshua Torres welcomed his fellow grads to the “ceremony of ceremonies.” His speech focused on the relationship between students and their parents/guardians, thanking them for being “awesome” and helping to prepare him and his class for the “new beginning of our [lives].”

Valedictorian Edison Wu reflected on the valuable lessons he had learned in high school, emphasizing the significance of “living cognitively” in the present. “I encourage us to fully cherish every little moment,” he urged his peers.

Salutatorian Emily Chi followed, noting that achieving the benchmark accomplishment of graduation required meeting a series of smaller goals. She also commended her “incredibly resilient” classmates, as their high school years were marred by the COVID-19 pandemic and “a seemingly ever-changing administration.”

Next, National Honor Society President Amanda Humphries recognized several honors graduates and those with other academic superlatives. She then invited Student Government Association Treasurer Allison Cort, who paid brief tribute to the 50th anniversary of the class of 1973.

Humphries subsequently introduced Superintendent Jaime Vlasaty, who encouraged the graduating students to view the ceremony as a bridge connecting them to their broader journey rather than a final destination. Vlasaty urged the graduates to take out their phones, remove any filters, and capture a selfie giving themselves a “fist bump, high five, or a hug.” She advised them to look at that photo in a year and acknowledge the person they had become.

Student Government Association Co-President Hannah Robertson then introduced the student-selected faculty speaker, beloved math and science teacher Robert Svitilla (known as “Mr. Svit”). Svitilla emphasized that the next six years of their lives would be the most pivotal, and shared a series of tidbits including ”Enjoy yourselves, love others, but don’t let your good time get in the way of another [person’s].”

Next, SGA Co-President Kieran Walsh introduced the student-selected speaker, Michael Dalessio, who fondly recalled many collective experiences of the student body since he transferred to the district in ninth grade. “The future is truly in our hands, so let’s make the most of it,” he said.

After the Senior Choir performed a vocal rendition of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” longtime Athletic Director Robert Frey distributed diplomas to the approximately 170 new graduates.

Lastly, Pawlowski delivered the closing remarks, reminding the class of 2023 of the district’s slogan, which now held a deeper meaning: “Once a Panther, Always a Panther.”