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Schools

Departing Marist Grads Remember the Departed

Seniors became graduates at Marist High School last night, not without paying respects to one of their own.

It's a bigger world now for Marist High School graduates.

As many adults know, life changes with the blink of an eye once you clean out your locker, grab your diploma and head off into a world post-high school.

One thing stays the same, though. Every story has its beginning and end.

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For valedictorian Kaitlin Schuler, the story of her class started freshmen year.

“We began our Marist life in this gym, for orientation,” Schuler said during the . “It has held us for every significant milestone....We helped each other carry our joys and hardships in this gym.”

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Students united through a four-year “sea of chaos,” Schuler said, and with the death of basketball star Paul Simmons, they were almost thrown overboard.

“He was just such a nice person,” said Dean of Students Beth O'Neill. “He treated everyone so well, and that's what students will take with them.”

An exemplar of the things that make Marist great, O'Neill added, Simmons during an overnight school event last month. Immediately after, he was taken by ambulance to where he passed away April 28, 2011.

As they watched Simmons' parents take the stage, students held back tears and mourned, once again, the loss of one of their own.

“I looked up to Paul, I admired him,” said student Matt Gwizdalska.

After shaking hands with administrators, Simmons' parents accepted his diploma to a gym of heartfelt applause.

Teammate Tom Yueger recalled Simmons' talents on the basketball court.

“I will always think of Paul, and play like he did,” Yeuger said. “He was a great player.”

The Class of 2011

That kid on the court, with the bright smile and trusting attitude, was in a class of his own, and he lives on through the Class of 2011.

This school year, seniors earned roughly $26 million in scholarships – the highest amount ever distributed to a Marist graduating class. Ninety-eight percent of them will attend colleges across the state and country, the armed services and trade school.

For student leaders and classmates alike, said Marist Principal Larry Tucker, their greatest challenges have yet to be realized.

“I hope you get knocked down a few times,” Tucker said. “You learn a lot when you get knocked down.”

After thanking students for all the “service they've done,” he noted every one of them will always have a home at Marist.

“When you leave here, it's not the building that's important, it's the people,” he said. “We'll miss you.”

Parents held back tears as their children walked from the stage, through the crowd and out onto the football field for the traditional hat toss.

Standing from the bleachers with a megaphone to her mouth, O'Neill counted “one-two...” When student heard her shout “three,” they leapt and threw their senioritis and hats into the air. Many girls threw out their arms in embrace; while many guys, ecstatic to be free of their high school identity, practically tackled each other.

Some parents were just happy to see them finally leaving home.

“I'm thrilled!” joked Dave Feltman, parent of graduate Brian Feltman. “I never thought this day would happen, where he'd be out of the house. He's turned into a well-rounded young man.”

As for teachers, many of whom attended Marist in their day, they couldn't have been prouder to see the school's legacy carried on, whether in memory of Simmons, or as they imagined the bright future of those graduating last night.

“I think it's amazing,” said physics teacher Kevin Butler. “It's great to see the legacy, foundation and principles [of Marist] carried on.”

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