Outgoing OVMS Principal Steve Gregor was presented a plaque by students
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - Orchard Valley Middle School eighth-graders were honored on June 15, at the school's annual promotion ceremony. With parents and other family members in attendance, the eighth-graders listened to speeches, received awards and were presented with certificates as they move along to high school in the fall.
Washington Township High School graduate Jerry Cedrone, who will be clerking for United States Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan this summer, was the keynote speaker. The National Merit Scholarship winner, who scored a perfect 2,400 on his SATs, has an economics degree from Brown University and a law degree from Harvard University. Currently, he serves as a trial attorney for the Federal Programs Branch of the U.S. Department of Justice, representing government officials and agencies in suits challenging federal laws, policies and programs. His charge to Orchard Valley students on Wednesday was one of perseverance.
"In the movie Finding Nemo, when Marlin is afraid to go to the darkest depths of the ocean to find Nemo, Dory gives him some advice," said Cedrone, who attended Chestnut Ridge Middle School but whose mother, Pat, is a long-time French teacher at Orchard Valley. "Dory said, 'Just keep swimming.' Well, the next four years in high school can be daunting and can take you out of your comfort zone. It might be tempting to avoid those situations. But I encourage you to keep swimming, even in the face of the unknown."
Cedrone also reminded the eighth-graders to pay it forward. "If you come across someone in doubt, be the person who encourages them to keep swimming. Be the person who has their back," he said.
Eighth-grader Kaitlynn Rogers presents outgoing Principal Steve Gregor with an artistic paw print made out of words the students used to describe him. Four OVMS students also spoke to their classmates. Representing Team 8O were Hailey Sulzbach and Jack Dunn; and representing Team 8V were Georgia Karavangelas and Christopher Altamuro. Danielle Venuto was presented the Veterans of Foreign Wars Academic/Civic Excellence Award by Washington Township VFW representative Joe Rullo.
And in a surprise addition to the program, eighth-grader Kaitlynn Rogers presented OVMS Principal Steve Gregor with an artistic plaque featuring an OVMS Panther paw print made out of words the eighth-graders used to describe him. Gregor recently was promoted to District Director of Secondary Education, and this was his last promotion ceremony as head of OVMS.
Other awards of note that were presented at the ceremony included:
Striving For Excellence: Academic Excellence in Middle School - Given to eighth-grade students who maintained straight A's each marking period for all three years of middle school, the honorees included: Christopher Altamuro, Allyson Dewey, Georgia Karavangelas, Daniel Oberman, Carly Quint, Hailey Sulzbach, Julia Szwedyk and Sophia Talotta.
Dan Rozmes Spirit Awards: Gabriella Raspanti and Theodore Sims.
Perfect Attendance All Three Years of Middle School: Jocelyn Morrell.
Perfect Attendance in 2015-16: Chase Madrack-King, Jocelyn Morrell, Marcus Taylor, Michael Diemer and Sydney Hatton.
This item submitted by Matthew Pesyna, Washington Township School District.