KAREN KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette Muncy graduate,Caitlin Renson, was the 2022 recipient of the Lt. H. Porter Rathmell, USMCR Memorial Scholarship.

Muncy High School graduates entered the front lawn on Friday night, June 3, to begin the ceremonies.

Following a processional from Brahms, “Variation on a Theme by Haydn” and the singing of the “Star Spangled Banner” by the senior chorus members, Timothy W. Welliver, junior-senior high school principal, offered his perspective to cherish the moment — because it doesn’t get much better than this.”

The top five graduates in academic rank in ascending order in the program presented short speeches as keynote addresses.

Caitlin Renson went first and introduced Hallie McClure, “Gratitude;” Nicolette Johnson, “Attitude;” Emma Gaul, salutatorian, “Latitude,” and Willow Perakovich, valedictorian, who was given the honor of interpreting the Class of 2022 quote by Thomas Jefferson. “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”

Perakovich used a literary interpretation telling her classmates what she believed Jefferson’s statement meant and how it applied to them. She said, “If we want to accomplish new things…we need to revise, change our direction, our setting or just change our point of view.” “There is no map or index to look for answers,” she said. “Our future will begin after we all gained the one thing we’ve never had — a diploma,” she said. “Our future is unknown and we continue to write it each day of our lives.”

McClure spoke on gratitude to special teachers and parents . “Let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven,” quoting Matthew 5:16. “Throughout our years, the teachers and staff in the Muncy School District have used their light in order to shape us all into the young adults we are today,” she said. “Most importantly, we could not have made it through the past 13 years if not for the guidance and loving support of our actual families, because of their continual encouragement,” she said.

Johnson said, “Your attitude is built from your perception of the world around you, the people in your life and the things you decide to do.”

Gaul spoke of latitude on where the classmates have been and where they were going. “Tonight is a night of celebrations, of new beginnings and of remembering the past,” Gaul said.

Diplomas were bestowed by Welliver, Superintendent Dr. Craig Skaluba, Scott Johnson, school board president, and Erik Berthold, guidance counselor.