Put-in-Bay School commencement for the Class of 2024 took place on Thursday evening under crisp blue skies and radiant sunshine. The six graduates, Joseph Blumensaadt, Hope Cooks, Elora Hubner, El Kostura, Emil Michael, and Lyla Steidl, enjoyed enthusiastic recognition by family, friends, and community members of South Bass Island.
Put-in-Bay Board of Education members, School Superintendent Scott Mangas, Perry’s Victory representative Robert Whitman, Keynote Speaker Ms. Dee Kosec, and community scholarship presenters joined in the celebration on the plaza of Perry’s Monument and International Peace Memorial.
Salutatorian Hope Cooks explained how there is “undeniable sadness” in leaving the comfortable environs of the Island and Put-in-Bay School, but she added that “our resilience will define the future!”
The Valedictory Address by Emil Michael focused on the potentialities of artificial intelligence as it relates to the future endeavors of each of the graduates. Emil stated, “Your thoughts are your reality. Take the tools you have been given and step into the future!”
Keynote speaker Ms. Dee Kosec, Director of Special Education at Oregon, Ohio, City Schools, emphasized “challenges give you knowledge.” Explaining that “we choose how to respond, and choosing how to respond is everything,” Ms. Kosec stressed how important it is to make a positive difference in our efforts to live a fulfilling life.
Kate Hubner, Aayden Kruszynski, and Katie Scarpelli, members of the incoming 2028 Put-in-Bay School graduating class, were recognized as well. Ms. Gay Pippert and the 6-8 grade choir offered a beautiful rendition of the song “Forward,” as well as the Put-in-Bay School Alma Mater and the traditional recessional, “Pomp and Circumstance.”
An entertaining moment came when the Miller Ferry, on it’s return to port, sounded its horn to recognize the graduates.
The evening ended happily when the six graduates tossed their caps and descended from Perry’s Victory Plaza to begin their shift into a promising future.
