SR grads ready for next step
SLIPPERY ROCK — Although he was happy to finally graduate from high school, Patrick Anna said he will miss the feeling of having a safety net when he goes out into the world.
“(High school is) not very hard. There aren't a lot of big changes,” Anna, 18, of Brady Township said.
Anna was one of the 128 seniors who graduated from Slippery Rock High School Friday at Slippery Rock University's Morrow Field House.
He will go on to Clarion University to study accounting. He wants to become a CPA, and said he always liked math.
“It seems like the best thing to do,” Anna said.
Valedictorian Aster Chmielewski, 18, of Harrisville said she was happy to finally graduate. She now will attend the University of Pittsburgh and study engineering.
She said she is excited to have more variety in her days, saying she will not miss having to do the same thing every day.
“It won't be monotonous anymore,” Chmielewski said.
In her speech to the class, she told them to pursue greatness.
“Your future is closer than it appears,” Chmielewski said.
Hannah Shumway, 18, of Slippery Rock, the class salutatorian, will attend Juniata College and will be a pre-med major. She said she will miss her classmates.
“We've all grown up together,” Shumway said.
She said she will not miss having to get up early, though she conceded that she will have to rise early again some day.
“I have a few years,” Shumway said.
Heather Urbaniak, 17, of Slippery Rock will go to Indiana (Pa.) University to study nursing, and she wants to become a nurse anesthetist.“I'm happy to move on to the next stage of my life,” Urbaniak said.Principal Kristie Shulsky said the ceremony was the culmination of 13 years of education.“High school graduation is very important,” Shulsky said.She noted the class is a close class and has had many accomplishments.Shulsky said the state Department of Education just gave the school the Governor's Award for Excellence in Academics for 2012-13, with the graduating class getting a 90.1 percent in its School Performance Profile. She said that was the second highest score in Butler County.Superintendent Kathy Nogay said the graduating class of 128 is the smallest in years.“But you are extremely mighty,” Nogay said.She said the graduates' accomplishments have made it possible to soar and do things they want to do. She advised them to be kind to each other and themselves.“And, by the way, there is no school tomorrow,” Nogay said.Polly Shaw, school board president, said she hopes the graduates go on to have good careers, but also make time to give back.“I challenge you to find ways to volunteer,” Shaw said.
