Diploma Presenter

I love traditions! One of the traditions which I believe provides a great deal of meaning to the WKHS graduation ceremony is that every student is allowed to pick someone from their 12 years of education to present them with their diploma. This individual can be a teacher, coach, or other staff member – even their counselor.

This year I had the distinct honor to be able to present 9 of “my” students with their diplomas. I have had many people do incredibly kind and thoughtful things for me, but I cannot imagine an honor as special as being able to give a student their diploma at graduation. I was absolutely floored and completely shocked when I found out which students (and quite honestly that ANY students) had asked that I give them their diploma. It was a memory I will cherish!

During the graduation ceremony, my favorite moment with each of the students that I was presenting diplomas to was not when we stood on stage together and I actually gave them their diploma. My favorite moment came before their name was called when the student was standing at the bottom of the stairs and I was at the back of the stage waiting to walk forward and meet them. With each of the nine students I had the chance to look at them and in that moment, when I caught their eye – I can’t even put into words how proud, excited, honored, and most of all grateful that these wonderful students have been a part of my life.

Andy Gottesman was kind enough to take a group picture of the students to whom I was presenting diplomas. Pictured Clockwise from the back left: Mitch Dickson, Nick Beattie, Loren Cellentani, Carly Coulter, Joey Colarossi, Mitch Anglin, Matt Bobson, Matt Bear, and Adam Baybutt.

To each of these students (in case you are reading this) – thank you for allowing me to share in your special day! You each mean the world to me and I am thankful that I had the privilege to know and work with you. I cannot wait to see the difference you will make in the world. Thank you for brightening my days throughout the year and for always giving me a reason to smile! I wish you nothing but the best in the future!

I’d also like to offer a special thank you to Andy Gottesman for his patience and flexibility in taking the pictures. I really do appreciate your willingness to help me capture a picture of something that means so much to me. I will always treasure it! Andy was kind enough to show me many other pictures that he captured at graduation and hopefully you will see them in the paper next week because they turned out great.