| Graduation Day, 1998 Senior Rebels True to
Their Name Pomp and circumstance for the
Rebels?
No way.
"Sometimes in life, you just have to shout,"
Salutatorian Alice F. Hill told a crowd during Friday night's high school graduation
ceremony. "We resist the pressure to conform."
Indeed. Friday's commencement, held inside the gym because
of rain, included a little standup comedy, a sing-a-long, a poetry slam - and only
occasionally a tearful goodbye.
Salutatorians Hill and John S. McMahon III set the tone
early with their joint speech. They also led the seniors, in shimmering blue and white
gowns, in the Rebel cheer.
"We have been taught to speak our own minds,"
McMahon said. "We have to be SK Rebels, whether the big bad world likes it or
not."
It's like tasting the extra crispy version of a fast food
for the first time, he added. "You can never go back."
Hill and McMahon were followed by Valedictorian Christopher
M. Conley, who was more subdued. Conley reminded those jammed in the school gym that the
class of 1998 had produced a bevy of all-star athletes, state championship teams, merit
scholars and "clearly the best-looking class in the school."
He also paid tribute to the parents, siblings and mentors
in the audience. "We couldn't have done it without you."
School officials handed out 232 diplomas. And Student
Council President EvaRose Dwyer gave the school a $5,000 gift, the result of a year's
worth of fundraisers.
Among the items the money will buy: a trophy case, a
weeping cherry tree, "and most importantly, a new toaster for our cafeteria,"
Dwyer said.
Swaying on the bleachers, the senior class sang along with
Kool and the Gang's "Celebration," the class song. Parents provided the backbeat
by clapping.
Unlike some schools, South Kingstown doesn't invite outside
speakers for the annual event. "We let the kids speak for themselves," School
Supt. Jack Harrington said.
This meant that Conley was followed by Valedictorian
Gregory S. Datseris, who recited a poem about being free from school. Datseris was
followed by Valedictorian Rashid Zia, who quoted Dr. Seuss.
"You have brains in your head and feet in your
shoes," and you can steer yourself in any direction you choose, Zia said.
Graduating isn't just about growing up, he added. It's also
about keeping your childhood dreams alive, "whether you want to be a doctor or a
lawyer or you just want to have an apartment away from South Kingstown."
The graduates are:
Aferdita
Abdullovski |
Lani
M. Flaherty* |
Kiersten
Paasche |
Nicholas
S. Alfred |
Benjamin
J. Flynn |
Michael P. Pagel |
Desiree
M. Allaire |
Steven
P. Follett Jr. |
Danielle
Panarello |
Melissa
L. Allbee* |
Patrick
J. Forbes |
Donald
M. Panciera III |
Ruth
E. Anderson* |
Max
Forster |
Matthew
W. Paolino** |
Kyle
N. Andrews |
Richard
G. Gardner |
Charles
E. Patton |
Ryan
G. Angelo** |
Melanie
C. Garofalo** |
Justin
M. Paul* |
Edward
L. Arnold |
Nisanne
S. Ghonem** |
Peter
T. Phlelps** |
David
A. Arundel* |
Malin
C. Gibbes |
Isak
N. Philbrick* |
Steven
A. Bailey |
Wanjiku
N. Gitahi** |
Dawn
M. Platthner |
Kimberly
A. Balch* |
John
P. Gorman* |
Michelle
L. Porter |
Kristen
L. Balkun* |
Catherine
M. Gover |
Amanda
F. Pretto** |
Sorboni
Banerjee** |
Ashley
W. Grasso** |
Desiree
L. Prior |
Ian
D. Barlow* |
Marian
A. Grenier |
Jonathan
D. Quinn** |
Christopher
K. Beagle |
Nicholas
A. Grigorian |
Ryan
T. Rand* |
Heidi
E. Beckmann |
Samuel
Grimley |
Richard
C. Rhodes IV* |
Brandon
P. Bell |
Nicole
A. Guglielmetti* |
Denison
R. Richmond |
Rebecca
D. Bell |
Evan
S. Hamel |
Travel
W. Ringler |
Renee
R. Bell |
Daniel
S. Hannegan |
Anthony
P. Rivard* |
Erin
B. Bergen |
Eric
L. Hargraves |
Jonathan
D. Robadue* |
Michelle
C. Berker |
Timothny
M. Hart |
Jane
K. Robinson |
Scott
D. Bessette |
Joseph
S. Hassan** |
Stephanie
L. Rockwell* |
Dianne
M. Bianco |
Shawn
M. Hazard |
Christina
M. Rojee |
Brendon
K. Bjorness-Murano |
Stephanie
A. Hazard |
Nancy
K. Rolofson |
Kimberly
M. Boamah |
Justin
A. Hazlewood |
Denise
K. Romano** |
Emily
L. Boenig |
Rory
D. Henderson* |
Jennifer
L. Rowinski** |
Debralee
E. Boisvert |
Alice
F. Hill** |
Adam
C. Roy |
Tamara
L. Borrelli |
KIristina
J. Hilton |
Jay
Rudegeair** |
Erik
R. Bougie |
Peter
N. Hilton |
Zachary
A. Rudegeair* |
Sean
M. Brady* |
Shawna
Holdredge* |
Jacob
C. Schomp** |
Tucker
A. Brierty |
Elizabeth
M. Horton* |
Kashan
A. Shaikh* |
Andrew
A. Briggs*** |
Emily
Huggins** |
Margaret
J. Shanley* |
Jason
E. Briggs |
Ryan
C. Hughes |
Chi
Shen** |
Melissa
R. Busby |
Ross
E. Humphrey |
Carrie
A. Sheppard* |
Rachael
L. Campbell* |
Amanda
K. Hunt |
Amanda
J. Siegmund |
Daniel
F. Carpenter |
Paul
A. Hutchins |
Chasity
M. Simon* |
Richard
H. Carpenter |
Shannon
M. Jackson |
Eamonn
O. Sirhal |
Erica
L. Carr |
Joshue
J. Jalbert |
Michael
J. Sisto |
Jeremy
J. Caswell |
Paul
R. Jennings** |
Bradley
M. Smith |
Richard
A. Cavanagh* |
Timothy
S. Jennings |
Charles
M. Smith III |
Christian
D. Cerrito** |
Lindsey
L. Johnson* |
Deborah
M. Smith |
Kate
E. Chartier* |
Philip
B. Johnson** |
Michael
B. Sosnowski Jr. |
Amy
L. Chernasky** |
Adam
B. Juda** |
Kendra
M. Steere* |
Genevieve
E. Chicoine* |
Jennifer
M. Juday* |
Jennifer
L. Stram |
John
C. Choquette |
Christopher
J. Keegan** |
Alissa
L. Strickland** |
Elizabeth
A. Cinquegrana |
Lindsey
J. Kroll |
Caitlin
V. Strom |
Melissa
A. Cinquegrana |
Aleksandr
Kushlak |
Michelle
B. Sweet |
Erin
S. Collins |
Zachary
S. Ladin** |
John
T. Swiney |
Christopher
M. Conley** |
Hillary
A. Lamoureux* |
Danielle
J. Tanguay* |
Colin
R. Cookson |
Evan
M. Lapisky** |
Daniel
R. Tartaglia |
Noelle
F. Coppa |
Justin
M. LaPre* |
Islay
M. Taylor* |
Andrea
L. Costa |
Dina
R. Lindia |
Erin
M. Tedeschi |
Michelle
L. Cote** |
Alexander
A. Little** |
Audrey
J. Thayer |
Roxanne
L. Cottrell* |
Dong
M. Liu |
Kimberly
N. Thibodeau* |
Moll6y
Coupland |
Jonathan
P. Logan** |
Tudor
L. Thomas IV* |
Eric
Creamer* |
Margaret
M. Lovesky** |
William
C. Tickner** |
Scott
F. Creamer** |
Alyssa
M. MacLean* |
Christopher
J. Todd |
Melissa
K. Crocker |
Lindie
E. Markdodvich |
Lisa
C. Towhill** |
Margaret
Cruser |
David
J. Matteson |
Brant
A. Truax |
Joseph
P. Daley** |
Kevin
M. Maynard |
Brian
J. Turcotte* |
Gregory
S. Datseris** |
Meaghan
R. McGrath** |
Emily
B. Varnum** |
Graham
C. Dawson* |
Tia
M. McGraw |
Scott
J. Velicer** |
Jessica
A. DeAngelis** |
John
S. McMahon III* |
Christine
L. Viele |
Pasquale
S. DeMatteo** |
James
H. McNamara |
Michael
J. Viele* |
Liv
A. Detrick** |
Davide
B. Meeker |
Jeremy
S. Voelker |
David
R. Dickinson |
Jayne
L. Merner** |
Robert
F. Weinreich III |
Andrea
L. DiMasi** |
Camille
R. Meyer** |
Jessica
L. Wepman |
Anndria
DiSalvo |
Caitlin
P. Mitchell |
Chelsea
A. Wetherell* |
Jennifer
B. Dixon** |
Jessica
C. Moretti |
Jennifer
M. Whaley* |
Megan
K. Donovan** |
Justin
W. Morris |
Rebecca
L. White* |
Kaley
M. Doran |
Marie
T. Morrissey** |
Timothy
A. White |
Kathleen
E. Dougan** |
Christopher
J. Mulhearn** |
Amy
M. Whitford* |
Amanda
R. Downing* |
Martina
S. Muller* |
Juistin
D. Wilcox |
Rachel
B. DuPont* |
Patrick
F. Mullins |
Gladys
Y. Williams |
Gregory
B. Durant |
Sarah
J. Murray |
Jennifer
A. Williams* |
EvaRose
Dwyer** |
Bryon
A. Nelson* |
Keara
Wolstencroft |
Jennifer
P. Dwyer |
Elijah
R. Nelson |
Meredith
C. Wyss |
Allysoln
E. Eno** |
Loan
T. Nguyen |
Daniel
W. Yoder |
Matthew
S. Erni* |
Rafael
Nightingale* |
Dimitri
Yogaratnam* |
Adam
J. Ethier* |
Jonathon
L. Northup |
Rashid
Zia** |
Tasha
B. Evans |
Lisa
A. Olivet-Gallo |
Marc
A. Zurcher** |
Amy
L. Fish |
Brian
C. Olivier** |
|
| * Rhode Island
Honor Society |
| ** Rhode Island and
National Honor Society |
The Providence Journal-Bulletin, 15 June 1998
by Paul Davis, Journal-Bulletin Staff Writer |