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Pine Grove Area seniors head off to next chapter
PINE GROVE — Pine Grove Area High School graduated 132 students from its senior class Thursday at its commencement exercises.
Dressed in the district's signature Cardinal red gowns, the seniors celebrated the momentous occasion on a pleasant evening at Cardinal Stadium, surrounded by bleachers packed with family members and friends.
Superintendent Heath W. Renninger, in his welcome address, reminded students of three powerful qualities — resilience, creativity, heart — that have shaped their journeys.
'Creativity is often thought of as art or music, but it's so much more,' he said. 'It's your ability to think outside the box, to find new solutions, to dream bigger than the circumstances around you. Your creativity will allow you to navigate a world that's changing faster than ever.'
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Members of the Pine Grove Area JROTC present the nation's colors during the Class of 2025 graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 29. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
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Members of the Pine Grove Class of 2025 proceed onto the field for their graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 29.(RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
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Pine Grove Class of 2025 Valedictorian Alexander Dubbs speaks at his graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 29. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
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Members of the Pine Grove Class of 2025 proceed onto the field for their graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 29. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
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A pair of Lockheed C130 Hercules military transport planes pass over Pine Grove Area High School's graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 29. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
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Pine Grove Class of 2025 President Alexis Butler speaks at her graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 29. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
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Pine Grove Class of 2025 Salutatorian Allison Kelley speaks at her graduation ceremony of Thursday, May 29. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
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Members of the Pine Grove Area JROTC present the nation's colors during the Class of 2025 graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 29. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
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He also urged students to remember 'who's in your corner.' He said they will continue to develop relationships with their corners of support and will find new ones over time.
Valedictorian Alexander Dubbs recalled the tough time the Class of 2025 had recovering from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said affected their social skills as they entered high school. He also referenced a wave of teacher resignations during the class's sophomore and junior years.
'Still, our class didn't let it hurt us as we made it to the start of senior year, and ultimately where we are tonight,' he said.
Salutatorian Allison Kelley, in her speech, offered a reflection on the dangers of nostalgic reminiscing and told her fellow seniors to enjoy the present.
'Here's the truth: High school is not the best years of our lives,' she said. 'And honestly, that's a relief because the best years don't exist. There is no single chapter of life that defines our joy. What we do have are the memories that we make throughout our entire lives.'
Alexis Butler, senior class president, spoke about her experience as the student representative to the Pine Grove Area school board. She called it 'a rare opportunity, as most school boards don't include a student voice. That alone speaks volumes.'
Butler said she regularly attended board meetings, where she provided updates on student activities, and visited classrooms, spoke with teachers and administrators, and interviewed peers to 'bring a real, student-centered perspective to the table.'
'Our board listened, not just to the highlights, but to the needs, challenges and hopes of our student body,' she said. 'Representation matters, and I'm proud Pine Grove believes that, too.'
