On Thursday, June 27, a class of 344 students from Bethlehem Central High School received diplomas at a commencement ceremony held at the MVP Arena in downtown Albany. It was a joyous event for the members of the class of 2024, their families, friends, teachers, staff, administrators and members of the Board of Education.
Resilience, optimism and hope were common themes for the speakers who addressed the group of students who began high school at the height of the Covid pandemic. Superintendent Jody Monroe and Board of Education President Holly Dellenbaugh addressed students and guests. In a surprise move, Principal Dave Doemel invited retiring social studies teacher Nick Ferguson to the stage to take his place for the welcoming remarks.
Ferguson encouraged the students to not let doubt get in the way of their dreams and to understand that the highest rewards often come from within.
“Feed your curiosity; work hard because it feels good to work hard,” said Ferguson. “Whatever you do, whether it is art or engineering; nursing or welding, take pride in your own craftsmanship in the quality of what you do.”
He also credited the class of 2024 for his optimism in an uncertain world.
“If I were to pick the traits that you as a class embody, they would be empathy, kindness, and compassion,” said Ferguson. “To me, those are the best qualities of all. Your empathy, your compassion, your love, will see us through.”
There were also three student speakers at the 90th BCHS Commencement Exercises.
Gabriel Martin gave an opening address urging his classmates to view mistakes as opportunities to learn and ultimately find success in “failing forward.”
“Success comes from the culmination of mistakes and failures,” Martin told his classmates. “Success is not a linear route: something that might appear to be a failure on the surface will ultimately bring you closer to realizing your individual purpose.”
Anna Walston delivered a keynote address that focused on the power of a smile.
“It is not just the action of a curve of the lips, but actually a powerful way to change how one feels and even change the world around you,” said Walston. “Smiling can impact an experience for everyone. A smile is contagious and can instantly change the mood of a room, resulting in the formation of more cheerful experience.”
Walston reflected on seeing the smiles of her classmates when masks were no longer required at school during the pandemic and also noted how a once unpopular cell phone rule turned into a reason to smile.
“Many of us didn’t smile when we heard we were having our phones locked up,” said Walston, referring to the high school’s no-cell-phone policy. “Little did we realize the positive impact that it would have on our school community and how our interactions with others would drastically change, actually for the better. The hallways became a place of chatter, filled again with students laughing and connecting with one another and of course, smiling.”
Sofia Corts closed the ceremony with a rousing speech that dissected the phrase, “trust the process.”
“There’s two parts,” Corts told the crowd. “One is the process, and one is the trust. Here at BCHS, we trusted our beloved teachers to guide us through our academics; our counselors to help us when applying to colleges; and our administrators to give us a safe environment to learn and grow. In addition to BCHS, we also trusted our families, our friends; and most importantly, ourselves.”
“We are talented; we are smart; we are courageous, brave and resilient. We are BC,” said Corts. “So no matter the situation, no matter the obstacle, let’s continue to trust in the process.”
The entire ceremony was livestreamed. You can view a recording of the ceremony here.
Students were also accompanied by their high school counselors as well as the 2024 honorary graduation marshals who are faculty members selected by the students as having had a significant impact on their time in Bethlehem. This year’s marshals were Kristin Crawley (Eagle), Michael Valenti (Elsmere),
Stacie Mihok (Glenmont), Thomas Hotaling, (Hamagrael), Maria Qualtere (Slingerlands), Cori DiFabbio (BCMS), Christopher Holoday, (BCMS), Michael Charvat, (BCMS), Jeffrey Mongue, (BCMS), Christine Zemsky, (BCMS), Evan Harley, (BCMS), Anthony Scott, (BCMS), Marielle Martin, (BCHS), Eileen Turo, (BCHS), Durray Mahmood, (BCHS), Kristy Eldeen, (BCHS), Matthew Rehbit, (BCHS), Adam Ayers, (BCHS), Sean Mooney, (BCHS), Nicholas Ferguson, (BCHS), and Jessica Westervelt, (BCHS).
Congratulations to our newest BC alumni for their hard work and their contributions to the BC community. We wish them the very best!
Commencement Program – Digital Version
The 90th Commencement Exercises program can be viewed online at this link.
A full list of graduates can be found below.
Graduation 2024 Photo Highlights
Candid photos will be added to Facebook and Instagram throughout the weekend so check back for more. Professional photos taken at the ceremony will be shared with families individually. A full album of candid photos will be shared with families via ParentSquare on Monday, July 1.
Follow us on Instagram @bethlehemschools
Post-Grad Plans – Class of 2024
What do our newest alumni have planned for themselves? Many members of the graduating class of 2024 recently shared their plans for after graduation. If you would like to be included in this list (or if a correction needs to be made), please email JoEllen Gardner at jgardner@bethlehemschools.org.
List of Graduates
* – Honor graduates, Lab School honor graduates and Bethlehem Academic Achievement Award winners with a 90 or above average for 3 ½ years wear gold cords.
+ – National Honor Society Members wear blue and gold cords.
** – President’s Award for Educational Excellence
*** – President’s Award for Educational Achievement
> – Seal of Biliteracy
< – Seal of Civic Readiness
# – Foreign Exchange Student
- Lisa S. Abdallah * ** < >
- George N. Abdo * ** + < >
- Karin C. Acosta
- Ryan Acosta * **
- Jackson W. Adams
- Mason C. Adams
- Madison E. Agel
- Nour Ahmed
- Murooj M. Al Essa
- Maggie Alderisio * ** + < >
- Marni Giuliana Alhart <
- Sean Aliggayu * **
- Cade G. Allen * ** +
- Oscar Zappa Almindo
- Abigail Quinn Annastas
- Stella Apuzzi
- Katherine Arthur * ** +
- Elizabeth J. Austin * ** + <
- Cemre Ayar * **
- Amazhay Demmiko Babb
- Peter J. Baltis * **
- Christian D. Banks
- Timofei Baranovsky ***
- Tucker J. Bardin
- Lucas A. Barlow
- Rose M. Beberwyck * **
- Eleanor Benzing * ** +
- Avery Bergen
- Sophia M. Berlin * ** <
- Airlent Beshello
- David Bievenue * **
- Tyler Bitely
- Jason A. Black ***
- Emma Blanchard <
- Vincent J. Blendell * **
- Surakshitha Lisa Marie Bolleddu < >
- Quincy Bonville * **
- Aiden Borfitz
- Audrey L. Bowerman * ** + <
- Erik R. Bowers * **
- Van C. Bradshaw
- Andrew J. Brennan * **
- Anna Meredith Brock * ** + <
- Michael Anthony Bruce * ** <
- Paige E. Bruce
- Aaron H. Buckle * ** + >
- Margaret J. Buckley * ** + <
- Sadie Camille Buckley
- Gideon A. Bush
- Timothy Carll Bushart * **
- James E. Cable
- Jeremy Carlos Calderon * ** >
- Christian Alexander Caputo
- Jason Caraballo
- Sean R. Carter <
- Dominic Casaregola
- Henry Castagna
- David Castiglione-Santiago
- Eleanor J. Cerf * ** <
- Ansen C. Chamberlain * ** + <
- Emily Anne Choppy * ** + < >
- Matthew J. Choppy
- Grace Helen Chrapowitzky * ** + < >
- Yuna Chung * ** >
- Hayden J. Clark * **
- Daniel W. Connors
- Kai Conrow
- Maeve Joyce Conway * ** + <
- Sofia Corts * ** +
- Cassandra Costantini
- Brendan G. Creaser * ** <
- Gabrielle E. Crellin <
- Isabelle N. Cunningham * **
- Addison Blaich Daggett * ** + <
- Kyle J. Dammeyer * ** <
- Robert V. Danza, III ***
- Paige Davenport * ** + <
- Caroline Davis * ** + <
- Jonathan James de Waal Malefyt *** <
- Jaidev A. De * ** <
- Nyle Dennin * ** >
- Joshua W. Derrick * ** <
- Eliana M. DiBiase ***
- Emily P. Dievendorf
- Amanda M. Doherty * ** <
- Harper Anne Donnelly ***
- Jake M. Donovan * ** <
- Piper Lucille Doolen * ** + <
- Zachary O. Dounane * ** + < >
- Elijah S. Doyle *** <
- Ella Drexler ***
- Mitchell P. Dubin
- Tyler J. Fabian ***
- Carla Fabrizio ***
- Sinjin Facchetti * ** +
- Fernando L. Febus * ** >
- Noah A. Feltman ***
- Ryan Thomas Fenlon * ** + >
- Katherine Mollie Ferreira * ** + >
- Frederick Raymond Fielder * ** + <
- Natalie Faith Figueroa-Sealey ***
- Brian P. Filarecki * ** +
- Maci R. Fischler * ** +
- Audrey E. Fisk * ** + <
- Catherine Genevieve Fitzgerald * ** +
- Maeve B. Fitzpatrick * ** + <
- Christopher Folio * ** + <
- Christian J. Franchini * ** + <
- Arianna Marie Grace Frey * **
- Alexander Michael Furlong * **
- Jackson C. Gallo * ** <
- Lujia Gao * ** >
- Atticus I. Garcia * ** <
- Samuel R. Garno ***
- Aubrey C . Gentile * **
- Anthony M. Gibbs * **
- Ronan George Goddard * ** <
- Emily L. Gokey ***
- Maxwell S. Gold * ** + >
- Tyler Leo Goldberg * ** + >
- Mason Jeffery Golonka ***
- Payton Gordinier * ** <
- Lucas J. Gould *** <
- Jackson W. Gray * **
- Lauren A . Greaux * ** + < >
- Claudia Renee Green ***
- Sasha Greenberg * **
- John Gregory *** <
- Tyler Brian Grossman * ** + <
- Jackson I. Halvorsen ***
- Sophie Hamilton ***
- Rachel Eleanor Hammond * **
- Kaitlyn Abriana Harris * **
- Andrew C. Hartman ***
- Sarah Elizabeth Hayes * **
- Shen Robert Henson * **
- Angelo J. Herrington
- Luke Russell Hershberg * ** + >
- Greta Charlene Hertz
- Eric N. Herzog * ** +
- Anthony J. Hill
- Emma Haley Hill ***
- Eva Ho * ** + >
- Casey Elle Holstein * ** <
- Mason E. Hommel ***
- Brian P. Hornick ***
- Fay Hu * ** +
- Callum J. Hurst * ** <
- Owen H. Ikasalo ***
- Benjamin Imbriaco * ** + <
- Sophia Imbriaco * ** + < >
- Onya E. Ingraham
- Teah Izzard * **
- Dwayne D. Jackson
- Caleb Joseph Jacobs * ** +
- Zachary J. Jeffers *** <
- Ethan Carter Jensen ***
- Norah Pearl Johnson <
- Abigail Jones * ** +
- Dane A. Jones * ** +
- Molly Elizabeth Kantrowitz * ** <
- Briana Immaculata Kilgallon
- Colin Daniel King * ** +
- Claire Joesphine Kiyonaga *** <
- Mitchell J. Klime
- Oona Ko Knight * ** + < >
- Bodie Ko * **
- Eleanor C. Kopplin * ** + <
- Deon Koshy Santhosh * **
- Daniil Kriuchkov *** >
- Amelia Scheurer Kuhn * ** <
- Nana K. Kumi-Yeboah
- Harlow Kung * ** + <
- Molly Margaret Kvam * ** + <
- Cameron J. LaClair
- Benjamin James Laderas * **
- Carter J. Lafata * ** <
- Jack Wray Lanzoni
- Shayla E. Laraway
- Casey Elizabeth Large * ** >
- Sophie Isabella Lauenstein *** <
- William C. Lauricella * ** +
- Emma Leonard
- Jack R. Leonard * **
- Adam Gabriel Levin * **
- Kyla Rachel Levin * ** +
- Sofia Lena Lobb <
- Zachary Keahi Longtin * ** + <
- Adrian Lopez-Toledo * **
- Anthony M. Losee ***
- Owen Platt Luntz * ** + <
- Emily Søgaard Madsen #
- Michael S. Mahoney * ** < >
- Daniel A. Mann *** <
- Adam P. Marino * **
- Caroline Elizabeth Marotta * ** + <
- Allison Jade Martin * ** < >
- Cole M. Martin * ** <
- Edward A. Martin
- Gabriel P. Martin * ** + < >
- Michael L. Martin
- Tyler Martin
- Elliott Martinez ***
- Emily M. Martinez *** <
- Enosh G. Masih
- Allison R. Mastracco * ** + <
- Maeve Adeline McCarthy * ** +
- Rhiannon Aurora McCarthy ***
- Zoey Pagels McCarthy * ** + < >
- Logan F. McCoy
- James P. McLaughlin * ** <
- Sean P. Meek * ** + >
- Joseph M. Meo ***
- Kayla D. Messina *** <
- Eric D. Metcalf * **
- Jason Middendorf
- Logan Robert Middendorf *** <
- Koby T. Miesowicz
- Jada Nevaeh Mikell
- Christian M. Mikulski <
- Cole Miller *** >
- Justin H. Mo * ** <
- Joseph M. Monserrat * ** <
- Jack A. Moorby ***
- James P. Moore *** <
- Bryce D. Morin * **
- Owen Lee Morin * **
- Conor Seungmin Morrissey
- William W. Mueller * **
- Andria Marie Mullen
- Dylan M. Mullins ***
- Alice Marie Murphy * ** >
- Hayden Carter Murray *** <
- Drew D. Naef ***
- Isha K. Narang * ** + < >
- Graham K. Nathanielsz ***
- Grady Michael Nautel * ** + >
- Spencer C. Neal * ** >
- Colin A. NeJame * ** + < >
- Dominic J. Norfleet ***
- Sean Novak ***
- Zachary S. Novak * **
- Ella Rae O’Brien *** <
- Henry Louis O’Brien ***
- Jacob W. Olewnick * **
- Sule Bera Omeroglu *** >
- Katherine Lottie O’Neil *** <
- Elizabeth K . O’Neill * ** <
- Trevor Michael Ortega * ** +
- Liv M. Pachter *** <
- Sean Edward Parker ***
- Dhara Patel * ** + >
- Radhika B. Patel * ** + <
- Purvayi H. Patil * **
- Korbin C. Patschureck ***
- Marcella A. Patterson ***
- Alivia K. Peters * ** <
- Kirsten M. Phang * ** + >
- Owen Pierce ***
- Michaela Brynn Pillittere *** <
- Ethan John Prescott * **
- Evan Priester * **
- Abigail Grace Proper * ** +
- Katherine A. Qualia * ** + >
- Maya Rose Queenan * **
- Sanjay V. Raju * **
- Jaina Angelina Rakoczy ***
- Hannah Marie-Anne Ranzer * ** <
- William Rauch ***
- Gabriella Raydo * ** + < >
- Edward H. Reynolds * **
- Alexandra Rae Richards *** <
- Grant K. Rinckey * ** + <
- Sophia R. Ritchie * ** +
- Ava Madeline Rivers * ** <
- Brady Davis Roberts *** <
- Alexavier Rodriguez ***
- John A. Rosano ***
- Aiden H. Rossman ***
- W. Henry Rulison ***
- Erika Catherine Ruth *** <
- Sean Christopher Ryan * ** +
- Samarth Sahota *** <
- Connor M. Salisbury ***
- Emily Kathryn Samyn <
- Luke T. Saubier * **
- Carly E. Scheid ***
- Maya Elizabeth Estra Sciandra * **
- Natalie J. Scolaro * ** +
- Gavin Scott Xela M. Seagle * ** <
- Richard Connor Seebode
- Teagan M. Shea
- Rose L. Sheehan * ** + <
- Shayna M. Sheehan
- Zachary M. Shekhter * ** <
- Maxim Seo Shekhtman * ** <
- Richa R . Shenoy *** <
- Sara Liana Silver * ** + <
- Olivia Skuza *** <
- Scott L. Sleurs * ** <
- Aedon Smith
- Emily L. Smith * **
- Nathaniel D. Smith *** <
- Delia R. Snye ***
- Walton Benjamin Somide <
- Ryan J. Sood * ** + < >
- Benjamin P. Sorrentino * **
- Timothy R. Sparks *** <
- Sophia Stothart
- Hugh M. Sullivan *** <
- Rurika L. Suzuki * ** + < >
- Daryen Irwin Swann ***
- Haley Swinyer
- Maksymilian Szardurski #
- Julianna Marie Tafilowski *** <
- Jevonni Taylor * ** + <
- Caitlyn Teplitzky * ** <
- Lucy Thomas *** <
- Lillian S. Thornton * ** <
- Ethan J. Tice
- Kaitlyn G. Tietjen ***
- Naomi K. Tinsmon *** <
- Andrew J. Trowel
- Darlina Georgeta Uveges ***
- Wilfred Vadney
- Efrain Valdez
- Eric J. VanVranken
- Ella Ashley Venter ***
- Sabrina M. Vichaiwattana * ** + >
- Addison Hayes Vogel * ** <
- Michael P. Waldenmaier
- Anna Kate Walston * ** + <
- Charles M. Westphal, IV *** <
- Dakota Rose Weyant * **
- Anna Olivia Willi * **
- Jackson C. Willi * **
- Naomi Zi Jiao Violet Wray ***
- Alexis Lynn Wright
- Garima Yadav * **
- Zachary L. Yarwood * ** >
- Danny You ***
- Norina Ziheng Zhang * ** + < >
- Luke M. Zito * **
- Emma Q. Zwicklbauer * ** + < > *