Claysburg-Kimmel Graduates To Go Far and Succeed

Claysburg-Kimmel's graduation went off as scheduled on Saturday, June 4, 2022. Claysburg-Kimmel graduated 75 students.

It was a beautiful 70-degree day at Claysburg Community Park, where the event took place. The students, dressed in blue and white robes, sat underneath a gazebo as they watched their classmates and faculty give speeches.

Families gathered around the outskirts. Many brought their own lawn chairs to watch the ceremony comfortably.

"I feel like this class will definitely go a long way in life, succeeding in our own lives," Bailey Garver said. "Look around and marvel at how far you all have come."

The next speaker was the class Valedictorian Cassie Berkhimer.

"I believe we will succeed in our life," Berkhimer said.

"I mean, we convinced our parents to let us buy colored rubber bands in different shapes so we could have the biggest collections and trade with our friends," she said, referring to the early 2000s Silly Bandz craze.

That line got a chuckle from the students. The line was also met with confusion from some of the adults and grandparents in the crowd.

A couple more speakers went up and did their own speeches including class Vice President Abigail Gonsman, who emphasized a theme that was common amongst the speakers: thanking teachers who adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Then came the handing out of diplomas.

The ceremony ended with the president of the school board pronouncing the students as official graduates of Claysburg-Kimmel. As the class song played, parents cheered, and some cried, as the students finished the ceremony and became high school graduates.