Pinelands Class of 2009 stays merry despite mud

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By DONNA WEAVER, Staff Writer, 609-978-2015 | Posted: Thursday, June 25, 2009 | 0 comments

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(POAC) 06/24/09 Tuckerton

LITTLE EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP - The Pinelands Regional High School Class of 2009 was able to avoid the rain to accept their diplomas under cloudy skies Wednesday evening.

But the soggy processional to the football field had female graduates with pedicured toes dodging muddy puddles. And unfortunately, there were a few mud-splattered graduation gowns.

"Ewww, gross," graduates said in unison as they adjusted their caps and sought refuge in the waterlogged grass.

As the class, in a wave of green and gold gowns, took their places in the center of the field, a brief glimmer of sun shone through the clouds.

"There was no way we were not coming out here to give these diplomas to these deserving students," outgoing high school Principal Thomas Procopio said.

Procopio touted the achievements of the class as well as the district's 30th anniversary.

"I could not have asked to work with a better class in my last year of service. This class received $1,480,000 in scholarships," he said.

Clouds loomed over the sodden field, but there was no rush to finish the ceremony because of the weather. One by one, the class speakers took their place at the microphone.

"As a whole, we have formed an unforgettable bond. One of the best compliments I have ever received about our class is that we never looked at high school as an ending," said Christie Rotondo, class president.

Salutatorian William Waters said that as he looked out over the crowd, he wondered if there would be another president of the United States or Bill Gates among them.

"But it will probably be just another Larry the Cable Guy," Waters said as the crowd erupted into laughter.

"In a few minutes I'll be happy this speech is over and you will all be happier than I am. They say life isn't fair. I worked hard these last four years, and my reward is I get to write another essay," he said.

But not all of the speeches were humorous. Valedictorian Kacie Pollard's speech was full of advice and quotes for her fellow graduates to live by.

"You have to keep fighting to be extraordinary. If you not you may be brought down and be ordinary. Don't be willing to settle. If you have a dream you have to protect it. If you want something, go get it," she said.

The graduates are:

Jordan Adams, Dayna Alberga, Ryan Albertson, Kamen Allocco, Angelina Amato, Kyle Amato, Rachel Andreala, Kristen Angelozzi, Jason Appleby, Tashnia Babar, Kimberly Babcock, Elizabeth Baglivo, Dmitri Bakhtiyarov, Joseph Bara, Andrew Baralus, Rosemary Beam, Abril Bennett, Joseph Bird, IV, Jaquiline Blake, Thomas Bonder, Michael Booth, Meredie Bourdot, Anthony Bowen, Lauren Boyd, Nathan Boyd, Danielle Boyer, Ashley Bray, Trevor Browne, Patrick Buckley, Matthew Buckridge, Valerie Buffalino, Ashley Burr, Jennifer Cairone, Kevin Campobasso, Mary Capriotti, Julia Caracappa, Peter Cardillo, Alexander Carman, Laureen Carney, Christopher Carpenter, Kyle Carrier, Jenna Casaletto, Cody Casey, Amanda Casteel, Adriel Castro, Danielle Claussen, Alyssa Clouse, Kelly Colligan, Rachael Cook, Kelsey Copeland, Michael Cosenza, Rachel Craig, Kayla Crane, Sean Cruz, Stephanie Cullen, Joseph Cutrone, Robert D'Alfonso, Michael Daleo, Joshua Dalton, Keri Damm, Amanda Dawson, Brittney Dawson, Arthur Deaner, III, Briana De Gregorio, Gabrielle De Wolfe, Megan Decker, Nicholas Di Felice, Michelle Di Forti, Zachary Di Paolo, Joseph Diano, Liane Diven, Kristen Donadio, Haley Donnell, Victoria Dorio, Michael Dorofee, Katelyn Downam, Jackson Downey, Kathryn Dry, Michael Dumaine, Tarin Eggert, Douglas Eiker, Joshua Erndt-Marino, Federica Esposito, Casey Evans, Jessica Evans, Randy Evans, Jr., Whitney Fee, Corey Feldman, Patricia Fenlon, Christopher Ferone, Heather Ferrea, Anthony Ferrillo, Michelle Figueiredo, Adam Flaherty, Jonathon Flamma, Abby Flannery, Thomas Fletcher, Alyssa Florio, Kevin Foder, Jr., Christopher Foster, Julia Fries, Samantha Fromosky, Charles Frye, George Garay, Thomas Garvin, Sarah Gentile, John Gesicki, Philip Gfroehrer, Nicole Giannelli, Joseph Giardelli, Bridgett Giery, Steven Gill, Nicole Gossard, Charles Grant, John Gray, Kayla Green, Jake Grotts, Kimberly Hafler, Christopher Hall, William Hamilton, Kelly Hansen, Pamela Harney, Stephen Hartman, Jr., Michael Hayden, Teala Hayes, Sheri Healey, Jacquelyn Heikel, Nicollette Hobler, Justin Horay, Stephanie Horvath, Veronica Hunter, Rachel Jackson, Richard Jackson, Melodie Jillson, Sean Johnson, Emily Jones, Caitlin Kardell, Miranda Kaseleski, Kimberley Katona, James Kelly, Katherine Kendra, Anthony Kerekes, Daniel King, Evan Kluesner, John Kluesner, Heather Kneuer, Nupur Kohli, Madeline Konyha, Kyle Koval, Heather Krause, Kimberly Krogman, Richard Kuiken, Jr., Eric Land, Alec Lasko, Amanda Leach, Jocelyn Leach, Taylor Leonardis, Kevin Leuffgen, Brandon Lintner, Amanda Lipton, Thomas Lipton, Christine Lisiewski, Eric Logue, Michael Long, II, Jake Love, Timothy Luyster, Jesika Lydon, Alyssa Mac Neil, Amanda Mahler, Faith Manna, Anthony Marino, Kimberly Martin, Olivia Mayeux, Courtney McCracken, Alyssa McGill, Amanda McQuade, William McGuire III, Hannah McKee, James McKinney, Patricia McLain, Marina Mercurio, Jessica Merrill, Leila Mesinger, Stephanie Michaelson, Ren�e Migliacci, Leighann Miller, Kayla Mollica, Brandon Moore, Kristen Moore, Andrew Morales, Jamil Moreno, Patrick Morgan, Timothy Morton, Kristen Mulligan, Melissa Munson, John Mury, Travis Nauss, Philip Naylor, Matthew Neely, Samantha Nieciecki, Shawn Nolan, Tiffany Norflet, Darcie O'Loughlin, James O'Malley, Kelly O'Neill, Ryan Oslowski, Roy Parker, Kyle Pauley, Melissa Penk, Jeimmy Perdomo, Ashley Pfaff, Scott Pio, Kacie Pollard, Farrell Pomponio, Rebecca Ramos, Andrew Reese, Katelyn Reimann, Katie Reinhold, Kyle Richmond, Ricardo Rivera, Kimberly Rodriguez, Willliam Rodriquez, III, Felicia Rojas, Joshua Roman, Wesley Romberger, Mary Rosell, Christie Rotondo, Stephen Runza, Alyssa Rutherford, Jackson Ryan, Stephen Rzemyk, Jennifer Saft, Ashley Salvatore, Nikki Salvatore, Valerie Sano, Samantha Santos, Michael Sanzo, Brooke Sauer, Brian Schneller, Kimberly Schneller, Mathew Schwarz, Joshua Scott, Zachary Scott, Charles Sellner, Laura Semprevivo, Christina Sexton, Danielle Sexton, George Shahid, Mary Shahid, Samantha Shapiro, Lauren Shockley, Kerri Shoenberger, Kayla Showl, Victoria Sillitoe, Samantha Silvani, Joshua Sisti, Megan Smith, Shane Smith, Tyler Smith, Frederic Snell, Theresa Soden, Amanda Sprague, Matthew Squier, Lisa Marie Stanley, Stephen Staszewski, Cassandra Staton, Kathryn Stephanopoulos, Thomas Story, Jr., Zachary Strang, Donald Sylvester, Nickalas Tagliaferri, Jessica Talarico, Lowell Talbot, Shane Taylor, Charles Thomas, IV, Michael Thornwell, Keith Tindall, Brandon Tolbert, Christine Topping, Jonathan Toscano, Jeremy Trinka, Matthew Uhl, Amanda Urban, Bridget Valenia, Rebecca Van Ness, Raymond Vasta, Robert Vaughn, Jessica Velasquez, Joshua Vila, Jessica Wasdyke, William Waters, Amanda Wavra, Leanne Weatherly, Samantha Wenstrom, Abigail Wentz, Luke Westefeld, Nichole Wetmore, Korii White, Jessica Whitehead, Megan Wilkinson, Courtney Williams, Darrell Williams, Roxanne Williamson, Timothy Wode, Justin Worthy, Samantha Wurst, Zachary Yaede, Kevin Young, Jr., Taylor Zak, Dillon Zaluski, Rachel Zdon, Nicole Zimmerman.

The Press is not responsible for errors in graduate listings provided by the schools. Any discrepancy, omission or misspelling should be brought to the attention of the school.

Top Pinelands Regional High School graduates

Kacie Pollard

Rank: 1

College: College of Charleston, SC

Major: Marine science