After year of disruption, tradition returns for grads of Girard High
GIRARD — For the 134 members of Girard High School’s graduating class of 2021, having their commencement ceremony outside in Arrowhead Stadium was a return to tradition.
Even the threat of rain-filled clouds hovering over the ceremony did not deter members of a class that began the year online, returned to in-person learning for one week in November, but learned they had to return to online learning after the state closed all district schools shortly before Thanksgiving.
All many of the students wanted was to have a return to normal, so they could see their friends and their favorite teachers, and thank their families.
It was in December that 2021 class vice president Sophie Griffith sent an email to Principal Sam Caputo asking if they could have the graduation ceremony at Arrowhead Stadium.
“We immediately began working with that in mind,” Caputo said.
“I graduated outside in the stadium in 1996,” Caputo said. “They began having graduations inside in the auditorium around 2009 or 2010. Maybe this class will restart this tradition of how it used to be.”
Caputo said the seniors were excied to be able to come together for the last semester of the school year.
The district had eight valedictorian this year, all of them young ladies: Bella Alejars, Cierra Anzelmo, Emily Fitzgerald, Angela McKenna, Olivia Repasky, Alaina Rich, Maya Serrano and Ciara Taylor.
Gabriella LoCastro, 17, 2021 class president, described her senior year as “crazy.”
“It feels like it is ending too soon,” she said. “I feel blessed we’ve been able to be together for graduation.”
LoCastro described the first half of the school year as difficult because they were online and not seeing one another.
“Communication was very hard,” she said. “I’m happy we got our prom and this graduation. I’m glad we got to finish this way.”
Emily Fitzgerald, 18, said being taught online during the first semester was difficult.
“I had all of my hard college classes in the fall,” she said.
Caputo told members of the graduating class that while some their yesterdays may have been terrible, their tomorrows will be beautiful.
Girard Board of Education member Diane Alejars expressed joy there was a graduation ceremony.
“These kids have been through so much,” Alejars said. “High school is supposed to be the best time of their lives. It should be a time they remember with joy.”
rsmith@tribtoday.com