Heat wave can't stop graduation as Elmira High School hands out diplomas to seniors
More than 370 seniors obtained their diplomas and celebrated Thursday evening after officially graduating from Elmira High School.
The annual commencement ceremony was pushed back from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and shortened somewhat to compensate for scorching daytime temperatures.
After the opening procession and greetings from Principal Christopher Reger, only a few of the planned speakers — including the class president and valedictorian — gave their remarks as scheduled before the seniors started lining up to receive their diplomas.
Senior class President Robert Cavalier asked his gathered classmates to think about how many different schools they attended to bring them to this moment. In his case, it was eight schools, Cavalier said.
Valedictorian Madelyn Perry told the crowd she was grateful for all the support she's gotten over the years.
"Thank you to every individual in this building who helped us reach our potential," Perry said.
Arts Celebrate Elmira art Saturday with Mural Fest 2024. What to know about 'Infinite Canvas'
The ceremony also featured a performance by members of the Elmira High School Expressions singers and a flute solo by graduating senior Brenna Casterline.
While other parts of the exercise were discarded in the interest of time, graduates did take part in the traditional turning of the tassels at the end.
Follow Jeff Murray on Twitter @SGJeffMurray. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Elmira High School holds 2024 commencement for more than 300 seniors
