Lourdes graduates encouraged to follow passions

May 21—The 25 members of of Our Lady Lourdes Regional High School's Class of 2021 were told to follow their dreams as they accepted their diplomas Thursday night.

Salutatorian Ashley A. Albert began the evening's remarks encouraging her classmates to follow their passion and "make your life meaningful."

Quoting Dr. Seuss, she said, "Be who you are and say what you feel because the ones who mind don't matter, and the ones who matter don't mind."

Guest speaker Kevin Metrocavage reiterated the theme of Albert's speech by telling the students, "Follow where your passion leads you and dream big."

Metrocavage, a 1991 Lourdes graduate who now works as the International Space Station operations manager for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., recalled his youthful aspirations to be Luke Skywalker or Captain Kirk on the Starship Enterprise. The facility monitors human spaceflight operations.

"That passion fueled me. The sky is not the limit," said Metrocavage.

The son of Paul and Pat Metrocavage, Coal Township, he earned a bachelor's degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from Purdue University. He has served on the university Alumni Board of Directors and is currently past president of their Engineering Alumni Board of Directors.

He urged the class to remain positive and stay connected with family and childhood friends, telling the audience that many of the relationships he "cherished" at his high school graduation 30 years ago remain strong today.

Valedictorian Robert L. Scalia shared memories he and his 24 classmates have made over the years and reminded them what has brought them together as he said they should remember throughout their lives to spend some time in prayer "to the Lord."

Diplomas were distributed by Secretary of Education for the Diocese of Harrisburg Daniel Breen and Lourdes Principal Sister Mary Ann Bednar.