Smiles tell the story as Pontiac graduates Class of 2022
With an ear-to-ear smile on his face and an “Oh, my god!” remark as he got on stage, Sergio Gonzalez showed the excitement and the joy of becoming a high school graduate.
On Sunday afternoon at Pontiac Township High School, there were 149 students who felt some sort of thrill as they officially became high school graduates. Among those was Sergio Sebastian Sori Gonzalez, a young man who required physical help down the aisle, up the stairs, across the stage and back to his seat only because of the laws of gravity because his expression indicated that he could have flown through the hour-long event.
Gonzalez was much more animated than his classmates but reaching the accomplishment of becoming a high school graduate was easily visible on the faces of every member of the PTHS Class of 2022 who took had their named read by class secretary Grace Mund as they walked across the stage to receive their diploma from either Pontiac District 90 Board President Dale Schrock or board member Mary Brainard.
Principal Eric Bohm and Superintendent Jon Kilgore met the students coming and going from the stage with a congratulatory fist bump or handshake.
There were some hugs, too, such as Board President Schrock giving one to his niece, Dani Grace Schrock, who was among those projecting a broad smile on this day.
The ceremony was one that mostly followed tradition. The Class of 2022 receiving their diplomas entered to “Pomp and Circumstance” that was performed by the PTHS band. The choir then performed “You'll Never Walk Alone.”
Bohm greeted the Class of 2022 and welcomed guests. He asked veterans of the military — current and former — to stand and be recognized. He recognized three seniors — Wyatt Griffith, Ty Jensen and Aiden Snodgrass — who are in or going into the military.
There was also the recognition graduates of distinction, who are honor students who went above and beyond the requirements of simply graduating with honors. Bohm pointed out that the Class of 2022 was the one of the most “academically gifted” classes in recent years at PTHS.
Bohm illustrated this remark by pointing out that there were 14 students who achieved a perfect 4.0 grade point average on the track that is required for valedictorian recognition.
He also jokingly remarked that the audience can thank him later for not having it sit through 14 valedictorian speeches, which at one point in the history of the PTHS, would have happened.
The Commencement Address was provided by Lydia Grampp, a member of the Class of 2022, and one of the 14 valedictorians. Grampp told of the experience over the four years the members of her class experienced — from being freshmen entering a new environment to going through COVID to finally becoming graduates.
Mund was then came forward to call the roll of the Class of 2022. And, in order and one by one, those in attendance came forward and took that walk across the stage, reaching the raised platform as a senior and leaving as a graduate.
Finally, Mund called her name and she received her diploma. After Mund took her seat, Kilgore made his presentation of the Class of 2022 and then the class recessed out of the gymnasium and entered a new world as high school graduates.
This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Smiles tell the story as Pontiac graduates Class of 2022
