196 grads at Newark High School

Weather moved the 1998 Newark High School graduation ceremony indoors Friday evening.

The 196 graduates are named in alphabetical order:

Kristen Ruth Admiraal, Thomas Alberts, Jamie Nichole Allen, Sarah Catherine Archunde, Brian P. Atwell, Dean E. Bailey, Sean M. Bailey, William K. Barcomb, Keenan Matthew Barry, Nicholas H. Basso, Vanessa Lynn Behlau, Ian Daniel Benedict, Micah John Bialaszewski, Jason Blankenberg, Karen Jean Bohrer, Heather Lee Boughton, Jennifer Lee Boyd, Timothy K. Bratt, and Eugene Brewer.

Alethea Y. Brooks, Danielle Lee Bruzee, Natalie Erin Bruzee, Benjamin J. Bumpus, Brandon P. Bumpus, Colleen C. Burgess, Dana L. Bush, Anthony Alan Capostagno, Kelly Marie Carr, James J. Castillo, Johnathan R. Celso, Sara Elizabeth Chetney, Brian L. Clevenger, Christopher Close, Ben Compton, Sara Anne Conant, Katherine Grace Contario, Matthew Joseph Cordaro, Tiffany Leigh Cowley, Richard Isaac Cunningham, Peter Edwin Czerkas, and Adam J. Daniels.

John W. DeCann, Christopher J. Decker, Jonathan R. DeCook, Justin P. DePauw, Jessica L. DePugh, Annika Martine Derks, Peter E. DeRue, Judy Lynn DeSain, Albert J. DeWilde Jr., Kathleen Marie Dorn, Dietra Maryanna Dotschkal, Fred Downey, Jennifer R. Doyle, Chris E. DuVal, Brandon Lee English, Aurea N. Espada, Michael P. Fagner, Danielle Lynn Farkas, Travis James Fish, Elisa Annette Fontaine, Christopher J. Frey, and Stacy L. Fulmer.

Paul Louis Garland, Angel L. Gonzalez, Santos Velazquez Gonzales Jr., Jason David Graf, Daniel Austin Green, Noel Kristine Guchone, Jacob F. Hanks, Laurie Lynn Hannan, Jamie Lee Harris, Timothy Harris, Brandi L. Harry, Heidi Elizabeth Hellert, Jennifer Lynn Hemenway, Kelly Lyn Hermenet, Richard B. Hill Jr., Michael Howard, Erik Scott Hurdle, Gregory R. Ide, Jamie Suzanne Ippolito, Kathlynn M. Jackson, Joshua M. Jinks, and Colleen A. Johnson.

Chad E. Jorgensen, Angela G. Kardys, Katherine May Kehoe, Joshua R. Kraham, Johanna Krapichler, Lonny Laird, Kristy J. Lead, Brayden M. Lee, JoAnn J. Lester, Toni Lee Liese, Myrnalis Lopez, Sandra A. Lyon, Michael S. MacFadden, Crystal A. Mackey, Andrew J. MacLaren, Allan Mathew Mallette IV, Nichole Ann Mangus, LaToya R. Mathis, Michelle Lynn Maugiri, Paul May, Colleen Susan McCusker, and Darcy Lynn McCusker.

Kelly Ann McNally, Ryan Patrick McRobbie, Jason James Meath, Lindsay Jaye Miller, Joseph James Monahan, Karen Elizabeth Mooney, William Morales, Kymberly Ann Morris, Dawn Marie Morrison, Brendan John Morrissey, Melissa Lee Naschke, Jessie M. Nenish, Stephany M. Neve, Melissa McKenna Nicholson, Britta Nicksch, Amber Melissa Norsen, Colby James O'Connor, Elizabeth Marie Ormsbee, Renee Marie Parmiter, Kelly Marie Parsons, Larry John Patterson, and Teressa Jan Perillo.

Lucas Peters, Alyson J. Phillips, Michael A. Pizzirusso, Dennis Potter Jr., Michael Provo, Candace M. Pullen, Meghan Elisabeth Rabideau, Jennifer L. Rapp, Kathryn G. Raymo, Christopher John Reed, Joilynn A. Rising, Bonnie Lynn Robson, Jared David Rokitowski, Rosalie R. Rosario, Kristen L. Roseman, Michael Lewis Ross, Angie Marie Russell, Christina Andrea Russell, Joseph W. Ryan Jr., Rafael Sanabria Jr., Michael J. SanAngelo Jr., and David Roberto Santiago.

Paul Michael Bloom Scarpati, Patrick Charles Scharett, Wendy Marie Sears, Laura Beth Semmler, Laura Marie Severson, Meghan Elizabeth Shoemaker, Roger Shulla II, Eva Siebel, Jessica Ann Sielawa, William R. Sigler, Danielle Lyn Simonse, Elizabeth Patricia Sleight, Andre Smith, James Earl Smith, Lew Kyle Spencer, Jill Suzanne Starkenburg, Jennifer Stevens, Tanya Ann Stevens, Brandy Lynne Stewart, Samuel David Stone, Torrey Lynn Stopfel, and Ed Stout.

Also Brian James Strait, Rachel A. Strauch, Kimio Kachelle Streeter, Michael Tirado, Jimar L. Turner, Laura Anne Vanderbrook, Benjamin W. van Dijk, Jennifer Helene VanLaeken, Nelson Velazquez, Jr., Matveeva Olga Vladimirovna, Charles F. Vohs, Jr., Jason Michael Vorie,

Devin Richard Wage, Kristin Marie Warner, Joshua P. Washburn, Tanner John Webb, Christopher M. Welcher, Matthew A. Werts, Jason D. Wetmore, Kathleen Ann Wheeler, Alisa Marie Wirth, Kimberly Ann Wood, and Michelle Lee Zappia.

The diplomas were handed out by School Board President David Howard, Principal Gary Grant and Superintendent Bob Christmann.

The featured speaker was Spanish language teacher Dominic Basso, who is retiring this year. Giving the valedictory was Kelly McNally; the salutatory was by Jill Starkenburg.

Kay Oosterling played Pomp and Circumstance to open the ceremony. There was also music by senior musicians in the chorus and the band.

Dominic "Nick" Basso spoke about the "small miracles" in his life, mentioning people important to him. He thanked his Army buddy Pvt. Danny Mahady, former Spanish teacher Dick Foster, and Bruce Williams, his mentor teacher and a beautiful individual. He was a student teacher at Newark in 1968, with Dick Foster.

He was hired in Newark for the 1970-71 school year, after receiving degrees at Oswego and Potsdam.

During his address, he said he hopes this generation of youths has done away with the cruel prejudices, double standards and hypocrisies of his generation. Though he is retiring from teaching, he told his friends he will always be here to give them love or a joke.

He told the audience; "Please don't put your heads on your desk, while I'm telling a story!"

In conclusion he said, "No matter how tall your father was, you have to do your own growing. Adios!"

(Four foreign language teachers at the high school have racked up 113 years of teaching there: Vic Thomas, Kathy Snow, Ed Carl and Basso.)

In keeping with tradition, the Junior Class hosted an ice cream social in the gym, following commencement. After that gathering of families and friends, the seniors were locked in for the annual Operation Graduation party. The theme for this year's all-night bash was "A Trip to Hawaii.

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