The Hammonton Gazette 06/19/19 Edition | Page 5

Speeches, tassels and mortarboards at graduation Page 4 • Wednesday, June 19, 2019 • The Hammonton Gazette HHS, from Page 1 their tassels during the 123rd an- nual graduation program, which was moved indoors due to the looming threat of rain. The Class of 2019 entered the gymnasium, organized into alter- nating rows of blue and white gowns to begin the ceremony while friends and family mem- bers looked on from the stands. Many HHS staff and faculty members, and board of education members were also on hand for the ceremony, which began with the singing of the National An- them and the HHS alma mater by senior members of the HHS Se- lect Choir, followed by a wel- come address from 2019 class president Angelica Ortiz, who re- marked about the endurance and fortitude demonstrated by the Class of 2019 throughout its time at HHS. “Coming in through the doors of high school every day is not al- ways an easy task because each day brought new struggles for us. Whether it be the stress of unfin- ished homework or challenging tests, drama between friends, or a fear of the future: we have en- dured. Today, we acknowledge the struggles and accomplish- ments, but most importantly we acknowledge the grind it took to get here. This endurance is what makes our class truly legendary,” Ortiz said. Ortiz was followed in her re- marks by HHS student council president Victoria Falciani, who said the Class of 2019 shared a special bond and school spirit that rapidly developed during their four years together. “I aspire to appropriately con- vey the spirit of our class and provide a suitable congratulations to such an involved and leg- endary class. This year, the senior class united and not only made this a year to remember, but one full of laughs, growth, teamwork and family. I am honored to not only be a part of it all, but to lead the school and our class through student council … Growing up together since freshman year, we have all grown closer with one another, and we share something as the Class of 2019 no one else does: each other,” Falciani said. In her salutatorian speech, HHS graduate Mandy Lin said the “legendary” tagline that was chosen for the Class of 2019 is apropros due to the diverse skillset it possesses as a student body. “As the Salutatorian, I must ‘salute’ the many accomplish- ments that members of our class have achieved. Over the past four years, the Class of 2019 made it- self truly distinct, special and ex- ceptional. I believe that we are perhaps the greatest class to have ever graduated from Hammonton High School so far. Our talents and accomplishments are ex- tremely diverse: the softball team won the South Jersey Group 3 Championship in 2018, the girls tennis and basketball teams were both Tri-County Royal Division Champions in 2018, the march- ing band were NJ state champi- ons in 2016 , this year’s Physics Olympics Team took first place in the annual NJ State Competi- tion, we had members of this class display their talents in the spring musical, Grease, and we had students who dedicated hun- dreds of hours to serving the community. It is impossible to list everything that we have achieved during our time at high school. The talents that our class possesses show why we are truly ‘legendary,’” Lin said. Lin’s classmate and Class of See GRAD, Page 10 SOLD! 800 S. White Horse Pike (Crowley Center), P.O. Box 1119 • Hammonton • 561-0505 • [email protected] • www.CrowleyCarr.com Congratulations PAUL MACRIE IV on the purchase of your home! Thank you for putting your trust in Crowley & Carr. “The Best Place in Town to Find the Best Place in Town.” With nearly 30 years in business, who better to guide you on all your Real Estate needs than the CROWLEY & CARR REAL ESTATE TEAM!