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Grads, principal come and go together
(by Sue Hoffman - June 09, 2010)
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Grads, principal come and go together
By SUE HOFFMAN
When George Steyer took the position of Solon High School principal nearly 13 years ago, the graduating class of 2010 was starting kindergarten.
"We came in together, and we went out together," said Mr. Steyer, who is retiring this summer after 38 years in education. He said the new graduates and he are experiencing similar emotions. "It's bittersweet," he said. "It's nice, but we'll miss Solon."
Last week, Mr. Steyer shook hands with the Solon graduating class for the last time. Commencement took place the evening of June 3 at the State Theatre in downtown Cleveland.
Mr. Steyer commented on how the class of 2010 was special. "This was a really good class. They really excelled in academics, athletics and extracurricular activities. They succeeded as individuals and members of teams. They were well-respected and worked hard."
Statistics help tell the story. Of the 446 graduates, nearly 50 percent received honors diplomas, 79 percent had achieved honor roll or merit roll during their senior year and 97 percent are college-bound. Thirty-three students were National Merit commended students or finalists.
Students were accepted into nearly every Ivy League college, along with such highly ranked schools as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Duke and Tufts universities.
"We had a unique class," said senior class President Jessica Grossman, who had the honor of reading each graduate's name at commencement. "There was so much going on, and everyone was excelling in their own way. As a whole, we came together. We have had such a successful year."
"What makes the class of 2010 special is that there have been so many people that I've met who have surprised me somehow with their talent, passion, sense of humor or kindness," Harvard-bound Violet Li said. "This class has achieved so much, broken so many records, set so many examples."
Ms. Li and Olivia Scicolone, who were both chosen by audition to be the commencement speakers, exemplified how the class has excelled. Ms. Li, who served as co-editor-in-chief of both the school newspaper and literary magazine, led the student congress debate team this year and placed 15th in the state.
Ms. Scicolone, who will major in theater arts at Yale University, attended the Chagrin Falls Performing Arts Academy this year. She had the role of Masha in the academy's production of "The Three Sisters" and will be appearing in "King Lear" this summer at the Ohio Shakespeare Festival.
In her commencement speech, Ms. Li wove a theme of individuality and unity as she reflected on the character of her class.
"What makes us so amazing is that we don't choose to hide our individual quirks and personalities, and I find myself constantly amazed by the many members of this class who display their colors through their passions, their actions and their insistent bending of the status quo," Ms. Li said.
"However, just as we are each individuals, together, we make up the class of 2010. Granted, there probably aren't many of us who can name every single member of this class, but whether or not we realize it, we are one. The bonds that formed gradually between us within these short years are indelible; they cannot be broken or erased by time or distance."
In her speech, Ms. Scicolone stressed the importance of humility as the class sets out on individual paths.
"We are in such a wonderful position in our lives at this moment -- we are at the beginning of adulthood but still have the energy of children. We can go forth with a genuine, unsullied joy of discovery before the baggage of life can weigh us down. So go and do that.
"Our insignificance is not to be lamented; it's to be embraced by every single person, everyone who shares in it, because it's the fabric of our camaraderie. It's a testament to spirituality and that mysterious world beyond human attainment. And in that discovery lie humility, companionship and an intense appreciation for having the opportunity to live."
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