A graduating class of 164 students received their diplomas from Batavia High School yesterday in a ceremony held at Genesee Community College.
Superintendent Chris Dailey said 74 percent of the class is pursuing higher education, including 41 going directly to four-year schools, 80 to community colleges and 31 students are entering the workforce already with jobs, plus seven students are going into the military.
"That is college and career ready," Dailey said.
Of the 164 graduates, 142 are receiving regents diplomas.
"For a small city school, that's outstanding," Dailey said. "We'll put that up against anywhere else in New York State."
Burton Howell, a science teacher at BHS for 28 years, delivered the keynote speech, emphasizing the tough love students got as they made their way through their educational journey. Starting on Sunday, they are no longer subject to the rules and discipline of school, but the rules and laws of society, subject to due process. It's up to them, he said, to make the right decisions through the rest of their lives. He spoke about Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle. You can know an object's position, or you can know it's velocity and direction. If you know an object's position, you don't know where it's going or how fast. He told the students that we know where you are now, but we don't know where you're going. That's up to each student to decide.
Valedictorian Alexis Vasciannie noted that the Class of 2016 was an accomplished class, with success in academics, the arts and athletics. She challenged students to enter life now and find their own paths to success.
Salutatorian Ross Chua closed his speech by singing an original song. Chua, named Mr. Batavia earlier in the year, also participated in the Genesee Symphony Orchestra's performance of his own composition; he plans to attend Syracuse University. His goal is write a symphony that will be performed by a major, world-renowned symphony, or write the scores for major motion pictures. These are big dreams, he confessed, but he would be equally happy if someday he owned a music store, because there he might sell a first instrument to a future top-40 recording artist or the shoes to a future prima ballerina. Those accomplishments would change the world. He reminded his fellow graduates that even the small things they do in life will have a big impact on the world. They should go out and try to make a difference.
Chua received the Quincy Jones Award for his musical accomplishments at the school. Awards and scholarships were handed out to more than a dozen students.
Kayla Burns receives her diploma from Dailey.
Malachi Chenault is congratulated after receiving his diploma.
Zach Lee celebrates graduation while waiting his turn to receive his diploma.
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