‘I don’t just see graduates, I see years of memories’

GREENE COUNTY―A journey has ended and new beginnings are on the horizon for hundreds of high school seniors across Greene County.

Commencement ceremonies were held Friday evening at Cairo-Durham, Catskill, Coxsackie-Athens, Greenville, and Windham-Ashland-Jewett. Hunter-Tannersville will celebrate on Saturday morning.

“It is remarkable to think how much you have grown over the last four years. You have changed, matured, accomplished so much and became young adults sitting before us tonight,” Greenville High School Principal Kristy Goergen told the graduating class.

“And somewhere along the way, a few gray hairs started appearing on my head. I’m not saying there is a connection but I’m not ruling it out either,” she joked.

For Goergen, this year marked her final commencement ceremony at Greenville. She begins a new position in Cohoes next month.

Without question, Goergen said, some of her favorite memories of Greenville have come from building relationships with this year’s graduates.

“Whatever path you choose, I hope you approach it with curiosity, kindness and confidence to keep learning. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, make mistakes or change direction when life takes you somewhere unexpected,” she said. “Some of the best opportunities come from the paths that you never intended to take.”

In Catskill, High School Principal Jaime DiDonna noted that the milestone is both an ending and a beginning.

“We celebrate years of hard work, growth, friendships, challenges overcome, and lessons learned both inside and outside the classroom,” DiDonna said. “It also marks something deeper: the moment you begin stepping into adulthood.”

Catskill Valedictorian Rylin Quinn pointed out that the paths they all take will be different.

“For some of us its college, for some of us it’s the military, for others it is the workforce. Similar to our high school experience, we will face challenges in the future,” Quinn said.

“No matter how hard the challenges may be, quitting will never be the solution,” he added.

Quoting boxing legend Muhammad Ali, Quinn said, “You don't lose if you get knocked down; you lose if you stay down.”

Catskill Superintendent of Schools Junait Shah recalled meeting many of the graduates for the first time when they were in middle school and he was their assistant principal.

“When I look out at this class I don’t just see graduates, I see years of memories. I see students who grew into leaders. I see young men and women who learned how to persevere through challenges, support one another, and represent this community with pride,” said Shah.

“You are entering a world that will ask a lot of you… but if the last several years have taught us anything it is that growth happens when we embrace challenges rather than avoid them,” he added.

“No matter where life takes you… you will always have a home here,” said Shah.