Class officers and commencement speakers mark their official graduation from Saucon Valley High School by turning the tassels on their caps at the conclusion of Saturday’s ceremony, which was held as a drive-thru event in the school’s parking lot because of social distancing requirements during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Saucon Valley High School Class of 2020 celebrated a milestone achievement Saturday–graduation–in a way no other class has before. To their credit, students and their families made the most of the unique drive-thru ceremony, which was made more meaningful because of the hurdles that had to be cleared just for it to be held.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic that began in March, Lehigh Valley residents are currently restricted to gathering in groups of no more than 25 people, and it was unclear for a time if there would even be a commencement ceremony for the Panthers this year.
Eventually a plan was finalized that would allow for the ceremony to be held outside at the the high school, where speakers and the presentation of diplomas were filmed for projection onto a Jumbotron located along the north side of the parking lot. Mobile Technology Graphics of Lower Saucon Township donated it for use at the occasion.
Vehicles were decorated to the hilt for the outside ceremony, which was held in the parking lot and in the high school bus loop due to social distancing requirements related to the coronavirus pandemic.
The stage upon which speakers addressed those seated in their vehicles was located at the edge of the bus loop outside the entrance to the high school.
Audio for the ceremony was available by tuning in a car radio receiver to a preset frequency, and the entire ceremony was livestreamed on YouTube so family members and friends who were unable to attend could watch it in real time.
In order for the ceremony to be held at the high school, each graduate’s family was allowed to bring only one vehicle, which is why many families came in Suburbans, passenger vans and large-sized types of transportation.
Families and graduates were required to remain inside their vehicles throughout the ceremony, except if a restroom break was needed. Portable restrooms were located at the edge of the parking lot for use during those occasions.
The other exception was for the presentation of diplomas to graduates, although social distancing requirements meant that students had to maintain six feet of space between each other and school district administrators as they completed the rite of passage.
A Saucon Valley graduate walks around the bus loop toward the stage, where diplomas were picked up.
There were no handshakes or hugs outside of family units, and students wore face masks as they approached the stage, taking them off before they walked onto it to pick up their diploma.
As each senior walked to the edge of the bus loop and then around it, their family’s vehicle entered and followed them around the loop, stopping for photos of their child picking up his or her diploma and then again for shots in between black and red balloon “pillars” that along with other decorations were purchased with money raised by parents.
Instead of applause, car horns were sounded, and most vehicles were decorated with signs, streamers, balloons and writing to celebrate the young man or woman inside it.
Class president Monem Rizvi waits to receive his diploma. Custom-made Saucon Valley High School Class of 2020 face masks were worn by graduates as they approached the stage area, where they were removed for photos.
The entire ceremony lasted about two-and-a-half hours, and received praise from those who attended, many of whom commented on the impressive level of organization that had gone into creating such a unique event.
Since most teachers were unable to attend this year, many waited at the edge of the school distrit campus, where they cheered and held up signs congratulating the Class of 2020 as vehicles exited onto Walnut Street. The names of students were also written on the sidewalk in chalk, as another way of recognizing them.
The student speakers and class officers who spoke at the ceremony included: Kennedy Morgan, valedictorian; Zachary Appel, salutatorian; Monem Rizvi, class president; Paige Penizotto, class vice president; Anna Inglis, class secretary; Nicholas Snead, class treasurer; Abigail Altemose, Student Government Association president; and Talitha Diggs, student-selected speaker.
Class-chosen speaker Talitha Diggs addresses her classmates and their families at commencement exercises for the Saucon Valley High School Class of 2020. A track star, Diggs will attend the University of Florida.
Faculty presenters were Melissa Maynard and Mario Marcozzi, and the Saucon Valley High School choir performed virtually under the direction of Chad Miller.
Presenting diplomas to students were superintendent Dr. Craig Butler, principal Tamara Gary, assistant principal Amy Braxmeier, athletic director Robert Frey and school board president Dr. Shamim Pakzad.
As our way of recognizing the Saucon Valley High School Class of 2020, Saucon Source will provide each family with a complimentary high resolution image of their graduate. To receive the image file, please email jo**@sa**********.com with your son or daughter’s name and put “Grad Photo” in the subject line. Photos are for personal use and courtesy of Saucon Source LLC and Christopher J. Christian Photography.
Note: Graduate photos are below. Additional photos from the ceremony will be published in a separate gallery.
Class of 2020 valedictorian Kennedy Morgan
Class of 2020 salutatorian Zachary Appel
Class of 2020 class president Monem Rizvi
Class of 2020 class vice president Paige Penizotto
Abigail Altemose
Anna Inglis
Class of 2020 class treasurer Nicholas Snead
Class of 2020 student-selected speaker Talitha Diggs
Emma Patterson
Laura Gayanova
Kyra Harrington
Zachary Mikuta
Seran Goudsouzian
Caroline Gilbert
Ryan Kerr
Kyle Kerr
Bailey Smith
Aquinnah Silverman
Hannah Pandey
Gabrielle McCabe
Sara Mantoni
Connor Morgandale
Motus Anderson
Madison Apple
Matthew Arciuolo
Thomas Austin
Talia Avia
Kylie Beller
Savannah Benner
Emma Bernstein
Brandon Binn
Morgan Bloom
Tristan Bond
Corrine Borger
Alexandra Bosco
Jake Bruchak
Olivia Brucker
Adriana Bruneo
Samantha Bryn
Christopher Bucsi
Salome Carr
William Chen
Andrew Chikotas
Michael Clouse
Sierra Coffin
Sophia Cordes
Dane Csencsits
Cole Curtis
Jadyn DeBard
Matthew Deibert
Lorena Diaz
Kevin J. Dyer III
Justin Edinger
Serena El Banna
Leah Elane
Martina Fedorowicz
Justin Fegley
Thomas Ferguson
Dana Fischer
Jackson Garippa
Nicholas German
Sean Gilly
Nicholas Giove
Nicholas Gorman
Alexa Guerrieri
Sebastian Figueiredo
Erica Harvey
Mohammad Hassan
Hunter Haverty
Jezabel Hernandez
Stephen Hlavinka
Amelia Illingworth
Reno Iorio
Olivia Jackson
Caitlyn James
Olivia Kacerik
Daniel Keats
Ethan Kennedy
Elizabeth Kerosetz
Chanho Kim
Luke King
Anthony Kittelstad
Allison Klotz
Matthew Konkolics
Virginia Kouros
Jacob Kozlowski
Fiona Kramer
Garrett Laub
Haley Lebo
Maisie Leidich
Melissa Link
Faith Luffy
Braydyn Lugardo
Joshua Malone
Caylin Markle
Kevin Mateff
Joshua Mawson
Aedan McMenamy
Olivia Meier
Victoria Meono
Chelsea Miller
Adhiraj Miskin
Sarah Mitchell
Gabriel Ortiz
Matthew Moran
Nicolas Morawski
Mallory Mules
Malaika Nehal
Zachary Nicholas
Gregory Nolf
Maria Noll
Anim Ohene
Nathan Orr
Alexus Pacheco
Megan Patriarca
Kyle Patton
Kurt Pepper
Cameron Pritchard
Vito Randazzo
Vincent Rao
Jacob Reilly
Aiden Renninger
Ashley Rivera
Emma Rohn
Kelly Rose
Annie Rothacker
Brady Rowe
Allison Royse
Thulani Rukambe
Kiera Sager
Shelbie Salvaggio
Jeremiah Santiago
Robert Santiago
Kaylee Sauerwine
Kevin Schoch
Rachel Schoch
Lily Schoenenberger
Nicholas Greyson Schriffert
Kathryn Sharkey
Emerson Shauger
Brielle Sklodowski
Jacqueline Smith
Jessica Smith
Joel Smith
Abbey Soltysiak
Dale Sorensen
Thomas Spirk
Rachel Starr
Sadie Statler
Thomas Stern
Austin Stewart
Damian Strain
Mason Sysak
Brynne Szabo
Alexander Urban
Gregory Veil
Sydner Von Rohr
Nickolas Warnke
Madison White
Colleen Williams
Robert Yovish
Anthony Zambrana
Camryn Zavacky
Paige Ziegler
