WALL TOWNSHIP — Seniors of Wall High School gave a heartfelt goodbye to their time in Wall schools this past week at the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2025 Crimson Knights.
The ceremony took place at the high school football field, filled with red and white caps and gowns and hundreds of family members and friends packing the bleachers.
Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC) members Lt. j.g. Sophia White and Cadet Ella Wobser led the salute to the flag to begin the commencement. White, a participant in the Wall High School pre-engineering academy, will attend Princeton University this fall with plans to major in mechanical engineering. Wobser, who will attend Syracuse University, plays eight musical instruments and has participated in the arts throughout high school.
The school’s NNDCC Color Guard presented the colors at the opening of the ceremony, with the school’s choir then performing the national anthem. Graduating student Olive Stockton was honored for creating the theme of this year’s commencement ceremony, surrounding philosopher Henry David Thoreau.
“Henry David Thoreau once said, ‘Go confidently in the direction of your dreams,’” Stockton said. “I chose this as the quote for graduation, and was lucky enough for the school to select it as this year’s theme. This quote speaks volumes to our senior year, because it is a time where there are a lot of decisions to be made. No one’s experience is less or more than another’s. Different people just follow different paths. We followed our paths, and made it to graduation. Now, we have the opportunity to follow our dreams to a gap year, a job, college, the military, trade school or wherever they lead us next.”
Schools Superintendent Tracy Handerhan, teachers, administrators, members of the Wall Township Board of Education and members of the Wall Township Committee were also on the stage to recognize the efforts of the senior class.
Graduate Mia Lemanowicz – a cellist and member of the National Music Honor Society headed to Loyola University to study speech, language and hearing sciences as well as Spanish – delivered the welcome address.
“Today, we recognize this ceremony as the beginning to a new part of our lives,” Lemanowicz said.
Principal Kevin Davis introduced the top 10 academic ranking students and honored them for their dedication to their Wall High education: Charles Thoreau, Demitri Tu, Olive Stockton, Samantha Brett, Sophia White, Alexa DiRocco, Marc Rossin, Morgan Brady, Mackenzie Reilly and valedictorian of the class of 2025, Joseph Donofrio.
Donofrio took part in the school’s pre-engineering academy, served as treasurer of the National Honor Society and held leadership roles in the Astronomy and Donate Life clubs. Donofrio is also a senior patrol leader and Eagle Scout, a three-season athlete, playing soccer, wrestling and lacrosse; and a musician in the school’s marching and jazz bands. Donofrio will attend the University of Notre Dame on a Navy ROTC scholarship, majoring in mechanical engineering.
Donofrio spoke of the collective support from school staff, family and friends that helped make graduation possible for this year’s class, saying recognizing that help is crucial and often goes unnoticed.
“We remember everything we do because we live it,” Donofrio said, “but we often overlook or simply do not see what others contribute. We end up unintentionally overcrediting ourselves. And yet, when we think about it, we know better. No one gets here alone. Our lives are shaped by countless forces – where we are born, who we meet, what support systems we have and more. We don’t choose these things. They are the cards we were dealt.”
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