SOUTH DEERFIELD — The 79 Frontier Regional School students who walked across the stage with their diplomas Friday night have shown their fair share of resilience as they dealt with a pandemic-marred school experience.

That resilience, said commencement speaker and Frontier health, English as a second language and science instructor Katherine Blair, is an important trait. However, she implored the graduates to go above and beyond what they’ve already developed.

“Resilience means that you’ve created clever ways to work around and cope and deal with all the craziness and inhumanities that exist in society,” Blair said. “And while there is some merit to this, my hope is that you, the graduating class, will see this call for resilience as a direct invitation to change the systems in the world that cause such strain, such pressure and such injustice.”

Part of that call is urging the graduating class to become involved in their communities, no matter where that may be.

“It takes a village, they say, to raise a child. This proverb is widely know and often used because it is as timeless as it is true. The value of a healthy community cannot be underestimated,” Blair said. “And when we invest in our communities, our relationships, we are paid back in glorious dividends.”

In a speech recounting the senior class’ accomplishments — and a couple jabs at the football team’s losses, with head coach and Assistant Principal Scott Dredge laughing behind him — Class President Nicholas Lorantos said the Class of 2023 has “exceeded the expectations that were set.”

“It’s important to recognize that change is good, and that stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing the uncertainty of life makes you a better person,” Lorantos said. “This moment of our lives is just one small part of the story and it would be pretty lame to never move onto the next part.”

Graduates

Jillian Margaret Apanell, James Ayotte, Kyle Robert Baker, Samantha Helen Baker, Michaela Maureen Beeltje, Kali J. Berthiaume, Erich T. Brown, Eathon Ryan Bryant, Brady A. Burch, Abigail Paige Burgess, Aniela Kathleen Carey, Dylan McCullough Clemente, Caroline C. Crocker, Milo Andrew Cusano, Brooke Claire Davis, Emily Day, Ngawang Deter, Gage Tomsho Dexter, Eve Joule Dougan, Jesse Todd Dubreuil, Angelina Celeste Egland, Kirsten Marie Fabry, Daniel O. Fellows, Chloe Felton-Emrick, Miles Burke Ferreira, Ella Mapel Flanders, David Garcia Frazier, Alexander Stephen Gochinski, Abigail Florence Goff, Leonore Isabel Gogibu, David Andrew Gray, Siomara Meybelyn Green, Renee Elizabeth Hait, Cordelia M. Hale, Coleman L. Hartner, Jose Henriuez de Paz, Conner Hoffman, Abigail Linnae Howard, Eva Rice Howard, Amier William Jackson, Carolena Marie Johnson, Miles Jacob Keefe, Sean F. Kirkendall, Andrew Kolakoski, Tenzin Kunsang, Jesse Raymond Kurkulonis, Kylie Mae Laford, Nikos J. Lanides, Marcus Ray Larsson, Sophia Leone, Indya Lewis, Nicholas R. Lorantos, Benjamin Makosiej, Jake Mattson, Fiona Grace McFarland, Cheryl Ann Moreau, Olivia Noyes, Shelby Kathleen Orloski, Steven C. Otto, Matthew C. Perreault, Anna Marie Petrin, David Salvatore Pettinato, Bianca Peura, Madelene R. Powers, Samuel Propp, Madeline Nicole Reardon, Lila Sarah Roche, Riley Michael Rowan, Fernando Saravia, Sydney Victoria Scanlon, Matthew W. Sicard, Ryan Skorb, Liam Robert Skribiski-Banack, Summer F. Sobieski, Emma Fern St. Hilaire, Ayla Louise Starr, Matthew J. Stiles, Ajoshua Christopher Sutton, Elizabeth M. Tatro, Sydney Nicole Tor, Rowan R. Viles, Rebecca Grace Wallace-West, Victoria Rose Weagle, Cadince Jasmine Wells-Robinson, Aiden Matthew West, Chad Michael Wilkey, Quinn A. Woods and Harrison Read Wright.

Scholarships

Alber Hearing Scholarship, Caroline Crocker, Lila Roche; Amherst Chamber of Commerce-Cooley Dickinson Hospital Healthcare Scholarship, Emily Day; Marshall Aronstam Memorial Scholarship Award, Kylie Laford; Barbara Banas Memorial Award, Caroline Crocker; Stephen M. and Martha H. Barrett Scholarship, Shelby Orloski; Jeffrey C. Bednarski Memorial Scholarship, Cordelia Hale, Tenzin Kunsang; Sgt. Gregory Belanger Memorial Award, Emily Day, Summer Sobieski; George E. Bell Jr. & Louise S. Bell Memorial Scholarship, Victoria Weagle; Greg Bielski Memorial Award, Rebecca Wallace-West; Big Y Scholarship, Abigail Burgess, Brooke Davis, Benjamin Makosiej, Lila Roche, Sydney Scanlon; Class of 1969 Scholarship — In Honor of Michael Ferriter, Sophia Leone; Conway Festival of the Hills Scholarship, Kyle Baker, Brooke Davis, Ella Flanders, Jesse Kurkulonis, Benjamin Makosiej, Victoria Weagle, Cadince Wells-Robinson; Conway Firemen’s Auxiliary Scholarship, Ella Flanders, Victoria Weagle; Conway Sportsman’s Club Scholarship, Kyle Baker, Aniela Carey, Caroline Crocker, Brooke Davis, Emily Day, Ella Flanders, Victoria Weagle; Deerfield Lion’s Club Memorial Award, David Gray, Lila Roche; Deerfield Lion’s Club David Karkut Memorial Scholarship, Sydney Scanlon; Deerfield Police Walter Dacyczyn Memorial Award, Sydney Scanlon; Deerfield Recreation Committee Award, Samantha Baker, Erich Brown, Liam Skribiski-Banack; Edwin C. Demara Endowed Scholarship, Emily Day; Carol DiIorio Memorial Award, Aniela Carey; Franklin First Scholarship, Victoria Weagle; John T. Frigard Memorial Award, Renee Hait; Frontier Regional School Committee Award, Sydney Scanlon; FRS Teachers’ Association Edna Beattie Award, Caroline Crocker, Kristin Fabry, Anna Petrin, Lila Roche; Future Farmers of America Scholarship, Victoria Weagle; Daniel Gilmore Memorial Scholarship, Erich Brown, Sydney Scanlon; Vi Goodnow Memorial Award, Lila Roche; Attorney George P. Gromacki, Class of 1950 Memorial Award, Brady Burch; Hale Clapp Post 3295 VFW Scholarship, Kali Berthiaume, Sydney Tor; Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden Agricultural Society Scholarship, Samantha Baker; Matthew Herman Scholarship, Carolena Johnson; Caleb Charles Kinney Memorial Scholarship, Jillian Apanell, Sydney Scanlon, Rebecca Wallace-West; Charles and Paula Mark Scholarship, Leo Cooney; Massachusetts Elks Scholarship Inc., Shelby Orloski; Timothy Patrick Merritt Scholarship, Rebecca Wallace-West; Joseph Morawski Memorial Award, Abigail Howard; Kathy Moser Memorial Award, Cadince Wells-Robinson; Nancy Olszewski Memorial Scholarship, David Gray; Charles A. Pielock Memorial Award, Marcus Larsson; Polish American Citizen’s Club Scholarship, Samantha Baker, Brady Burch, David Gray, Shelby Orloski, Summer Sobieski; Polish American Citizen’s Club Charles O. “Chuck” Demers Memorial Scholarship, Erich Brown; Polish American Citizen’s Club Terrence “Squawky” Powers Memorial Scholarship, Brooke Davis, Sydney Scanlon; The Recorder Scholarship, Gage Dexter; Mary Stuart Rogers Scholarship, Kirsten Fabry; Myron “Rocky” Rokoszak Memorial Award for Academics and Athletics, Sydney Scanlon; Myron “Rocky” Rokoszak Memorial Award, Shelby Orloski; Mary Ryan Memorial Scholarship, Nicholas Lorantos; Thomas J. Scanlon Sr. Memorial Scholarship, Emily Day; David L. Scott Memorial Scholarship, Sean Kirkendall, Rebecca Wallace-West; Michael R. Skibiski Memorial Award, Fernando Saravia; John F. Skroski Memorial Award, David Gray, Sean Kirkendall; South Deerfield Women’s Club Scholarship, Erich Brown, Ella Flanders, David Gray, David Pettinato, Sydney Scanlon; Sunderland Men’s Club Lillian Dill Scholarship, Fiona McFarland; Sunderland Men’s Club George Pomeroy Award, Madelene Powers; Sunderland Volunteer Fireman’s Association Award, Kirsten Fabry; Sunderland Women’s Club Frances M. Clark Fine Arts, Bianca Peura; Sunderland Women’s Club Kimberly Zewski Community Service Award, Kirsten Fabry; Mary A. Valiton Memorial Scholarship, Jillian Apanell; Fred Wells Scholarship, Jillian Apanell, Samantha Baker, Erich Brown, Emily Day, Ella Flanders, David Gray, Eva Rice Howard, Jesse Kirkulonis, Shelby Orloski, Anna Petrin, Lila Roche, Sydney Scanlon, Liam Skribiski-Banack, Summer Sobieski, Cadince Wells-Robinson; Whately Grange Scholarship, Carolena Johnson; Whately PTO Award, Carolena Johnson; Women of the Moose Chapter 316 Medical Field Scholarship, Sydney Scanlon; Yankee Candle Scholarships, Jillian Apanell, Aniela Carey, Caroline Crocker, Brooke Davis, Ngawang Deter, Kirsten Fabry, Ella Flanders, David Gray, Marcus Larsson, Madelene Powers, Lila Roche, Fernando Saravia, Sydney Scanlon, Liam Skribiski-Banack, Summer Sobieski, Rebecca Wallace-West, Victoria Weagle; Jenie Brozowski Zarimba Memorial Award, Elizabeth Tatro; Daniela Zinn Memorial Scholarship, Rebecca Wallace-West; John & Abigail Adams Scholarship, Jillian Apanell, Michaela Beeltje, Kali Berthiaume, Erich Brown, Aniela Carey, Emily Day, Gage Dexter, Eve Dougan, Miles Ferreira, Abigail Goff, Abigail Howard, Eva Howard, Asa Jackson, Carolena Johnson, Miles Keefe, Tenzin Kunsang, Jesse Kurkulonis, Marcus Larsson, Nicholas Lorantos, Fiona McFarland, Cheryl Moreau, Olivia Noyes, David Pettinato, Bianca Peura, Sydney Scanlon, Ayla Starr, Elizabeth Tatro, Sydney Tor, Victoria Weagle; Stanley Z. Koplik    Certificate of Master Award, Lila Roche.

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