After intermittent thunderstorms forced the ceremony from the outdoor athletic facility into the PVHS gym, the Putnam Valley High School class of 2009, the largest in Putnam Valley history, graduated on Friday evening, June 26, 2009.
The high school gym became a blur of blue and white as the graduates entered— girls in white caps and gowns, boys in dark blue—to Pomp and Circumstance, played by PVHS musicians under the leadership of music teachers Ryan Odell and Gerard Micera. Honor society members wore as many as four different colored cords, the valedictorian and salutatorian wore their medals, and some members of the school’s lacrosse team sported their Section One championship medals or “PV LAX” slogans taped on the tops of their mortarboards.

The musical ensemble that included both vocalists and instrumentalists performed the National Anthem at the opening of the program and a beautiful musical interlude later on. The talented graduating senior Taylor Kuchera also sang a song that she had written especially for this occasion, accompanying herself on guitar and receiving a standing ovation from her classmates.

Principal Jonathan Bryant, Superintendent Marc Space, and School Board Present Tina Mackay, who also had a daughter, Rachel, graduating, each gave brief remarks about the significance of graduation and the special qualities that this class of students personifies.

Four student speakers followed. Class President Kaicee Gallo, Salutatorian Janelle Herelle, Valedictorian Kristen Macher, and Christopher Brothers touched on important aspects of moving forward in life while remembering what they had learned during their years at PVHS.

Once the tassels had been switched and the hats thrown into the air, the jubilant seniors and their proud families headed out into the fresh air for more celebrating.