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Wyoming Valley West graduates cheered into the futureBy Patrick SweetStaff Writer

K I N G S T O N — W hybring an airhorn to a highschool graduation ceremo-ny when you can bring abullhorn?

At the top of the SpartanStadium bleachers duringthe Wyoming Valley Westgraduation ceremony onThursday, a huddle ofsophomore and juniorWyoming Valley West stu-dents exploded into acacophonous wave ofsirens, horns, pops andbullhorn-amplified con-gratulations as Zach Mar-cin accepted his diploma.

It was loud enough toturn the majority of headsin the stadium.

Sophomore Adam Wal-litsch yelled “Marcin”through a megaphone asMarcin crossed the plat-form.

“He’s a good friend ofmine,” Wallitsch said. “ Iwanted to make him hap-py.”

Marcin, one of 354 stu-dents who graduated, losthis mother to breast can-cer last year. The tragedy

deeply affected him, Wyo-ming Valley West Frenchteacher Angela Powis said,but he showed his charac-ter by continuing to excelacademically and persever-ing.

“Early on, you knewthere was somethingwrong,” Powis said. “But,he shows how you can sur-vive and succeed.”

Marcin is one of 42National Honor Societystudents and one of 32recipients of the Presiden-tial Award for AcademicExcellence in the class thatPrincipal Erin Keatingtouted as mature and capa-ble of doing great things.

Other than Marcin, Keat-ing pointed to one otherstudent in particular who

embodies the maturity andexcellence of the class:Westpoint -bound A.J.McGovern.

McGovern, an all-starcenter, turned down offersto play football at ColgateUniversity and Ivy Leagueschools to follow his dream

of attending and playingfootball for the U.S. Mili-tary Academy.

“I’ve always wanted toserve in the military,”McGovern said, “and I’vealways wanted to play col-lege football.”

Mom and dad, Maureen

and Jim McGovern, were alittle wary of the idea oftheir son entering the mili-tary during a time of war,though.

“We are going frombeing tentative aboutwhat’s happening to a littleexcited, little nervous,”

Maureen McGovern said.McGovern ships out to

Fort Monmouth in Ocean-port, N.J. in early July.He’ll attend a military prepschool for one year beforeentering the academy.

psweet@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2117

DAVE SCHERBENCO / THE CITIZENS’ VOICE

Wyoming Valley West graduates Amy Labashosky, Kelly Walsh, Ellen Hoffman, Alexa Ryncavage andSara Hodakowski get their picture taken prior to the ceremony by teacher Karen Wills.

CLASS OF 2010354 GraduatesValedictorian: Daniel RishSalutatorian: Erika GreenClass OfficersPresident: TaylorDelVecchioVice-President: Dylan FrySecretary: Nicole ThomasTreasurer: Daniel Rish

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