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For the 194th time in its history, the Springville-Griffith Institute Central School District honored a graduating class, hosting Commencement exercises for 130 members of the Class of 2024 on June 29.

Ginger Andrews, the senior class president, served as master of ceremonies. Arika Leatherbarrow sang the National Amthem. 

In her salutatorian’s address, Hannah Baumgartner told her classmates to determine what success means to them. 

“Keep taking leaps of faith because think of all the memories and experiences created as a result. They shape you as a person!” she said. “The person you are now doesn’t have to be the same for the rest of your life. If anything, get out there and take more risks. Who would we be if we never experienced some of our classmates floating down the river while white water rafting? Take the opportunities you are given to try something new.”

Linnea Neureuther, valedictorian, spoke of the cliches she heard throughout high school and joked that she cannot wait to share her own with youth in the future. 

“After today these halls of SGI are going to be totally different to us. After today these halls will not be filled with our anticipation. Anticipation of what is next, what will this new class be like, hoping our friend is in our class, anticipating how a game or meet will go as we travel the halls to the field. After today, these halls will be filled with nothing but memories,” she said. “SGI has left a mark on us, but we have all certainly left a mark on SGI.”

She finished by telling her classmates to take what they learned and apply it to their futures. 

“Earlier this week, I spoke with the Class of 2028 at their eighth-grade graduation. I challenged them to make their mark on their next chapter, in high school, just as we have,” she said. “Now, I challenge all of you in your next chapter to not just leave your mark, but fuel a fire that was sparked here within these halls.”

Graduates heard an inspirational and at times humorous message from 1988 graduate, Martin A. Krebs. Krebs was an art major at SGI who endured many failures during his career which eventually led him to his position as CIO and senior vice president of National Fuel Gas Company. 

After graduating he attended the University at Buffalo to become a civil engineer, a career path that did not work out. Following a failed internship, he decided to try his hand in the technology field and after a year of rejection, he finally landed his first tech role. 

“The company I worked for was woefully understaffed, so I got to try my hand at jobs I had no business doing. I failed every day, but in those roles, I perfected how to fail. Failure can be your path to success or it can just be your destination. It is your power to choose which one it will be.”

He advised the graduates to exercise resilience, innovation, perspective and Iteration and embrace the support of others in order to find success from failure.

Elsie Fisher, senior class vice-president, presented the class gift to Superintendent James Bialasik. The class will donate a mural of the iconic griffin’s eyes in the back circle entrance, leaving their mark of always being a griffin.

Bialasik thanked the Class of 2024 for the gift and recognized them for their many accomplishments, both large and small, that bring optimism wherever they go. 

“This world needs your optimism. As an optimist myself, and that is how I truly see myself, there is so much that is beautiful and good. But as a realist, there are some things that I must, unfortunately, say are broken. My generation, and the generation of many of the adults in this room, are simply running out of time, and we need your help. We need your ideas, we need your fresh perspective, we need your creativity and we need your optimism,” he said. “How do you change the world? Small consistent, manageable change. Can you be 1% better tomorrow than you were today? So, if you change your world for the better, you will, by extension, change the world for the better. You will be missed, but you will be remembered by the legacy you are leaving on this district. I wish each and every one of you the best as you begin this next period. Go out there and make us proud, Griffins!”

Photos from Graduation 2024