Medina grads dodge downpour and celebrate commencement outdoors

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Taylor Schrader, president of the senior class at Medina, leads her excited classmates on Friday evening in moving their tassels from the right side to the left to signify their graduation.

There are 93 grads in the Class of 2025. The ceremony was held outside at Vets Park just after a downpour.

The graduates toss their caps and celebrate near the end of the ceremony on Friday.

Medina used to have graduation in the auditorium but moved it outdoors in the Covid pandemic in 2020. That location has been the preference for the district and the senior class since then. The bleachers at Vets Park can accommodate more people than the auditorium.

Medina school officials kept a close eye on the weather and could see the rain would stop at about 6:30 p.m. That gave the district about a half hour to set up for the ceremony and try to get the bleachers dry.

Kevin Czaja, director of facilities for the district, wipes down some of the bleachers after a heavy rain. Czaja said Friday wasn’t the first time rain hit right before the outdoor commencement.

Medina school employees Steve Miller, front, and Dylan Weese, up high on bleachers, used leaf blowers to dry the bleachers.

Sofia Gagliardi accepts her diploma and is congratulated by Mollie Mark, junior-senior high school assistant principal, and Michael Cavanagh, the school principal.

Makenzie McGrath, center, and her classmates received their diplomas on the field at Vets Park.

Matthew Kennedy Jr. shows his joy after getting his diploma.

Dan Owen DeVera, the valedictorian at left in front, and Cameron Kenward, the salutatorian, both gave prerecorded speeches to their classmates.

DeVera and Kenward both thanked their families, friends and teachers for all the love and support during their 13 years in school.

DeVera said he has already changed his career plans several times since he was a little kid, from initially wanting to be a doctor to then shifting to aspiring to be a writer. Now he is focused on studying computer science at the University at Buffalo. He said he may ultimately pick a different career path.

“Things will change in the future,” he said. “The real question is can you, too, and by how much?”

DeVera was in the school’s marching band and he referenced a line from “New York, New York,” which was part of the band’s fall show. “If I can make it here, I can make it anywhere.” DeVera said the graduates have made it through Medina, and are ready for their next challenge.

“This is not the end because we are not done,” he said.

Kenward shared about three famous people – basketball star Michael Jordan, filmmaker Steven Spielberg and entertainment mogul Walt Disney – who didn’t let initial rejection derail their dreams.

“Failure is not the end, hut a step,” Kenward said. “Will you learn from it, and strive and succeed?”

He said he appreciates people helping him through his failures and mistakes. He urged his classmates to follow that example of offering kindness and mentorship to others.

“Whatever path you pursue there is one thing we will all encounter – failure,” Kenward said. “These failures don’t make us unsuccessful or losers.” They opportunities to learn and grow, he said.

Roberta Culver, a retiring kindergarten teacher, also gave a keynote address, “Big and Small, We’ll Celebrate Them All.”

Culver had several of the graduates as kindergartners about a 12 years ago. She recalled their exuberance in celebrating holidays, even in making their hand=print turkeys around Thanksgiving and helping to plant trees at Arbor Day.

The class celebrating birthdays, losing a tooth, coloring contests, reaching reading milestones, and remembering their take-home folders.

Culver urged them to celebrate achievements in life – getting their first apartment, bringing home a pet for the first time as an adult, and reaching other goals.

“Life is full of the joy of the little things,” she said. “Celebrate with the joy of a kindergartner.”

Honesty Hill smiles after getting her diploma.

Konner Smith is pleased to celebrate commencement.

The daisy chain tradition continued on Friday. The top 16 girls in the junior class and the top 2 boys made the chain of daisies, which has been part of Medina’s graduation since 1922.

Daisy chain members include Emiliana Batista, Darlene Beach, Ava Blount, Lilah Class, Molly Cook, Madison Farley, Allie Frentz, Bellaflor Gomez-Hernandez, Mahri Harmer-Owen, Natalie Herbert, Caden Kingsbury, Maggie Lonnen, Rhoswyn Oakes, Aleeyah Martinez, Paisley Pasnik, Penelope Schalck, Allie Smith and Hunter Walczak.

Brady Christiaansen walks in the processional at the start of the program.

Mason Eick, left, helps Brennan Hinckley look spiffy just after a deluge of rain fell.

These five graduates include, from left: Brooke Stewart, Josephene Pollock, Makenzie Alvarez, Evelyn Phillips and Cameron Davis.

Class Vice President Kylee Howard, in front at right, and Addison Paul, the class secretary at left, lead the group in walking off the field at Vets Park following the ceremony.