In September 2023, over 400 students began their freshman year at Pine Bush High School. Flash forward four years later, and these students reached the final page of their K-12 experience: the Class of 2026 graduation ceremony. Hundreds of Crawford residents gathered at the school last Friday, June 26 to celebrate this class for finishing school and moving on to new horizons.

At 6 p.m., the graduates walked out of the high school and onto the athletic field, boasting the district’s colors and receiving applause from friends and family members. Once the class was seated, the ceremony began proper with the Pledge of Allegiance, the Star-Spangled Banner performed by the school’s senior select choir members, and welcoming remarks from Senior Class President Dominic Licardi.

“On behalf of the entire Class of 2026, I welcome you. High school has been an unforgettable journey that has prepared us for the future, whatever it may hold. These past four years have involved some of the most memorable and influential moments of our lives,” Licardi said. “Individually, our experiences here are unique, but together, we share a common bond as members of the Class of 2026 and soon-to-be graduates of Pine Bush High School.”

Joseph Lenz, superintendent of the school district, spoke about the class’s future. He asserted that every graduate can become anything they want and create meaningful change in the world, so long as they work hard and never give up.

“I want to share a simple yet profound message: You can be anything. I know that sounds like a cliche and you’ve heard it many times before, but it’s absolutely true and I want you to truly reflect on what it means,” Lenz said. “You can be an engineer, an entrepreneur, a nurse, a scientist, an artist, a teacher, a business owner, a public servant, or you can pioneer a career path that doesn’t even exist yet. You have the potential to lead companies, start movements, transform communities, and make a difference in ways you can’t fathom today.”

“The road ahead will not always be smooth, paved highway; it will be winding and bumpy, and there may be days when you feel like you’ve hit a dead end. There will be moments when things do not go according to plan, setbacks, deep disappointments, quiet moments when you question your own abilities, and times when life knocks you down,” he continued. “The distinction between those who achieve their goals and those who do not lie in our approach in those setbacks, as failure is a natural and unavoidable part of the process. The difference belongs to those who choose to get back up; every challenge you face will teach you something, every obstacle will determine your strength, and every setback is merely preparing you for the success that lies ahead.”

Gretchen Meier, president of the Pine Bush Board of Education, introduced Aaron Hopmayer, the high school’s soon-to-retire principal. Meier recounted Hopmayer’s career in the school district over the last 25 years, emphasizing his impact on countless students and faculty members.

“The programs that Mr. Hopmayer began, starting with the summer academies, then the Horsepower academies, and the real life adventures for kids, have changed so many lives in this community. What’s good for kids has always been his mission and mantra, and he has always gone above and beyond for kids in need,” Meier said. “I can name kids and adults who would not have achieved and excelled without Aaron Hopmayer; my own kids are on this list. He has always been prepared for the tough questions and has ideas for new programming, and he has repeatedly earned our respect and trust.”

Hopmayer discussed the graduate’s journeys through high school and their growth since freshman year. He also announced the recipients of this year’s Principal’s Award, including World Language Teacher Kristin Raucci, former District Superintendent William Bassett, Salutatorian Leah Meberg, and Valedictorian Lucas Meisel.

“When I first became the principal of Pine Bush High School, smartphones didn’t exist, TikTok wasn’t even a word, and some of your parents still had cassette tapes in their cars. But one thing that has not changed: you arrived as a ninth graders carrying backpacks that were way too big, schedules you couldn’t read, and worries that you were certain nobody else had. And now look at you: confident, resilient, and ready to tackle the next challenge,” Hopmayer said. “Graduates, today marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. While your diploma recognizes your academic accomplishments, it also represents something much deeper: resilience, determination, and perseverance.”

Meberg and Meisel gave their own addresses, reflecting on their time in school and thanking everyone who helped them over the last four years. Meisel also demonstrated the turning of the tassel, representing the class’s transition from students to graduates.

“High School has objectively been a big part of our lives. We’ve spent four of 18 years here, yet each of our experiences has been unique. Sure, we all learned to anxiously await the 2:15 bell, but we have grown to different people shaped by moments exclusive to us,” Meberg said. “With our distinct strengths, preferences, opinions, and beliefs, we will follow our own paths into the future. I think this is why memories from high school remain important, even as one gets further away from them, because they are yours to create and yours to carry.”

“We are here today, our graduation ceremony, celebrating our achievements, memories, friendship, and all the moments that shaped us into the people we’re becoming. But if there’s one word that I hope we carry with us beyond the ceremony, it is the word ‘yet,’” Meisel said. “We’ve been through a lot, and at times, it may have felt easier to believe we simply weren’t good enough, but yes changes everything. Instead of saying ‘I can’t do this,’ we learned to say ‘I can’t do this yet.’ Instead of believing we had failed, we discovered that we simply hadn’t mastered something yet. ‘Yet’ reminds us that goals take time to achieve, and that mistakes are not endings but simply a part of learning.”

Following the speeches, the graduates lined up and received their diplomas at the ceremony’s podium. Every time Meier called a graduate, their friends and family erupted in cheers and blasted noise makers. After all the diplomas were handed out, the graduates jumped for joy and flung their caps high in the air, concluding their time at the Pine Bush Central School District.