Chardon graduates celebrate resilience after tragic killingsSFlb

The Plain Dealer

CHARDON

Chardon High School’s Class of 2012 ended a turbulent senior year with a graduation ceremony that celebrated their leadership and resiliency in the wake of tragedy.

It was the seniors – not the Feb. 27 shootings — that were center stage Saturday.

But there were many mentions of the event’s impact and the lessons it inspired about life, love and community throughout the afternoon.

Principal Andy Fetchik supplied a heartfelt thank you to his senior class. “You have helped us all to heal,” he said.

Three underclassmen were killed, and others — including fellow senior Joy Rickers — were injured. Rickers was shot in the buttocks while fleeing the shooter. Other students and school employees tended to her until medical help arrived.

Applause swelled as Joy crossed the stage.

T.J. Lane, 17, who attended a nearby school for troubled children, is expected to face murder charges in an adult criminal court for the shootings. Lane’s lawyers have said he has a serious mental illness, including auditory hallucinations. He told a sheriff’s deputy who arrested him, “I don’t know why I did this.”

Before the 265 students crossed the stage at the Mentor Fine Arts Auditorium, class valedictorians read inspirational quotes.

The senior class motto, “One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it’s worth watching,” reflected what the students had learned after the shooting.

Students and teachers wore special red and black ribbons as a sign of unity and remembrance. They were created by Maggie Williams as part of her senior project.

In addition to recognizing their parents, teachers and administrators, the class officers thanked first responders, calling them heroes who saved many lives the day of the shooting.

Schools Superintendent Joseph Bergant II said he knew he could count on the senior class to guide the students back into the high school after the shootings, which took away Demetrius Hewlin, 16; Russell King Jr., 17; and Daniel Parmertor, 16. Nick Walczak, who lost the use of his legs, is undergoing rehabilitation.

Bergant urged the graduates to use what happened to remind them to love their family and friends even more. He said they each need to heal in whatever way is best for them.

“No one can tell you how to deal with your grief, because there is no right or wrong way,” he said.

Commencement speaker was Lee Kemp, a 1974 Chardon graduate who won numerous world wrestling medals and was an Olympic wresting coach in 2008. He told the class that he came to live in their town after being adopted out of foster care. He implored the graduates to work hard and find a passion in life.

“The reason why you can triumph is because you have the power to choose,” Kemp said.

Senior Kelsey Crowley, a class officer, said the tragedy upended the senior year, but not the student’s lives.

“We made it the best that it could possibly be,” Kelsey said.

She said they had some normalcy with their prom, held at Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. But there were constant reminders of the shootings, like therapy dogs in their building each Wednesday to help with healing.

In ways, Kelsey said the shooting made the tight-knit senior class even closer. Classmates made it a point to check with each other every day.

If someone was struggling or down, efforts were made to help them or cheer them up.

A handful of seniors created a “forever in our hearts” logo that was printed on shirts.

“We tried to turn tragedy into something beautiful,” Kelsey said.

Senior Matt Leskovec said he and his classmates got a life lesson in handling adversity.

“We didn’t want to look back in 10 years and have this be the only thing we talk about, so we figured out ways to leave a positive impact on our community,” he said. “We are not going to let the tragedy define our year and define us. We are going to let our actions and how we responded define us.”