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Poland seniors open up a new chapter
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Poland graduate John Bannon gets greeted by assistant basketball coach Rich Black while entering the fieldhouse for commencement exercises Sunday.
By Sean Barron
POLAND
Chris Centifanti didn’t expect to get caught off guard by her own emotions.
“I’m so proud of her for getting her high-school diploma, which means more than graduating,” Centifanti said, referring to her daughter, Jillian Centifanti, who collected her diploma after her name was called — and closed one important chapter in her life.
“I got choked up when I heard her name.”
Jillian Centifanti was among 187 graduates who heard their names and received diplomas during Poland Seminary High School’s Class of 2012 commencement Sunday in the school’s fieldhouse.
“It’s surreal. I’ve waited so long [to graduate], and I can’t believe it’s happening,” said Centifanti, who plans to enroll in August at Youngstown State University to study art education and become an art teacher.
Aspects of high school Centifanti will miss most are friends, along with four years of marching band, she said after the one-hour ceremony. A memory that likely won’t go anywhere soon is a trip she and fellow band members took in January to New Orleans to march in a college football bowl game, she continued.
“I will remember it the rest of my life,” Centifanti said, adding that it was her first trip to the Big Easy.
Traveling awaits Kevin Krumpak, though his destination isn’t quite as far south. His next major goal is to attend Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, to study business.
Krumpak, who was his class’s salutatorian and president, said he intends to take preliminary business courses to better decide what career direction to take.
In the meantime, Krumpak plans to spend the summer working as a server’s assistant at The Lake Club in Poland, a job he began recently, and spend as much time as possible with friends.
Krumpak was grateful to have taken and earned money in a high-school entrepreneurial course. He added that he will miss acting in school plays, as well as being part of Poland’s soccer and track teams in which he made it to the state finals during his sophomore and senior years.
“I enjoyed high-school athletics, and I’ll miss those forever,” Krumpak said.
Delivering the commencement address was Doug Sweeney, a 1973 Poland graduate and owner of Sweeney Chevrolet in Boardman.
Sweeney, who’s spent about 35 years in the auto-retail business, stressed to the graduates the importance of maintaining a positive attitude, saying it’s the main virtue for success.
“Leadership starts with education, then attitude,” he said.
Sweeney reminded the grads that they can’t change the past or what’s inevitable, but that they can control the attitudes they display. Much more important than what happens to people is how they handle it, he continued.
“The proper attitude can take you to the top of the charts” and allow you to surpass your expectations, Sweeney said before advising the Class of 2012 to give to charity and enjoy those in their lives.
Also speaking was valedictorian Rebecca Mowad, who said she feels that despite pressure and many stressors, her high-school years were her best ones.
“Memories are things that do not change when everything else does,” she said.