Hubbard High sends off 166 graduates

By PETER H. MILLIKEN

milliken@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

“New Beginnings” was the theme of the valedictorian and salutatorian as 166 seniors graduated from Hubbard High School in a Friday evening ceremony at Stambaugh Auditorium.

“You may be viewing this as an ending, the ending of our high school careers, the ending of our childhoods, possibly the ending of our lives in Hubbard, Ohio,” said Danielle Bucci, valedictorian and class president.

“To me, this is simply a new beginning, a beginning to our futures,” Bucci said. “We’re going to make impacts on the people we surround ourselves with, the people we come into contact with, possibly even people we’ll never meet,” she added.

“New beginnings await us at every turn. Our job is to make this new beginning the best that it can be for ourselves and for our loved ones,” Bucci told her classmates.

“We’re moving on to a big, fast-paced world. It’s not

going to stop for you because it doesn’t stop for anyone else,” Bucci added.

“Our particular journey here has been different from many of those who came before us. We have seen many changes throughout our school career, many new situations that we’ve had to learn to adapt to,” said Mark Feigert, salutatorian.

“We’ve never just tried to make things work out. We’ve gone in every time with the mindset to make it work, no matter what,” he added.

The Class of 2014 was the first to spend all four high school years in the new $20 million, state-of-the-art Hubbard High School building, which opened Sept. 1, 2010, as the first part of a new $56 million campus.

The 113,000-square-foot high school opened with three computer labs and 245 new computers and a gym with stadium seating for 1,800 people.

“Now, here we are, standing on the verge of another new beginning, ready to grab life by the horns,” Feigert said.

“This evening will be many things, historical, first class to complete four years in the new high school, fun, solemn, reminiscent, dignified, joyful, a repository of deep and long-lasting memories,” said Richard Buchenic, schools superintendent and a Hubbard graduate.

“My wish, seniors, to you is the joy of anticipating a wonderful future, but I also hope that you will always remember to enjoy where you are,” he added.

It was Buchenic’s last commencement before his July 31 retirement.

The Hubbard High School Band was on stage playing “Pomp and Circumstance” as the graduates entered and left the historic auditorium on Youngstown’s North Side.