Canfield grads eager to soar

June 6, 2016 at 12:05a.m.

CANFIELD

More than 200 Cardinals left their nest Sunday ready to spread their wings.

The Canfield High School Class of 2016 graduated Sunday during commencement exercises in the high-school auditorium. Canfield traditionally has graduation outdoors in the football stadium, but the threat of inclement weather forced officials to move it inside.

“There are a lot of leaders in this class,” said Candace Reed, who serves as class co-adviser with Anthony Holben. “There is a lot of community involvement there. They’re a very compassionate class.”

Isabel “Izzy” Aey, class president, echoed those thoughts as she reflected on her graduating class.

“It’s a pretty impressive group,” Isabel said. “Academically, this class has set the bar high.” She said the class also is rife with students who excelled in athletics and the arts, making for a well-rounded group.

“I’ve been waiting for this day for the past four years,” Isabel, 18, said just before graduation. “I feel ready to graduate, ready to move on. Ready to face the world.”

Isabel’s next steps will be toward a career in psychiatry, for which she’ll study at Ohio State. She hopes to take her talents out of the country, working with the Doctors Without Borders program one day.

“I really love helping people, and I’ve always wanted to travel,” Isabel said. “That will allow me to do both.”

Slava Lefoer, 18, made an impressive achievement while still at CHS. Reed said Slava was the only member of the class who had perfect attendance during all four years of high school.

“There were days when I didn’t feel well, but I didn’t want to miss school,” said Slava. “I love school. I love education. I love learning. I just always wanted to be here.”

He said perfect attendance was “kind of a goal” when he started high school, so he stuck with it.

Slava said he’ll pursue a year of vocational school, then plans to enroll in medical school and eventually become an emergency medical technician.

“I want to be able to help save people’s lives,” he said.

Paige DeRhodes, 18, isn’t going to college after high school. She’s already become a state-licensed cosmetologist and hopes to secure a full-time job by fall.

When she was a sophomore, Paige decided to spend her last two years of high school at the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center because she knew the high cost of a college education would be a huge burden on her family. So, she chose to pursue vocational training and entered the cosmetology program at MCCTC.

“I might end up loving being a hairstylist,” Paige said. “If not, I can always go to college later. But going to work is good enough for me for now.”

Paige said she’d been told countless times to savor her time in high school because they’d be the best years of her life.

“Not until now did I actually realize that four years could by so fast,” she said. “I’m excited, but I’m also a little sad that it’s over.”

Ian Moore, 18, also will attend vocational school in the fall, and said he’s nervous about how he’ll adjust to those new surroundings after four years of familiarity with the halls at CHS. He wants to eventually work at an animal shelter, particularly with dogs.

“I like to bond with dogs,” Ian said. “I like the relationship that they have with people.”