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Warren G. Harding graduates overcome challenges
By Jordan Cohen
WARREN
Gallery
Even for the best of students, high school years can be tough.
They’re even tougher when you’re trying to do well in school and you’re the mother of a young child as Alexus Pennington and Tasia Lynch can attest.
Tasia has a 7-month-old daughter, Alexus a 5-year-old son.
Both young women, among the 285 graduating seniors from Warren G. Harding High School who received diplomas at Packard Music Hall Thursday evening, are open about the struggles they had to overcome to graduate.
“It’s been hard having my son and being able to finish school, but I did it,” Alexus said as she proudly displayed her gold cap and gown. “I think my happiest memories of school are of my son.”
Besides being friends, Tasia and Alexus have something else in common. Both plan on entering the nursing field. Alexus is headed to Youngstown State University, while Tasia will be enrolled in nursing at Kent State at Trumbull.
“I’ve always wanted to help people,” said Tasia, and Alexus said her experience as a mother has directed her to nursing so she can “take care of babies.”
Harding’s valedictorian, Allyson Crays, knows what her career goals are. “I want to work in Washington, D.C., as a lobbyist,” she said just before she took her place on stage. “I’ve always been interested in health care and politics.”
Allyson’s favorite Harding memory is being a drum major and performing in her final band night last summer. “It was the last one, and the only time I cried all year,” she said.
Myron Cunningham is tall, has an athletic build and was a standout offensive tackle for the Harding Raiders. Little wonder that he has been awarded a full scholarship to play football at Western Illinois University, but he is looking at a future beyond sports.
“I’m going to major in criminal justice, and maybe I’ll become a state trooper,” he said.
Then there is Joshua Darbey, who hopes to become a basketball coach someday. He had no intention of being sentimental about graduation. He chose to enjoy the moment.
“I’ve been ready for this since my freshman year,” he said.
Keri Grim, an English teacher at Harding, said the Class of 2016 has been awarded more than $2.2 million in academic and athletic scholarships. When the figure was announced on stage, the packed house roared its approval.
Warren School Superintendent Steve Chiaro advised the graduates to “leave any place you go better than you found it.” Then he revealed that the Class of 2016 already has done that on a personal level with him.
“You’ve made me a better teacher and a better father,” he said. “You provided more to my own life than you will ever know.”