142 get diplomas at Struthers High School commencement

May 30, 2016 at 12:05a.m.

STRUTHERS

If you tie together many of Kaitlin Fuschillo’s interests, passions and career ambitions with much of her community work, it wouldn’t take long to see the common thread: a desire to work with and advocate for children and those with challenges.

“I hope to be a criminal prosecutor and help preserve the rights of people who can’t defend themselves and can’t testify because of their age or disability,” the 2016 Struthers High School graduate explained.

She may not be appearing in a courtroom right away, but she took the first decisive step toward reaching her goal when she crossed the stage to receive her diploma during Sunday afternoon’s Struthers High School Class of 2016 commencement in the Struthers Fieldhouse.

There were 142 graduates in all.

After she shelves her cap and gown, it won’t be long before Fuschillo takes the next big step along her career path, because she intends to enroll this fall at University of Akron and declare a double-major in English and political science. If all goes accordingly, it’s on to law school after that, she said.

Fuschillo’s interest in law started to bud during her junior year, when she joined her school’s mock-trial team, in which students played attorneys, witnesses and defendants and competed in simulated court cases against schools in Columbiana and Trumbull counties.

Reaching out to others is a theme that also will continue before she enters college in the fall. Fuschillo intends to volunteer on behalf of a local summer lunch program, which will entail conducting Bible studies for as well as teaching and playing with children age 4 to 12, she said.

A career that could well include working with animals is on the horizon for Tiffany Gillen, senior class president.

“I’m going to Kent State University to major in zoology, with a minor in Spanish, and I want to get into the pre-vet program,” Gillen explained, adding that it’s likely she will pursue becoming a veterinarian but still has to figure out her precise career path.

She also has made her mark as an accomplished dancer on a Judy Conti Dance Studio team. Gillen is looking forward to competing in a major tournament next month at Kalahari Resorts in Sandusky, she said.

Gillen said her proudest high-school accomplishments include having been a National Honor Society member, a varsity cheerleader and class president. Beyond such achievements, though, high school has better groomed her to learn to push aside much negativity, focus more on positive aspects of life and develop a sharper work ethic, she added.

Superintendent Joseph S. Nohra Jr. urged the graduates to remember to be humble and kind citizens, saying that Struthers is a caring, loving community and that they represent such virtues. He also praised the class for exhibiting endurance during what he called “a difficult year,” largely because of staff illnesses.

“You’re amazing because of your character and your work effort,” Nohra added.