396 awarded diplomas at Fitch commencement

Austintown Fitch Graduation 2017

Gallery

By SEAN BARRON

news@vindy.com

AUSTINTOWN

Ask Tiffany Aliberti why she’s eyeing a career as a pediatrician and you can expect a basic response with none of the trimmings.

“I really like kids,” she said.

Before embarking on additional schooling to reach her aspirations, Aliberti did something else she

really likes that was anything but elementary, and promises to get her a major step closer to her long-term goal: She earned her diploma.

“I’m excited, and I’ve worked so hard,” Aliberti said before she was among the graduates who accepted their diplomas during the Austintown Fitch High School Class of 2017 commencement Saturday morning at the school.

Soon after taking home her diploma, Aliberti, who was the senior class president and a valedictorian, will again hit the books. Beginning June 12, she will enter a two-year program at Kent State University, then transfer to Northeast Ohio Medical University for four years, she explained.

Photo Gallery: Fitch Graduation 2017

Aliberti will have time, however, to reflect on some of her proudest moments at Fitch, such as having taught Spanish to a second-grade class as part of her advanced Spanish class. Other happy memories likely will be more general, including time spent cheering the football team and playing on the varsity soccer team, she said.

“I will miss my relationships with my teachers and seeing the same people I saw every day,” Aliberti added. “It will be hard not seeing people I’ve grown up with.”

Having earned good grades and moving to the next phase of his life were foremost in Joseph Blankenship’s mind.

“I want to go to Eastern Gateway Community College for two years for criminal justice and then transfer to Youngstown State University,” said Blankenship, whose top career choice is being a police officer.

“Friends,” Blankenship added when asked what he probably will miss most about his Fitch experiences. “My parents said, ‘Close friends stay with you.’ ”

The class’s 13 valedictorians gave brief testimonials that were emotional at times, humorous at others. They thanked parents, teachers, faculty members and advisors for their help and encouragement, discussed a few challenges they faced, shared fond recollections and encouraged their fellow grads to continue to educate themselves.

In addition, Aaron Ailiff, who also attended Mahoning County Career and Technical Center, thanked his family and that school’s staff for supporting him.

Superintendent Vincent Colaluca drew upon certain lyrics from the class song, “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day, saying they are symbolic of some of what Class of 2017 members can expect as they move forward with their lives.

“So make the best of this test, and don’t ask why,” he quoted, along with, “I hope you had the time of your life” to point out that it’s important to glean valuable lessons from the inevitable difficulties that will come their way and to view graduation as a beginning, not an end.

“You’ll often go through hard times and ask, ‘Why is this happening to me?’” Colaluca said, adding, “Take time to be grateful to those who helped you so much.”

Principal Christopher M. Berni reminded the graduates that growing technology will play a vital role in their career choices, but cautioned them to not allow that to usurp the importance of having solid people skills.

“Form human-to-human relationships,” Berni advised. “That involves flesh, not smartphones or social media.”

When competing for jobs, many applicants will have good technological acumen, but their ability to listen to and form good person-to-person relationships with others ultimately will define the grads and make them stand out, he said.

Making additional remarks were Lesley Busico, senior counselor; and Tom Mock, spokesman for the GM Lordstown Complex whose wife, Kathy Mock, is on the Austintown Board of Education.