Family, friends, and faculty gathered together in Cougar Stadium to watch the Class of 2019 graduate from Montgomery High School on the warm evening of Monday, June 24.
Donned in bright green gowns and matching caps, 412 students walked across the stage signifying the end of their high school experience.
MHS Graduates Sarina Swain & Chilly Wallace
In her speech, salutatorian Nikita Goswami spoke to her disbelief that this significant chapter in her life was coming to a close. “I’ve been feeling a lot of nostalgia for all the time spent here in Montgomery, both the good times and the bad,” she said. “It’s been hard to accept that high-school really IS over.”
Valedictorian Ivan Chau offered his best advice to his fellow classmates. “To the Class of 2019, I urge you this: live like a kid for as long as you can,” Chau said. “Find the things that make you happy, make time for them, spend time on them, and then hold on to them.”
Photo: MHS Class of 2019 valedictorian Ivan Chau
In years past, Montgomery High School had released a list of all of the students graduating matched with the colleges they planned to attend. However, this year the school leaders chose not to publish this information.
Corie Gaylord, director of Student Academic and Counseling Services, said the decision was made at the request of the students, many of whom felt a lot of pressure by the prospect of having this information posted so publicly.
“We’re all about reducing stress,” Gaylord said.
Top Ten Colleges for MHS Class of 2019:
— The College of New Jersey
— New York University
— Northeastern University
— Pennsylvania State University
— Rowan University
— Rutgers University
— Seton Hall University
— University of Delaware
— University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
One student will be attending the United States Military Academy at West Point, the prestigious military school. Gaylord does not know of any other students enrolling in the military this year.
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Gaylord said typically the most popular college major for Montgomery High School students is business, which reflects nationally as well.
Valedictorian Chau says: No matter where the members of the class of 2019 are heading after this momentous step towards adulthood, “as graduates from Montgomery, I know you have what it takes to go to great places.” ■
