On Friday, June 23, a class of 341 students from Bethlehem Central High School received diplomas at an evening commencement ceremony held at the MVP Arena in downtown Albany. It was a joyous event for the members of the class of 2023, their families, friends, teachers, staff, administrators and members of the Board of Education.
Principal David Doemel, Jr., Superintendent Jody Monroe and Board of Education president Holly Dellenbaugh all addressed the graduating class and guests. There were also three student speakers at the 89th BCHS Commencement Exercises.
Hannah Fronheiser gave an opening address that reflected on a school environment in Bethlehem that provided the class of 2023 with an essential foundation for success in life. Using her own experience as a swimmer, Fronheiser likened each student’s unique experiences to ripples in the water.
“Ripples are positive actions or decisions that make a change,” said Fronheiser. “Bethlehem allowed us to create ripples in school and our community by having a can-do attitude to make the world better. High school is just the ripples; our life after Bethlehem is where we will see waves.”
Violet Macdonald delivered a keynote address that took her classmates on a proverbial road trip through their years together in Bethlehem. Without focusing on the bumps in the road, Macdonald emphasized that life’s milestones are a series of journeys and destinations.
“The miles slipped away and we’ve reached the end of the road,” said Macdonald. “Leaving such a tight-knit school community to enter the real world is terrifying, but I feel so fortunate that the goodbyes will be tearful and the reunions joyful.
“Taking the wheel and leaving behind the car full of people you’ve grown up with won’t be easy, but this is what we’ve been waiting for,” said Macdonald “Nobody goes on a road trip just to stay in the car; we weren’t driving just to drive. Whether we realized it or not, every moment on the road was spent preparing for the next chapter of our lives.”
Lily Watson closed the ceremony with a speech that took students down memory lane.
“There is no other class that would continue to sing Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing at the football games long after it ended playing over the loudspeaker,” said Watson. “There is no other class that looked as goofy as us on pajama day for Spirit Week. I hope you all realize that these moments were the ones where we bonded together and created stories that will last a lifetime.”
The entire ceremony was livestreamed. You can view a recording of the ceremony here.
Students were also accompanied by their high school counselors as well as the 2023 honorary graduation marshals who are faculty members selected by the students as having had a significant impact on their time in Bethlehem. This year’s marshals were Michele Atallah (BCHS), Adam Ayers (BCHS) Elizabeth Barrett (BCMS), McKenzie Barrett (BCMS), Matthew Bixby (BCMS), Susan Cullen (BCHS), Cori DiFabbio (BCMS), Kristy Eldeen (BCHS), Corey Fong (BCHS), Evan Harley (BCMS), Thomas Hotaling (Hamagrael), Durray Mahmood (BCHS), Jeffrey Mongue (BCMS), Kimberly Montalvo (Eagle), Sean Mooney (BCHS), Maria Qualtere (Slingerlands), Matthew Rehbit (BCHS), Stephen Smith (BCMS), Vanessa Treffert (BCMS), Sarah Trombadore (BCHS), Michael Valenti (Elsmere), David Vara (BCHS), Lauren Ward (Glenmont), Jessica Westervelt (BCHS), Anthony Wilson (BCHS) and Christine Zemsky (BCMS).
Congratulations to our newest BC alumni for their hard work and their contributions to the BC community. We wish them the very best!
Commencement Program – Digital Version
The 89th Commencement Exercises program can be viewed online at this link.
A full list of graduates can be found below.
Graduation 2023 Photo Highlights
Candid photos will be added to Facebook and Instagram throughout the weekend so check back for more. Professional photos taken at the ceremony will be shared with families individually. A full album of candid photos will be shared with families via ParentSquare on Monday, June 26.
Follow us on Instagram @bethlehemschools
Post-Grad Plans – Class of 2023
What do our newest alumni have planned for themselves? Many members of the graduating class of 2023 recently shared their plans for after graduation.
List of Graduates
* – Honor graduates, Lab School honor graduates and Bethlehem Academic Achievement Award winners with a 90 or above average for 3 ½ years wear gold cords.
+ – National Honor Society Members wear blue and gold cords.
** – President’s Award for Educational Excellence
*** – President’s Award for Educational Achievement
> – Seal of Biliteracy
^ – Seal of Civic Readiness
# – Foreign Exchange Student
- Andrew H. Albert
- Mirella Albrecht * ** > +
- Alyssa Rae Allen
- Maryam Alsammarraie >
- Luzelena Alvarez * **
- Suzanna S. Amirbekian * ** > +
- Corinne Anderson * **
- Griffin Rakesh Andrews * ** +
- Nicholas M. Atteck * ** ^
- Katherine M. Augar
- Dylan M. Austin * ** ^ +
- Haley Ona Backlund *** ^
- Ella Joan Jia Baker * ** > ^ +
- Elizabeth Anne Baldwin * ** +
- Daniel J. Battista * ** ^
- Kevin Begley * ** ^
- Finnigan Nathaniel Belcher * **
- Carter Ryan Bennett
- Benjamin E. Berin * **
- Caden Anthony Bernardo * ** ^
- Sarah M. Bernasconi * ** ^ +
- David G. Bethmann *** ^
- Kayleigh Marie Bigwarfe * ** ^ +
- Ella W. Bishop ^
- Sean P. Black ***
- David M. Bloom
- Joseph Robert Bolduc
- Annie Sophia Bolke * ** > ^ +
- Katherine Christine Boyer
- Stella Bradshaw * ** >
- Kayla Ruth-Bea Braga
- Isabelle Kaya Brand * ** +
- Kathleen Claire Brodeur * ** > ^ +
- Natalie K. Bronchetti * **
- Abigail M. Brousseau * ** +
- Christopher Michael Brozowski, Jr.
- Isabelle Brusic * ** > ^ +
- Macey Belle Bryant ***
- Amanda Katherine Burek ^
- Natalie Grace Kim Buttacavoli * **
- Maeve Colleen Byrnes
- Rory W. Cairns ^
- Orin Carlson-Lee * **
- Michael W. Carlson * **
- Briegé Doriana Carmichael * ** > ^ +
- Leah Anne Casey >
- Hanna Destani Cassanova
- Lilly M. Caulfield
- Joseph Daniel Cea ^
- Hayley E. Cerza
- Charles D. Chandler, Jr.
- Isabella Rose Chirkis * ** +
- Diego Clark * ** > +
- William Christopher Clark
- Charlotte E. Clarke * ** >
- Matthew Collins
- Grace Irene Connolly
- Owen R. Conway * ** ^ +
- Claire Margaret Crisafulli ^
- Molly E. Crookes
- Matteo R. Cubello * ** ^
- Rachel J. Cuccolo * ** ^
- Rylee Brianne Davis * ** ^
- Gabriel de Jesus * ** >
- Enrique de Paz ^
- Jill E. DeCancio * ** > ^
- Nicholas Derrick
- Brydon DeVolder * **
- Luke G. Diamond
- Blake Donato Dieckmann ***
- Erik T. Doherty
- Catherine R. Donovan ^
- Riley N. Donovan * ** +
- Camella Marie Douglas * ** > ^ +
- Naomi G. Doyle * ** > ^ +
- Paul Christopher Doyle, III * ** ^
- Madeline A. Duffy * ** ^
- Clayton A. Dutfield
- Dylan Duvall * ** ^
- Olivia Maxine Dwyer
- Kaelyn S. Edmunds ***
- Marlisse Wesleigh Edwards * ** > ^
- Matthew Edwards
- Sofie Eisenberg ***
- Federic Charles Arcangel Ejanda ***
- Silas Shapard Elliott
- Joavahna A. Eloir
- Hannah Eng * **
- Nicholas Evangelista * ** ^ +
- Clark Arthur Evans * **
- Benjamin Fabe * **
- Lindsay E. Farmer * ** ^
- Aaron Joseph Felberbaum * **
- Asia L. Ferrera * ** > ^
- Elizabeth Catherine Figge ***
- Michael Patrick Fischler * ** +
- Nicholas Forezzi
- Zackary J. Foro
- Qui’ Janae A. Frazer
- Reagan Elizabeth Frazer * ** ^
- Hannah Claire Fronheiser * ** ^ +
- Jack R. Fuller
- Ava Frances Furgele * ** ^
- Madeline Hope Gallagher * ** > ^
- Caleb R. Gambelunghe * ** ^
- Leah Angela Garrison * ** > ^ +
- Ella M. Gentile
- Zachary R. Geurtze
- Julia Amanda Ghazi
- Anna H. Godlewski * ** ^
- Matthew E. Golonka * **
- Luke C. Goodemote
- Leah M. Gornstein * ** > ^ +
- Greta Josephine Graf >
- Lillian Fuller Gray ^
- Lincoln C. Green ^
- Emma Barbara Greenblatt * ** ^ +
- Jason C. Groat
- Lenin E. Gutterman
- Sarah Linn Guyette * ** ^ +
- Aden Lucas Haas * **
- Elaina Ruth Hallenbeck ^
- Sophia Husain Harris
- Sean C. Harwick * ** +
- Caleb D. Hayes
- Alexis C. Haynes-Matuszek ***
- Chloe Nicole Heaslip >
- Chloe M. Heckman * ** > ^
- John Daniel Hennessy ^
- Audrey C. Henson * ** > ^ +
- John F. Hepfer
- Charlotte Willa Higgs * ** ^ +
- Jacob M. Hildreth * ** ^ +
- Ella Margaret Holbrook * ** ^
- Clara J. Hollands ***
- Isabella L. Hoogkamp * ** ^
- Olivia K. Hopper * ** > +
- Lindsey Susan Hotaling ***
- Natalee Huli * ** > ^ +
- Hallagan G. Hussar * ** ^ +
- Claire Catherine Hutton * ** ^ +
- Luke L. Inglis
- Molly K. Isaacs
- McKenzi Nicole Jacques
- Jadyn Raquel Jegede
- Ulka Jerabek ***
- Daniel J. Johnson *** ^
- Liam S. Johnson *** ^
- Ryan Edward Johnston * **
- Tabitha Paige Jones *** ^
- Soham Joshi
- Maya Danit Kamenir * **
- Owen B. Karmel * ** +
- Mackenzie R. Kawczak ***
- Grace J. Kee * ** ^
- Eliza Brooke Keruskie ***
- Jake S. Killian * **
- Lena Victoria King ***
- Sophie Klein * ** ^ +
- Emma E. Kleinke
- Julia Winn Kloss * ** > ^
- Adam S. Kohn * **
- Meagan Kolberg
- Yanni Michael Koutelis
- Leszek Matthew Kozakiewicz
- Anna Sophia Kranson * ** > ^ +
- Emily Kurlander * ** ^ +
- Sofiia Kykliak * ** >
- Charles R. Labarge * ** +
- Flannery D. Lalor-Cruz * **
- Peter H. Landi * ** > +
- Jazmin Renee Lawson
- Sydney G. Lena * ** ^
- Kara J. Leonard * ** ^
- Quinn Lesperance ^
- Joshua David Levin * **
- Jenna Alicia Libutti * ** > ^ +
- Nathaniel H. Licht ***
- David Hart Lichtenwalner * **
- Stephen Liebold * ** ^
- Gavin Edward Lizor
- Matthew Oliver Lowry *** ^
- Carmen J. Lucantonio
- Gemma Maria Lucarelli * ** ^ +
- Elly Lyda * ** >
- Cecilia Raquel Lyons ***
- Liam Thomas Lysogorski * **
- Violet Hilles Macdonald * ** > +
- Audrey Jane Manley * ** > ^ +
- Rizwan Mann ^
- Marcella Julia Marinello ***
- Luke H.J. Marshall * **
- Cody Jacob Martin ^
- Jane Elizabeth Martin * ** > ^
- Diego José Martínez Arguello
- María Paz Massón #
- Kevin R. Mattis * ** +
- Aaron Mattupurath ***
- Mason Maurer * **
- Norah Ruth McCaffrey *** ^
- Liam G. McCarthy
- Aidan G. McGarry
- Toni Ekuah Ezeankeh McGee >
- Adam Thomas McGowan
- Elaina Ivana McGrath * **
- Alexis L. McGraw
- Madison Lynn McGuiness * ** ^ +
- Caitlin Jay McInerney * **
- Jane Clare McKillop
- Jake Gates McKinley * ** +
- Ryan E. McMillen ***
- Nora Grace McNabb ^
- Reilly Leila Meredith * ** ^
- Madison Victoria Miller
- Madeline M. Mitchell * ** >
- Brian W. Mocerine * ** ^
- Nicholas V. Monteleone ***
- Anthony Morano
- Natalie Grace Moshier ***
- Julia R. Munn ^
- Brian E. Murphy * ** ^
- Patrick D. Murphy * ** +
- Andrew M. Nastars
- Colby L. Naumovitz
- Jonah Anthony Negris
- Jack G. Newell * ** > ^ +
- Adriana Nickarz
- Alejandra M. Nieves * ** >
- Quentin J. Nolan
- Rhys Patrick O’Connell
- Eric J. Ofori * ** ^
- Nina Irene Palella * ** ^
- Leyonce K. Palmer ***
- Isaac Pan * **
- Liam J. Parry ^
- Paula F. Parsons * **
- Vesna Pasetto * ** > +
- Aman Jagat Patel * ** ^ +
- Ywa Paw
- J’onLuc Pierre Perkins
- Isabella Rose Perrotto * ** ^ +
- Melia F. Pesca * ** > ^ +
- Rocco Picard
- Violet Bernadine Piccinini * ** ^
- Nihal Ezgi Pinar ***
- Dylan Joseph Poirier * **
- Agnes V. Potenciano * ** +
- Chiara Elizabeth Poust * ** ^ +
- Zachary Steven Price * ** ^ +
- Alicia M. Prieto * ** +
- Jake Konrad Raab *** ^
- Nikhilesh Radosevich * ** ^ +
- Shreya Raghu * ** +
- Prova Rahman *** ^
- Liam Michael Raleigh * ** >
- Elisabeth Ramsey ^
- Jenna Lyn Rappazzo
- Lily Annmarie Reagan * **
- Nicolas R. Recene * ** ^
- Henry Atlas Reichman * ** +
- Connor Reilly * ** +
- Christian M. Revai *** ^
- Matthew J. Reynolds * **
- Reese Allan Richter
- Aric J. Rider, Jr. ^
- Anderson Ridgway
- Emma N. Rivers * ** ^
- Peyton Leslie Roach ***
- Jamuel R. Robinson
- Danilo F. Rosella
- Anastasia E. Rossi * ** ^
- Sophia Michelle Rounds * **
- Isabella Emily Rowe
- Hailey C. Rozell ***
- Sydney Ryan
- Ella S. Sabbia
- Tyler Matthew Sagendorph ***
- Fabian E. Saiz
- Jude Loay Salman * ** ^
- Zane Loay Salman * **
- Emma Marie Salzer * ** > ^ +
- Nicholas Jacob Sammon
- Abiola Felicia Samuels
- Jamie Armand Samyn
- Paige Madison Sanford * ** ^
- Lara Sanlés * **
- Lauren Elizabeth Savage * ** > ^ +
- Matthew C. Scanni * ** ^
- Alexander T. Schalk * **
- Jared D. Scharf * **
- Haliann M. Schwalb * ** ^
- Damese Yahariah Shook
- Shannon Lee Skawinski ^
- Alexander John Smith ***
- Cameron J. Smith * **
- Aiden Baltazar Somerville ***
- Evan Andrew Soraghan
- Courtney H. Sorbello *** ^
- Jocelyn Victauria Soto ***
- Jackson Christopher St. Cyr * **
- Hannah G. Steil ***
- Summer Anne Stevens *** ^
- Kellen Patrick Stewart * **
- Brody J. Stone
- Samuel A. Stothart
- Mikayla Teta
- Catherine AnLi Thibault ***
- Charles Thomas * ** ^
- Ronan Amato Tiu * ** > ^ +
- John J. Vagianelis * ** ^
- Angelina S. Van Royen * ** ^
- Ruger W. VanWie
- Howard Vargas *** ^
- Tyler Hogan Vennard *** ^
- Genevieve Paige Vollaro * **
- Henry S. Vriesema *** ^
- Dylan Vuille * ** >
- Ciara M. Wade ***
- Ryan Walker
- Margaret M. Walters * ** +
- Haoxian Wang * ** ^ +
- Lily M. Watson *** > ^
- Chloe Carine Webb
- Maia G. Weinstein * **
- Olivia Sky Whalen *** > ^
- Pamela Victoria White * ** > +
- Lucy J. Whiteley * ** > +
- Sophie Marie Wickham
- Landen Wilcox
- Ellen Mae Winne * **
- Christopher Troy Witkowski ***
- Jayden Wojcik * **
- Gu Hong Wu * **
- William Wu * ** ^ +
- Briana Grace Yanson *** ^
- Logan A. Yohe * **
- Sabrina You * ** +
- Danny Zheng * ** ^
- Jerry Zheng
- Milo Joseph Zlatev * ** ^
- Elizabeth Hazel Zollman * **