Eldred graduates 41 seniors

By DAVID HULSE

ELDRED, NY — Good advice, recollections and thank-yous filled the evening air last Saturday night at graduation ceremonies for the Eldred Central School class of 2004.

Superintendent Dr. Ivan Katz advised that hard work produces the real magic in life and that “the man who wins is the man who thinks he can win.”

High School Principal Scott Krebbs said he would always remember this class, his first as a principal. Krebbs hoped that they would “be tolerant to the faults of others, not your own.”

The commencement address was given by Mount St. Mary’s College President Sister Ann Sakac, who started by admitting that it was the end of the ceremony that everyone was waiting for, “so as Henry VIII said to each of his wives, ‘Don’t worry, I shall not keep you long.’”

In preparing her remarks, Sakac said she had asked about the character of the class and was told, “they have heart.”

She said the heart was “a holy place where inspiration and love make their home.”

She advised graduates to keep their hearts generous, open to learning and graceful in times of stress. “Show us all what it means to be heart-healthy.”

Referring to the “butterfly effect,” the theory that a single butterfly’s wings beating in one part of the world can trigger a raging storm somewhere else, salutatorian David Albanese said each of his classmates was in a position to have an impact in the world.

Valedictorian Jené Shafer thanked family and friends who had all contributed to making her the best person she could be. Life, she suggested, was like a turkey hunt, where all must cooperate to be successful. “There’s always someone to help,” she said.

Thirty of the graduates have announced college plans. Two will join the military.

About 400 people attended the Saturday commencement program.