Members of the Clayton A. Bouton Class of 2023 received their diplomas during a June 23 commencement at the district’s Performing Arts Center.
This year’s graduating class contained 97 students, with many obtaining advanced Regents diplomas and many having already earned multiple college credits during their junior and senior years. The Class of 2023 valedictorian is Julia Young, and the salutatorian is Rowan Knauf.
While delivering her valedictorian speech, Young spoke about the realization that there is still so much learning ahead for her and her classmates.
“As high school progressed, with every class I took, the more I became aware of how much I did not know,” said Young. “Whether it was math class, physics, or Spanish, the more I learned, the more I realized how much information there is that I don’t understand yet.”
While that realization can be unsettling, Young pointed out the advantages of having room to evolve.
“By realizing all there is left to know, we set ourselves up for curiosity and growth,” she said, “One day when we look back on this night, it will be obvious how much we have changed.”
Photos taken by Melanie Lawrence, Always in Focus Photography. Additional photos are available here.
