The Central High School District graduating Class of 2021 was celebrated at three ceremonies on the Mepham, Calhoun and Kennedy high school football fields on June 13.

The pomp and circumstance were radiating throughout the students, staff and grounds as spectators tailgated along the fence lines to catch a glimpse of this special day.

School color balloon arches and other embellishments, commemorative student speeches and diploma sleeve handouts marked the afternoon.

Valedictorians Max Luft from Mepham, Jasper Seabold from Calhoun and Jake Arlia from Kennedy, as well as salutatorians Jack Savalli from Mepham, Michelle Serban from Calhoun and Jordyn Krinsky from Kennedy all addressed the crowds.

Arlia discussed the pandemic’s effects on him and his classmates.

“I am not surprised at how triumphantly we persevered through this year,” he said. “The joyful memories we cultivated in our pre-pandemic reality, incentivized us to work hard and cooperate for a brighter future.”

Luft added similar sentiments to his Mepham classmates.

“Our cooperative abilities have only been improved through COVID,” he said. “We are all integral pieces in our future, and we need to help each other up when one of us inevitably falls in order for us all to succeed.”

Seabold leaned into his speech, offering much comic relief, but noted he wanted to also say something to add value to his classmates’ lives. He discussed the importance of literacy in going through life.

“If you’re literate you can read different arguments and school of thought,” he said. “Only through the free exchange of ideas can we hope to distinguish those of merit.”

Sanford H. Calhoun High School

John F. Kennedy High School

Wellington C. Mepham High School