The highlight of the Weehawken High School Class of 2003 commencement exercises was not the warm words offered by class valedictorian Alex Wagner, nor the hundreds of awards that were presented.
The best moment of Thursday evening’s graduation ceremony came when a virtual newcomer to the school strode to the podium to offer a few words.
A few weeks ago, senior Elana Landry approached Principal Dr. Peter Olivieri, requesting that she would be able to say a few words at graduation.
Landry, who transferred to Weehawken High School from Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, Georgia, last October, was neither the valedictorian, nor salutatorian of the class, and having a student other than the top two in the class speak during commencement had never happened before.
“Elana told me that she wrote a speech,” Olivieri said. “We never did anything like that before. But after I read her speech, I had to let her speak. I figured that if a student can write a speech that can make me cry, then she’s going to give it.”
Thursday night, amid the humidity of the crowded auditorium, Landry commanded the attention of the audience.
“People say that graduation is for the parents,” Landry said. “But this day is for me. I believe everything happens for a reason. I transferred to Weehawken from my high school in Georgia in October. I didn’t want that to happen. The high school I was leaving was like leaving my family and friends. I grew up there. I was coming to a new school and the odds were definitely against me. I thought I was coming here and it would take a major adjustment. I was worried whether I was going to say or do the right thing.
Added Landry, “But I didn’t have to fit in. Everyone moved over and welcomed me with open arms. They treated me like I grew up with them all their lives. I was a Weehawken High School senior and it was like I always had been. A lot of people don’t have one place to call home. I’m lucky. I have two. It took me nine years to fit in at Sandy Creek. Here, it took nine months.”
Landry was one of 67 students to receive diplomas Thursday night, in a class that achieved its share of successes in every aspect of education. All totaled, the graduating class received $1.8 million in college scholarships and grants, an extraordinary amount for such a small total of students.
“This group of youngsters was a very cohesive group,” said guidance counselor Carol Malsch, who has been a member of the faculty at the high school for the last 37 years. “There were a lot of generous personalities that fit together like a glove. They worked together like brothers and sisters and really were like a family.”
Malsch was especially moved by Landry’s words.
“Elana is extremely mature and came into my office the first time, already having a planned focus for college,” Malsch said. “She has been a very gracious, outgoing, warm young lady. Everyone was touched by her speech and it was indicative of her personality.”
Malsch said the Class of 2003 had two excellent advisors in Mary Ann Simpson and Chiara Ziek, another reason for the class’ enormous success.
Olivieri said it was special graduating class because there were seven students who transferred into the high school during the course of the four years and were accepted as one of their own, including valedictorian Wagner, who transferred from a school in Maryland during her sophomore year.
“That makes me feel happy about the school,” Olivieri said. “It makes me feel like we have a school that the kids can call home.”
Olivieri said that he was pleased with the amount of individuals from the community who donated money for scholarships for the graduates. Thirteen different scholarships come from community donations, either from businesses like UBS, from memorial funds, and one substantial trust, the Ramsaye College Scholarship Trust, where 13 different students benefit from a trust of nearly $40,000.
“There are so many people who give money, because they realize our students will be able to utilize it properly,” Olivieri said. “This was truly a special class.”
Olivieri pointed out the effervescent Tatiana Fernandez as a student that he will truly miss.
“She’s just the happiest, nicest kid,” Olivieri said. “She adds an extra spark to the class.”
While there is a sense of sadness that comes when one class departs, Olivieri was hard at work Friday morning, working on just two hours sleep after the Project Graduation celebration at a spa in Paramus, planning for the upcoming Class of 2004.
“There’s that first sense of sadness,” Olivieri said. “Then, you have to start looking at the next class. Each class offers different things. Each class is unique.”