Following is an abridged version of the address given by valedictorian Katarina Patitucci at the Holy Spirit High School commencement on June 6.
I remember it like it was just yesterday — our first day of high school. The nerves of being the new kids and having to start all over again. Freshman year ushered in a whole new world of emotions and experiences for us. In our first days of high school, we received our new iPads, underwent boot camp to learn how to use them, and met so many new faces. Figuring out how to open our lockers and finding our classes became the next struggles, but we endured them together. Our lives revolved around going to school, trying to get good grades, making friends, and waiting for high school to be over.
Sophomore year, classes got a little harder, but everything seemed less daunting. We were more prepared for the future. Now, no longer the new kids in school, we were one step closer to freedom. This is when the reality set in that we were halfway through our high school careers. In the short time we spent getting to know each other, aimlessly wandering the halls of our school, and discovering that taking naps in Nurse Jackie’s office was a thing, we continued to grow closer and closer together as a class.
Junior year was an abnormally stressful experience. Expectedly, it was time to get serious, hit the books, study for the SAT, survive AP classes, and prepare for college. However, spring came and everything changed. The familiarity of our once rigid schedule had been interrupted by COVID-19. It soon became time to get technologically savvy, persevere through times of uncertainty, and attempt to wake up on time or remember when our Zoom classes were supposed to be. …
The entire summer went by and we were left wondering if we would even be able to return to school. While we may not have necessarily had the traditional high school senior year, we are sitting here today collectively as a class, because we made it through all the highs and lows. Masks, annoying plastic desk dividers, and the seemingly-neverending supply of those vinegar smelling disinfectant wipes were not enough to stop us. As a class, we became braver in the face of adversity.
On behalf of the Class of 2021, I would like to thank the faculty, staff, administration and teachers for all of their dedication and hard work toward giving us a “normal senior year” and making events such as the theater productions, sports seasons, cantata, prom, senior night, and graduation possible. We’ll forever be grateful for the months you spent planning and working with the diocese to make sure we could safely open and have fully in-person learning. …
Thank you to our teachers for shaping us into the bright young men and women we are today. Under your guidance, we’ve academically challenged ourselves in a plethora of subjects and mastered the art of writing papers and completing projects at the last minute. Last but certainly not least, thank you to our parents for supporting us every step of the way. Thank you for endlessly loving and believing in us. Whether it was listening to us complain about how hot it was wearing our sweaters in class on that rare 70 degree March day or driving to school to drop off something we forgot, your sacrifices did not go unnoticed. Without you, our accomplishments would not have been possible, and there aren’t enough words to express our gratitude for everything you have done for us. …
While today we may be leaving our second home, a place that has nurtured and protected us for the past four years, becoming part of the Holy Spirit community is a lifetime commitment. The traditions, values and faith instilled in us have been passed along from generation to generation of Spartans. At the end of today’s ceremony, we take this mosaic of moments, traditions, knowledge, faith, friends, and memories — the things that make us who we are — and step into adulthood. Mrs. Mulvihill will no longer be there to remind us that she’s not our mom and that we need to take care of ourselves. Our newfound freedom comes with great responsibility. It is now our turn to take hold of our lives and, as Mr. Acculto would say, “be safe and be great!”
To my fellow graduates, I want to wish you the best in all of your future endeavors and thank you for being friendly faces these past four years. Remember to stay true to who you are and never forget those who have supported you along your journey. … Once a Spartan, always a Spartan. Congratulations Class of 2021! Good luck and Godspeed.
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