Bethlehem High Celebrates 91st Commencement
On Thursday, June 26, a class of 333 students from Bethlehem Central High School received diplomas at a commencement ceremony held at the MVP Arena in downtown Albany. It was a joyous event for the members of the class of 2025, their families, friends, teachers, staff, administrators and members of the Board of Education.
Principal Dave Doemel, Superintendent Jody Monroe and Board of Education President Holly Dellenbaugh addressed students and guests. Board of Education members Lauren Grasso, Meredith Moriarty, Robert Tietjen and John Walston were also onstage as the students were presented with their diplomas.
There were also three student speakers at the 91st BCHS Commencement Exercises.
Skylar Maurer delivered an opening address with advice about supporting one another by embracing what it means to be human.
“One of my favorite parts of senior year are the things I’ve learned. Now I know that sounds scripted by Mr Doemel, but I promise it is not,” said Maurer. “Every single person here is totally different, and that is the thing we can relate to. That is so beautifully human.
“Everyone in the infinite vastness of life has experienced their own unique life. Everyone in this room could watch the same movie or read the same book and think something different. I, personally, love that fact,” said Maurer. “The human experience is so beautiful because you will never meet the same person twice.”
You can read Skylar Maurer’s opening address here.
The keynote address was delivered by Clare Megahey, who tapped into her experience as a mentor at BCHS Freshman Orientation to find words of encouragement for the Class of 2025.
“I love to remind (incoming ninth graders) that the high school is built like a spider web, and that if you ever get lost, go back to the main foyer and try again. If you get lost in life, which we all someday will, center yourself, seek out the people who ground you and try again,” said Megahey.
Megahey urged students to “work hard and play hard” but said her best piece of advice was to “pull up a seat” and get involved. “Pull up a seat at whatever table you are interested in, because there is always room for one more and because you all have unique and important gifts,” said Megahey. “The table needs you.”
You can read Clare Megahey’s keynote address here.
Johanna Radcliffe closed the ceremony with a poem she wrote for the occasion that would take her classmates on a bittersweet journey through their school years. Radcliffe entitled the poem “Grown-ish.”
A passage from the poem Grown-ish by Johanna Radcliffe
We again felt grown when in middle school
When, as if we ate wonderlands cookies the hallways no longer feel huge
We’re learning
We’re growing
We’re changing
I mean we are aging into our new selves
Our more true selves
Learning our likes and dislikes
Choosing our paths
Auditioning or trying out for that you remember
You can read Johanna Radcliffe’s poem Grown-ish here.
The entire ceremony was livestreamed. You can view a recording of the 91st Commencement ceremony here.
Students were also accompanied by their high school counselors as well as the 2025 honorary graduation marshals who are faculty members selected by the students as having had a significant impact on their time in Bethlehem. This year’s marshals were Michele Atallah (BCHS), Kelly Babic (BCHS), Teresita Barcia (BCHS), Mckenzie Barrett (BCMS), Lester Betor (Slingerlands), Eileen Browne (Eagle), Michael Charvat (BCMS), Cori DiFabbio (BCMS), Kristy Eldeen (BCHS), Corey Fong (BCHS), Kathleen Hahn (BCHS), Evan Harley (BCMS), Amanda Huszar (BCHS), Melissa Leach (Hamagrael), Maryann Lynch (BCHS), Thomas Maldonado (BCHS), Sean Mooney (BCHS), Shawn Mowry (BCHS), Mark Nealon (BCMS), Kenneth Neff (BCHS), Kimberly Panaro (BCHS), Maria Qualtere (Slingerlands), Mackenzie Riegel (Glenmont), Anthony Scott (BCMS), Stephen Smith (Middle School), Eileen Turo (BCHS), Michael Valenti (Elsmere), Anthony Wilson (BCHS, William Wojcik (BCHS) and Christine Zemsky (BCMS).
Congratulations to our newest BC alumni for their hard work and their contributions to the BC community. We wish them the very best!
Commencement Program – Digital Version
The 91st Commencement Exercises program can be viewed online at this link. The program includes a list of senior award winners and honorees.
