Published: July 03, 2008 08:23 am         

Milford school, community bid farewell to 45 graduates

By MICHELLE MILLER
Staff Writer

MILFORD — Milford Central School Superintendent Peter Livshin told the class of 2008 that Friday night’s graduation ceremony would probably be the last time the students would all be together as an entire class.

He told the 45 graduating students, who were waiting to get their diplomas in the warm, sticky gymnasium, that although they might see one another in passing or later on at class reunions, they would all be going in separate directions and would be missed dearly by the community. ``In a very brief period of time, life as they know it will change dramatically and will change in many ways forever,’’ said Livshin.

It was clear, by the speeches made by a few members of the graduating class, that although members of the graduating class will be taking a leap into the outside world and taking a journey away from the close-knit town of familiarity, the community will always have a lasting impact in each student’s heart.

Salutatorian Andrea Fournier, who has attended MCS since she was in kindergarten, said Milford has provided an extended family that is rare in most other places.

``This town, this school is all I know of home, but it is no surprise that the substance of this place has had a huge impact on my perspective and therefore my goals,’’ said Fournier. Although familiarity is hard to avoid, Fournier said growing up in a small town has given her a high standard of humanity that she will never lower. She said she has grown up where compassion thrives, and that compassion has inspired her to ask the same of all the others she might meet.

The community has also revealed the importance of individual responsibility that is required to effect change, according to Fournier. She said she will continue her fight for human decency and said she is who she is because of the community around her.

Manique Talaia-Murray gave the Senior Address. She weighed her class up against the ``most wonderful dances’’ it hosted throughout the years.

``For me, the organization of a nice wholesome community activity epitomizes everything this class stands for,’’ said Talaia-Murray, who is also the Milford fire queen. ``As we begin our journey into the great unknown, the difference of hiring a DJ (disc jockey) and coordinating the arrangement of Christmas lights will be nothing compared to the new challenges to come.’’ Life in Milford rarely changes from year to year and the rest of the world does not stay so stable, said Talaia- Murray.

``It’s the quick flashes of light, of the strobe light that represent our destinies,’’ Talaia-Murray said.

Talaia-Murray credits the tightly knitted net of the community for offering her and her peers the opportunity to flourish in an environment that is open to change, although Milford and its people pretty much maintain a constant atmosphere. She said she agrees with the saying, `` It takes a village to raise a child,’’ but also said she thinks the inverse of that statement is true. ``It takes a child to raise a village,’’ said Talaia- Murray.

Talaia-Murray said she has spent most of her life in the small town, and knows she has become who she is because of her ``amazing’’ teachers, peers, and community members. She quoted “High School Musical,” and said, ``We are all in this together.’’

Class President Scott Seeley said although there are a limited number of people in Milford, each individual person and community member has had an impact on those graduating and taking the next step into adulthood. He thanked members of the community for sitting through never-ending sporting events and for attending various shows and fundraisers the class had ``conned’’ them into. Seeley said he was particularly grateful for being able to get away from snowy Milford for a three-day senior trip to Florida.

``We have benefited from you greatly and owe our deepest gratitude. Your support has been a constant in our lives and will always be remembered,’’ said Seeley.

Seeley said many of his classmates have been counting down the days until graduation, but said it is hard to disagree time has flown by. He said what has been taught in the small town will never be forgotten.

``Knowing these great people, and their little town of Milford, makes me want to go out and explore the rest of the world to find many others just like you,’’ he said.

Seeley joked about his class being referred to as the ``good class.’’ He continued to entertain those in attendance by saying it was safe to say nobody in the class had ever handed in anything late nor talked back nor skipped class. Seeley eventually admitted the flaws of his peers, such as daily gossiping and note taking in books, and said, ``Deadlines are like dotted lines, every once in a while you can pass when necessary.’’ Valedictorian Morgan Robinson said many people could say the class of 2008 is like the North Star for the community and the rest of the school because of its many involvements.

However, Robinson said while there are similarities among her classmates, everyone has their own unique personalities. She said each person shines his or her own unique light on the school and she feels her classmates are very closely knit and pull together well.

Robinson used herself as an example and said she mostly contributes to the school through academics. She said she is not very athletic, does not speak a second language fluently, is not confident in her public speaking abilities, and is not musically gifted. Robinson said she dabbled in a variety of new things over the years, but never mastered any specific activity.

``I am no single northern star to follow to find a path to success or even an important star of a constellation,’’ said Robison. ``I am nothing but that one bright light, like all the other stars that can be easily lost in the night sky.’’ MCS Principal Ben Badurina said he sees the class of 2008 as having a social conscience.

``Since the moment I got to MCS this class has wanted to effect change,’’ he said. He said the class, of course, challenged him when he began his career at MCS, but they also accepted him warmly. Talaia-Murray said each of her classmates will have very different explorations, and she expects there to be at least one astronaut or one famous juggler to come out of the group.