Principal Daniel Rossi: "I love them. They are fighters, they persevere, and they have a healthy combination of common sense, heart and a sense of direction."
SPRINGFIELD – New Leadership Charter School in Springfield handed out diplomas to 37 graduates in a commencement ceremony Sunday at the Karen Sprague Cultural Center of American International College.
“We need to get right back into normalcy,” New Leadership principal Daniel Rossi said of his decision not to postpone graduation in the wake of a tornado’s destruction in Springfield.
Valedictorian of the class of 2011 was Quimeena Thomas, and salutatorian was Kristina Torres.
Guest speaker was Henry Thomas, president of the Urban League of Springfield. “He was the founder of the school,” said New Leadership CEO Charmaine White, “and he has been one of our main partners for the past 11 years.”
White welcomed the graduates and guests by speaking on the theme of consequences. Singing the National Anthem at the ceremony was New Leadership staff member Trevis Bon. Peter Daboul, chairman of the Board of Trustees at the school, also spoke.
Several awards were given out to students, including an award for the most improved student and another based on academics, performance, leadership and community service.
An unusual feature of the New Leadership ceremony was that each graduating student was the star of a slide show that traced that student’s development from early childhood on.
All but one of the students will be going to college, White said, and that was because the student chose not to apply.
Rossi described his students as “a vibrant, resilient group of young leaders. I love them. They are fighters, they persevere, and they have a healthy combination of common sense, heart and a sense of direction.”