Amid the cluster of colorful caps donned by Maryland School for the Deaf graduates Friday morning, Connor Switenky’s shone especially bright, literally.
A stream of neon letters danced across the top, proclaiming “Go Class of 2018” followed by a series of animated images. The LED light display, which Switenky programmed himself and soldered to his cap, was testament to his passion for computer science. While Switenky was excited to take his passion to the next level, pursuing it as his major at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, he also expressed sadness at leaving behind the close-knit community he’d come to call home in his nine years at Maryland School for the Deaf.
Others among the new graduates had even longer histories with the school, such as Freya Seremeth, who started in the school’s family education program as an infant.
Seremeth, 18, likened the school to a second family, recalling the many memories she’d shared with classmates and teachers over the years. A self-described mischief maker, she named several examples of her playfulness in action: tricking a speech class teacher who was just learning American Sign Language with the wrong signs for the words she wanted to use, telling other teachers she didn’t do her homework only to secretly hand it in a few minutes later.
Even newcomer Janos-Calvin Giuranna, who came to the school in the fall as an exchange student from Germany, said he was quickly welcomed into the fold, even, as he noted, when he unknowingly committed some cultural “no-nos” such as walking outside wearing only underwear.
Despite the relatively small class size, the 29 graduates represented a diverse array of perspectives and talents, a message highlighted by nearly every speaker at Friday’s ceremony. There were athletic accomplishments like football championships and Brady Perry’s participation in track events at the 2017 Summer Deaflympics; academic successes in scholastic competitions and, not to be forgotten, the class’s track record of winning the Homecoming week spirit competition three of their four high school years.
Switenky in his speech likened the class to a Rubik’s Cube, with the different colors representing their varied successes and opportunities at MSD.
The audience was equally diverse, a mix of both deaf and hearing, students, teachers and family and friends of the graduates hailing from across the state and the region. All wore broad smiles, though, clapping and waving as the Class of 2018 walked one by one across the stage to receive their diplomas.
“It’s going to be really hard to leave this great school and these great people behind,” Perry said.
Interviews with students were conducted through a sign language interpreter.
Follow Nancy Lavin on Twitter: @NancyKLavin.
(2) comments
[offtopic] MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF ARE FULL OF FAVORTISM. STEAL GOVERMENT's money and don't care to help the student to have all access! ONLY will help student come from friend or deaf family.
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