Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Edgewood celebrated their 2021 graduates on Thursday.
Graduates began their morning with a class photo and a graduation walk through the campus prior to a commencement ceremony scheduled for 7 p.m. in the school’s auditorium.
Students, faculty and staff lined the halls to congratulate seniors Thursday morning, with many holding signs or balloons. The graduation walk is a tradition the school instituted about five years ago — though it was scrapped last year during the pandemic.
“It felt unreal,” said graduate Olivia Larson, as voiced through an interpreter.
Larson, 18, graduated as valedictorian from the class of 10 students.
She was moved by the outpouring of support as she walked through the halls. She described the school spirit at Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf “inspiring” as she reminisced on how, not long ago, she was one of the younger students lining the halls to cheer on prior graduates.
The Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf is a nonprofit, tuition-free school for children from birth through high school. There are currently about 190 students total at the Edgewood site, which has helped thousands of students who are deaf or hard of hearing since its opening in 1869.
“This is one of the best classes that I’ve seen graduating and I’m really excited to see what they’re going to do in the future,” CEO Steven Farmer said.
Graduates will have an in-person graduation ceremony Thursday evening on campus.
“Today really means so much,” Larson said, donning her valedictorian sash. “Growing up, I really had the emphasis that I need to work my hardest, never miss any homework. I would always do my best to work hard. Now today is showing that my hard work really paid off. I’m excited to know that all that work was worth it.”
Larson reminisced on fond memories at the school, including winning three championships with her volleyball team.
The next step for Larson is college at Charleston Southern University. After that, she hopes to enter the field of marine biology.
“I want to work with marine life animals — especially sea otters because they’re so cute,” she said of her future ambitions.
Like many graduates, Larson said she was feeling a wave of emotions on her graduation day. She said she was both “excited and nervous” to graduate from high school and move on to a college education.
“I’m nervous because I’m going to be a deaf individual in a hearing culture, so I’m going to be experiencing more challenges,” she said.
Larson urged people to be patient with people in the deaf community and said people should never feel afraid to communicate with them.
Larson is one of two graduates planning to study in a STEM field after graduation, Farmer said, touting the school’s STEM programs.
“I have high, high hopes for them and I truly believe strongly that they will be very successful,” Farmer said of this year’s graduates.
“It’s really exciting to be graduating, closing this chapter and starting a new one,” Larson said,
Julia Felton is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Julia at 724-226-7724, jfelton@triblive.com or via Twitter.
Image & Article Source: TribLive
