Photo by Nancy Royden. Daniel Dupuy, one of two salutatorians for the Laurel High School Class of 2011, offers his address.

Published on: Thursday, June 09, 2011

By Nancy Royden

Hats were tossed skyward, cheering ensued and many hugs were given, as seniors from Laurel High School graduated Monday night in the Comcast Center at the University of Maryland in College Park.

Guest speaker Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown offered the graduates many words of insight and reflection.

“I see the potential for greatness in every one of you,” he said.

Brown said whether a graduate winds up leading a congregation from a pulpit or building the church itself, he or she should always do their best while working.

Photo by Nancy Royden. Natalie Aquino graduates from Laurel High School Monday night.

“Every one of you has something you’re good at, and you have to discover what it is,” he said.

Brown charged the graduates with being responsible for developing their skills, caring for their families and being supportive of the communities where they live.

He told them they could wind up being the next president of the United States like Barack Obama, a media businesswoman and philanthropist like Oprah Winfrey or a worldwide representative of the United States like Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Brown also offered the graduates some personal advice: “Never give up or believe it is too late to finish what you started.”

He told them to not be afraid to fail.

“You will never appreciate success if you never fail,” he said.

He ended his speech positively.

“Life is short. Live well and be careful. Take time for your family and friends,” he said. “Dream, achieve and be great.”

Class salutatorians Daniel Silski and Daniel Dupuy offered addresses to their classmates and the audience.

“I don’t have much advice, so I smile every day,” Silski said, thanking friends, loved ones, teachers and others for their help throughout the years.

Dupuy recalled the day when his parents took him to school for the first time. He said all the things he and other students learned should not be in vain.

“Take what you’ve learned and put it to good use,” he said.

Valedictorian Sheyla Guevara also thanked her family and teachers.

“Without our families, teachers and friends, we would not be here tonight,” she said.

Guevara told fellow graduates to embrace who they are and quoted Confucius.

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart,” she said.

Graduate and National Honor Society member Gary Wesley Cooke Jr. performed, “Aufschwung,” (Soaring) by Schumann on the piano.

Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. and board of education member Rosalind A. Johnson, District 1 representative, also offered the graduates words of encouragement and congratulations during the ceremony.

Senior class officers were recognized during the ceremony. They are Olasubomi Adesoye, president; Asia Giles, vice president; Kalane Abbey, secretary and Brittany Ofori, treasurer.

The program was dedicated to LHS math teacher Rosalie “Rose” Ochida, who died last May.

Those who are retiring from work at LSH were recognized and include: Lynne Ball, Ray Coley, Alice Green, Gilbert Johnson, Randall Maddox, Nadine Masone, Terry Parfitt, Steven Parker, Randolph Perry, Sandra Serf and William Yoder.