Tiger pride on display at 2013 commencement

Friends and family of the St. Regis High School graduating class of 2013 gathered in the gymnasium to celebrate the achievements of the seniors and wish them well in their next stage of life on Friday evening.

This year’s graduating class was comprised of six Tigers – Kelsey Dellinger, Patrick Espanola, Spur Hill, Jeron Jennings, Madison Kent and Shadrick Rich – and the ceremony encapsulated what it means to be a student of St. Regis.

“I just wanted to welcome you guys to the St. Regis High School graduation of 2013,” Byron Quinlan said. “We will begin with our scholarships”

With that Quinlan and several other members of the community and administration presented the graduating class with over $100,000 worth of both local and statewide scholarships the students earned this year.

With the scholarships announced and certificates given to the students, Valedictorian Spur Hill took the podium to address his classmates and attendees.

“Although our class may be small, that doesn’t mean we didn’t have a lot of fun in our years here at St. Regis,” Hill said. “I’ve known most of these guys my whole life and I am glad to see that we made it.”

Hill added it “is a great feeling” to see all of the career and educational opportunities that lie ahead for the class of 2013 but it “will be hard leaving this place” and all of the memories gained over the course of his time there.

“Thank you all for coming and here’s Jeron Jennings with a few words,” Hill concluded.

Jennings, who is this year’s salutatorian, spoke to attendees and his classmates about what it meant to him to be a Tiger. About what Tiger pride is truly about.

“For the longest time I thought Tiger pride wasn’t real at all,” Jennings said. “But at the end of my high school career I learned what being a Tiger is all about. It’s about community and fighting for what’s best for your friends no matter what. It’s not about taking pride in mediocrity - it’s about making our school a place to take pride in. I am proud of my education, I am proud of my fellow classmates and I am proud of my teachers. I am proud to be a Tiger.”

Former teacher at St. Regis, Jess Tuchscherer, was the guest speaker and although he said “it would be a tough act” to follow Hill and Jennings he addressed the class with motivating words for their future endeavors.

“This isn’t the end of their high school, it’s the beginning of the next chapter of their lives,” Tuchscherer said. “Tonight marks the beginning of their new lives as adults as they take the skills, knowledge and experience they developed here in St. Regis and apply it to college, the military and the working world. Tonight doesn’t mark the end, it celebrates the beginning. It celebrates these talented young men and women and sends them off, praying they make the world a better place for all of us.”

Tuchscherer said when he was asked to speak at the graduation he almost declined due to a fear of public speaking, but the invitation he received to speak sold him and motivated him to come. He read from the formal invitation the students sent him, which said no name came up in the conversation for guest speaker more than himself.

“I mean you don’t have too if you don’t want too but there is a hefty $2.37 cash incentive, totally exempt from taxation, that might sway you,” Tuchscherer read. “When I received this invite I couldn’t help but smile and I was pretty flattered. I told the graduates I would do it under one condition – that the $2.37 cash incentive is paid in pennies, put in a sweat sock, and knotted that way I can take a couple swings at Mr. Martin.”

After the laughter in the gym died down, Tuchscherer concluded his speech “on a serious note.”

“After reading the invitation several times, what I realized is how heartfelt it was and that the invitation spoke of a positive influence, of a lasting impression of encouragement to work harder and of leadership,” Tuchscherer said. “These graduates said I helped give this all to them but what I’ve come to realize is that they too have given this all to me and so much more…each of you has had a positive influence on me, each of you continue to impress me and will have a lasting impression on me.”

The former teacher also gave his students one last homework assignment – to heed the advice his grandmother gave him during their last conversation.

“She told me ‘Jess, you need to find love in your life,’ she spoke of those few but simple guiding words and what I’ve come to realize is that she wasn’t talking about finding a love or finding someone to love – she was talking about finding a passion that challenges you and helps make this world a better place,” Tuchscherer said. “So the last homework assignment I’ll give you is to simply echo my grandmother’s words – go find love in your life.”