Graduation

By: Mason Achtyl

This year the Class of 2024 leaves St. Joe’s to move on to college. The seniors have made a massive impact on the SJCI community throughout their years here. This year's graduation will be returning  to Kleinhans Music Hall for the second year in a row (the previous years were disrupted by Covid). The auditorium is known around the world for its extraordinary acoustics and its clean, warm lines. Seating 2,400 people, Kleinhans is located on 3 Symphony Cir. in Buffalo.

I got the chance to interview the valedictorian, John Gramza. When asked what he will miss most about St. Joe’s, his response was, “[I will miss] coming to school every day and seeing the same faces and same people, who I have become very close to over the years. Those relationships are the ones I will miss the most [when I leave].” John is excited to be graduating from St. Joe’s. “It's been fun the last four years, but it's good to move on and see new things.”

Though graduation is so important for the seniors here at St. Joe’s, it is even more important to the facility and staff.

When Principal Spillman was asked about what his favorite moment with the seniors was, his response was, “Whether it’s seeing hundreds of classmates rooting on their brothers to the state championship in hockey, was a real special moment, but then there [are] more subtle moments when you go to a wake or a funeral, for somebody who's lost a loved one and you see the students classmates there supporting them, like [those moments] are the epitome of brotherhood; it's not just about celebrating with your brother in the stands when those times are good; it's also standing alongside them when times aren’t as good.” “For me, it's not just one big memory; it's the little things along the way that I take, and I can think [of] the last few months where I've seen each of those things, which exemplifies what it means to be an authentic part of the St. Joe's brotherhood.” 

Mrs. Spitzer was asked what she liked most about this year's senior class, and her response was deeply moving: “The Class of 2024 really represents the diversity that St. Joe’s represents." She also said, “With senior classes, a lot of my favorite moments come at the end. I enjoy interacting with the seniors when they have an AP exam. I absolutely love the prom, and going to the prom and seeing the guys interact with their dates and each other—I love seeing them at graduation rehearsal, and baccalaureate mass is another special time that I hold dear and close to me, and seeing you guys in that capacity. There are a lot of special moments that I have with every class, not just the class of 2024, when they hit that pivotal moment in senior year. It's those end-of-year moments where I see you guys reflecting back on your years here.” 

Both Mr. Spillman and Mrs. Spitzer say that they want the seniors to know that they have accomplished something over the past four years—something that the Class of 2024 should be proud of; they have grown and developed over those years, and they will be leaving St. Joe’s with something most high schoolers don't get. They leave with experience, and they also leave with the idea that they are a graduate and alumnus of St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute. They also want the parents of the Class of 2024 to realize that they are seeing their son become a man of integrity and maturity over the four years here and that St. Joe’s has played a pivotal role in their development; it was a partnership that made that happen. The partnership is that the parents have put trust in St. Joe's, and with that trust, they have led their children to greatness, giving them the opportunity to be something better.

To the Class of 2024, as we embark on the next chapter of our lives, whether it's college or other ambitions, we need to reflect on the perseverance and dedication that got us here. Best of luck to all of us with whatever lies next.