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Berlin Scholarships & Awards
The Albany/Troy Lions Club Citizenship Award was presented to Courtney Lynn Kellar
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The American Red Cross Life Share Scholarship was presented to Cheyenne Seel and Alessa D’Allessio
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The Berlin Central School Staff/Student Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a Berlin High School graduate who has worked to the best of his/her ability and does not necessarily rank at the top of the graduating class but who has worked to the best of his/her ability and who desires to further his/her education either academically or technically; and to a graduate who has been courteous and considerate of others. The 2014 recipient is Molly Ruebel
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The Berlin Elementary PTO Scholarship was awarded to Katie Gallucci and Shauna Hoffman
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The Berlin Middle/High School Dollars for Scholars Awards were presented by Stephen Mellor to Katie Gallucci and John Schatz
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The Berlin Middle/High School PTO Awards were presented by Jennifer Burhans to graduates who have attended Berlin Middle/High School for two years and participated in the Music Program, done community service work within the school or have been involved in the interscholastic sports program. The 2014 recipients are Alessa D’Alessio, Katie Gallucci, Kaitlyn Moon, Cullen O’Brien
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The Berlin Rescue Squad Wilma Anderson Memorial Scholarship was presented by Tammy Osterhout to Courtney Keller
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The Blue Shield Scholar’s Award was presented to Cullen O’Brien
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The Lillis Bunce Memorial Award is intended to encourage community service in our younger citizens as exemplified by the life of Lillis Bunce. The 2014 recipient is Cullen O’Brien
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The Ruth B. Canfield Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a member of the graduating class who has achieved the highest grade point average and who is continuing his/her education. The 2014 recipient is Alessa D’Allessio
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The Capital District Superintendents of School Buildings & Grounds Scholarship was presenteed to Katie Gallucci
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The Thomas Conklin Memorial Award is a monetary gift to graduating Seniors from Grafton, continuing on to college or military service. The 2014 recipients are Cullen O’Brien and Kayla Pietrzak
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The CSEA Local Scholarship was presented to Katie Gallucci
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The DAR Good Citizen Scholarship was presented to Cullen O’Brien
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The Harold S. Ford, Jr. Memorial Scholarship was presented to James Mayer III
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The Dorothy I. Gutermuth Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a Berlin High School graduate who is continuing his/her education and who demonstrates a strong work ethic. The 2014 recipient is Kaitlyn Moon
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The Barbara Horton Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a current graduate of Berlin High School pursuing a career in the education field. The 2014 recipient is Sharon Strock
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The Dr. Stanton Perry Hull Scholarship Award was presented to Alessa D’Allessio
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The Rick Ingraham Cross Country Award was presented by Josh Santarcangelo to Molly Ruebel
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The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship was presented to Katie Gallucci
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The Margaret J. Kinn Scholarship was awarded to Cody Seel
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The William J. Kinn Scholarship is awarded to the Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the graduating class. The 2014 recipients are Alessa D’Alessio and Cullen O’Brien
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The Kjelsen Trust Fund Scholarship is awarded to a Berlin High School graduate entering a university within the State of New York. The 2014 recipient is Sadie Jayne Hoffman
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The Knights of Pythias Achievement Award was presented to Kodi Day
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The Norma Lewis Memorial Scholarships are awarded to Berlin High School graduates who have enrolled in an accredited college program. The 2014 recipients are Courtney Kellar and Katlyn Weaver
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The New Visions/Performing Arts Achievement/Caftsmanship Award was presented to Angela Matson
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The NYS Comptroller’s Achievement Award was presented to Cheyenne Seel and Katlyn Weaver
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The NYS Education Department Scholarships for Academic Excellence are awarded to graduating Seniors attending a NYS College. The 2014 recipients are Alessa D’Alessio, James Richard Mayer III and Cullen O’Brien
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The Frances Palmer Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a Berlin High School graduate enrolled in a two or four year accredited college entering the education field, especially teaching. The 2014 recipient is Nicole Cure
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The Perfect Attendance Award was presented to Walter A. Harrington II
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The Petersburgh Fire Department/Cindy Harrisoon Scholarship was presented by Katie Fiske to Kaitlyn Moon
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The Questar III Criminal Justice II Chraftsmanship Award – Cheyenne Redmond Seel
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The Questar III Criminal Justice II Two Year Honor Roll – Cheyenne Seel
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The Questar III Certified Nurse’s Assistant Achievement Award – Shauna Hoffman
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The Questar III Certified Nurse’s Assistant Two-Year Honor Roll – Shauna Hoffman
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The Edith Grace Craig Reynolds Scholarship is awarded to a Berlin High School graduate who is pursuing higher education, has performed well academically, has a strong work ethic and is involved in community service. The 2014 recipient is Alessa D’Allessio
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The Michael G. Richardson Memorial Scholarship honoring Mr. Richardson’s commitment to education, athleticism and nature was presented by William Lawrence to Cullen O’Brien
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The Lester T. Russell Scholarship is awarded to a graduating Senior living in the Berlin Central School District and enrolled in a two or four year accredited college in the field of engineering and/or business. The 2014 recipient is Cody Redmond Seel
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The Scholars Recognition Scholarship was presented to Alessa D’Alessio
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The School Systems Federal Credit Union Community Service Award was presented to Katie Gallucci
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The John Phillip Sousa Award was presented to James Richard Mayer III
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The Spirit of Science Award was presented to Sadie Jayne Hoffman
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The Stephentown Memorial Library Scholarship was by Erica Binghan-Green presented to Shauna Hoffman
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The Taylor Trust Fund Scholarship is awarded to a Berlin High School graduate entering a university within the State of New York. The 2014 recipient is Meygan Delevan
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The United States Army Reserve Scholar Athlete Award was presented to Cullen O’Brien and Jodi Thomas
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The Varsity MasterMinds Award was presented to Kodi Day, Sadie Jayne Hoffman, James Richard Mayer III, Matthew Mears and Cullen O’Brien
Department Key Awards
Art Department Keys -Outstanding Performance – Mehgyn Bowen and Katie Gallucci
Business Department Key – Academic Excellence – Kaitlyn Goodermote
English Department Keys – Matthew Mears, Sharon Strock and Alessa D’Alessio
Family & Consumer Science Department Key – Courtney Kellar
Math Department Key – Kaitlyn Goodermote
Music Department Key – Angela Matson and Katie Gallucci
Physical Education Department Keys – Kaitlyn Goodermote and Cullen O’Brien
Science Department Key – Cullen O’Brien
Social Studies Department Key – Meygan Delevan
Technology Depatment Key – John Schatz
Berlin Valedictory And Salutatory
by Valedictorian Alessa D’Alessio and Salutatorian Cullen O’Brien
Cullen: Welcome parents, teachers, grandparents, community members, siblings, and those that were dragged here against their will. Before I begin, I would like to thank the many people who supported and helped us to grow into the graduates sitting here tonight. Thank you teachers. Thank you for the endless mountains of homework assignments that we slaved over and conquered (most of the time) each and every night. Thank you for teaching us not just about topics like integration and derivatives, semicolons, Shakespeare, the Revolutionary War, and global domestic profit, but about life, character, and perseverance. I would like to thank all of the administration members, especially Dr. Young, Dr. Allain, and Mrs. Adams, for the countless hours they spend ensuring and coordinating our education and the many opportunities we have available to us here at Berlin. Thank you Ms. Day and Mr. S. for all the work you have put in as class advisors to make our senior year an especially memorable experience. Thank you Mrs. Harrison. Thank you for guiding us through the many challenges we’ve faced here at Berlin, especially the college application process. Thank you custodial and maintenance staff for creating a clean environment that we all appreciate and my sincere apologies for all the messes I’ve made over the years. Thank you community members for supporting us at sporting events, concerts, fall fest, and here tonight. Thank you classmates for the good times and moments I’ll never forget. I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say: thank you parents. Thank you for always being by our sides. Thank you for the countless rides to school, practices, and friends houses. Thank you for your support and encouragement. Thank you for helping us to succeed and get to where we are today. Finally, thank you Google, Wikipedia, and the inventor of copy and paste, without you, I personally would be nothing.
Graduation speeches, although somewhat a formality, are an excellent opportunity for students to express something profoundly meaningful to both their classmates and the school community. Graduation is a unifying occasion; it brings together an array of people, each with their own role in the lives of the students on stage. Reflecting on this unity, I would like to invite someone up to the podium. The only senior who hasn’t succumbed to senioritis. A friend who provides stark contrast to my own procrastinative ideology. Join me in welcoming my friend and the class of 2014’s Valedictorian, Alessa D’Alessio.
Lacie: Thank you for such a warm welcome, Cullen, although I have definitely been counting down the days to this night for a few months now. As you said, graduation is an experience that highlights the unity that exists not only here tonight, but has been a ubiquitous element of our time here at Berlin. Felix Mendelssohn once said, “The essence of the beautiful is the unity of variety.” Our class is a combination of diverse personalities: from John’s special affinity for farm machinery, to Kodi Day’s talent for finding the humor in any situation, to Kaitlyn Goodermote’s ability to tame her abundant curls each and every morning and to that straw hat of Christian’s that has somehow remained immune to Berlin’s “No Hats” policy. These individual eccentricities are akin to the various pieces of a jigsaw puzzle: they each play a role in creating the final image. The absence of one piece results in an incomplete portrayal of the subject at hand. Without just a single member of our class, there would be a noticeable difference in the daily activities of Berlin. The halls would ache without Angela’s melodious singing, the beautiful artwork of Andrea, Sharon, and Mehgyn Bowen, or the encyclopedia of pop culture that Nicki can access at any time. Where would we be without Matt Mears’ knowledge of every single Super Bowl ever played, Bri’s “tough” attitude, or the athletic prowess of Meygan Delevan and Jodi? I can’t even imagine life without the antics of Tine and Taylor, James’s constant puns, or the unfailing presence of Josh’s tablet and Walter’s computer. If I had the time, I would go on and on about how each and every one of us contributes something memorable and wonderful to the class. By missing just one of these pieces of our class puzzle, we would not have as strong of a bond as we do now. Together, we braved one of the scariest journeys of life: high school. I can say without a doubt that the close relationship the Class of 2014 shares was a major support system for me throughout that journey, as I’m sure it was for others. To quote James Cash Penney, “Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.” Our class works together, belongs together, and fits together to create a stunning and lucrative exposition.
Cullen: Lacie’s puzzle metaphor can be applied to more than just our class. It can be applied to our lives. The time we spent at Berlin is another piece to our own individual puzzles. In fact, it’s a corner piece, or the first piece you look for when putting together a puzzle. The corner piece lays the foundation for the pieces to come, just as our education here lays the foundation for our future success. Class, when we leave this building tonight, we begin the addition of the next piece of our individual puzzles. Many of us will go on to college, and others will venture into the workforce. As you go out into the world, make sure your pursuits will fit into your puzzle. Just as deacon Tom Nash said at Baccalaureate two nights ago, do not attempt to be something you’re not. Find what makes you happy, and pursue it. Complete your life’s puzzle, a puzzle begun here at Berlin.
Several weeks ago, Lacie, Cody Seel, John, Molly, Courtney and I attended Berlin’s alumni banquet. At that banquet, our table was approached by Chris Riccardi. Mr. Riccardi graduated from Berlin in 1984. He lives in San Diego, California, which is 2,800 miles away from here, yet he faithfully makes the journey from California to New York just to attend the banquet every five years. Mr. Riccardi wanted to give the seniors one piece of advice that he values after graduating from Berlin. He told us to never forget where we came from. He told us that despite Berlin’s small size and remote location, great things can happen to those who come from here. Mr. Riccardi urged us to value the time we spent here, as the time he spent here is exceptionally important to his life.
Lacie: My fellow graduates: we must not take Mr. Riccardi’s advice for granted. The experiences that Berlin High School has given us will affect our future lives in almost every way–most importantly, how we view and impact the world around us. The puzzles of our lives are not yet completed–in fact, they have merely just started to form. The final picture will not be revealed until many years from now, but I hope that you all plan to cherish those years, and are excited for the opportunity to build upon the basis that you have.
I know that this school, and the people within it, have helped to shape me as an individual, and for that, I am grateful. Thank you, Berlin High School, for encouraging us to grow, and thank you, Class of 2014, for growing with Cullen and I. Congratulations to everyone for their hard work. We did it! Just remember: we must not forget this piece of our puzzle–where we come from is just as important as where we will go.
Berlin Class Of 2014 Where Are They Going?
April Bowen – Workforce
Mehgyn Bowen – Mohawk Valley Community College
Aaron Burdick – Workforce
Elizabeth Cass – NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering
Zachary Clyde – Hudson Valley Community College
Nicole Cure – Wheelock College
Jeffrey Curtis – Hudson Valley Community College
Alessa D’Alessio – University of Rochester
Lydia Dawes – Hudson Valley Community College
Kodi Day – Hudson Valley Community College
Meygan Delevan – Russell Sage College
Clarice Derosia – Hudson Valley Community College
Layla Faulkner – Hudson Valley Community College
Shaylyn Faulkner – Hudson Valley Community College
Dustin Fiske – SUNY Cobleskill
Justin Fleming – LIM College
Austin Forbes – Hudson Valley Community College
Russell Fowler – Workforce
Katie Gallucci – Hudson Valley Community College
Kaitlyn Goodermote – Hudson Valley Community College
Walter Harrington – Hudson Valley Community College
Brianna Hebert – Schenectady County Community College
Hunter Henderson – Hudson Valley Community College
Taylor Hicks – Hudson Valley Community College
Sadie Jayne Hoffman – Russell Sage College
Shauna Hoffman – Berkshire Community College
Courtney Kellar – Southern Vermont College
Joshua King – Hudson Valley Community College
Andrea Lowry – Hudson Valley Community College
Melissa Mandel – Hudson Valley Community College
Angela Matson – Houghton College
Arjay Mayer – Southeast Lineman Training Center
James Mayer – SUNY Oswego
Taylor Mazzeo – Hudson Valley Community College
Matthew Mears – Hudson Valley Community College
Kaitlyn Moon – Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Cullen O’Brien – St. Lawrence University
Amber Phillips – Hudson Valley Community College
Kayla Pietrzak – Hudson Valley Community College
Christian Price – Hudson Valley Community College
Tyler Purdy – Schenectady County Community College
Matthew Rizzo – Tompkins Cortland Community College
Christine Royce – Hudson Valley Community College
Molly Ruebel – Russell Sage College
John Schatz – SUNY Cobleskill
Cheyenne Redmond Seel – Schenectady County Community College
Cody Redmond Seel – Mount Ida College
Skylar Smith – Hudson Valley Community College
Sharon Strock – Hudson Valley Community College
Jodi Thomas – Russell Sage College
Chester Volkert – Hudson Valley Community College
Katlyn Weaver – Hudson Valley Community College
* Honor Student ‡ National Honor Society Member
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