Cooperstown graduates 84
as ceremony
returns to Fenimore

By GREG KLEIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

Cooperstown Central School returned to its grand graduation ceremony Sunday, June 27, as 84 seniors graduated on the lawn of the Fenimore Art Museum in the town of Otsego.

New Superintendent Sarah Spross told the students that Cooperstown’s future is in good hands with this year’s class. She said the students have learned key skills during the coronavirus pandemic that limited their activities during their final two years of high school. She said if the students can take from the experience the skills of resiliency, service and a sense of humor, then they will go on to live good lives.

As is the tradition, the school’s top four students gave a combined speech. For the class of 2021, Brayden White, Caroline Whitaker, Abby Miller and Will Weldon compared grade school to popular movies, “Good Will Hunting,” “The Lion King,” “The Breakfast Club” and “Forrest Gump.”

“From Mr. Lippitt’s extra toe token races, to Mr. Pep’s Medieval catapult contests to Ms. Parr’s leaf project, we have all been the benefactor of strong mentor’s in our life,” White said, comparing the teachers to Robin Williams’ character in “Good Will Hunting.”

Whitaker quoted the Lion King is speaking about how the graduates all needed help to get to where they were Sunday.

“No one here can say their success is all their own,” she said. “Little bits of it are owed to those who supported us.”

Class President Alexander Bohler marveled that he will graduate with good feelings about all of his classmates. He spoke of the need for his classmates to help fight against climate change.

“I don’t say these things to ruin everyone’s mood,” he said. “”I say them to make a point. Every one of us is capable of aiding the fight against climate change.”

Bohler quoted Charles Dickens: “‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.’ Let’s now enter into the world as people who understand that duality. Let’s fulfill our greatest potentials in the spirit of sustainability and wisdom. Let’s let the good times win over the bad times.

“It’s been a pleasure to grow up beside all of you,” he concluded.