Mt. Olive Grads

By Katheleen Articlier

Some of the best times of your life were probably in May and June of your senior year.  Those months were filled with excitement, anticipation, fear of the unknown, thoughts of missing your friends, and the future.   Students at Mount Olive High School are no exception.   They each leave school with a different set of goals, memories, and a blueprint for the rest of their life.  As we all know, it’s hard to enough to plan a week ahead, let alone a lifetime.

Everyone had a different cherished moment and approach to what they were going to do after graduation.  I was impressed with the way they handled themselves and their answers to brief questions.   The entire class will be your future neighbors and business people.  Some will go on to be artists and some will be zookeepers.  Some will be staying in New Jersey, while others will trek across the United States in hopes of starting a new life with lofty plans.   There will be store owners, people who choose the medical fields, accountants, scientists, and party planners.

They will forge ahead with the knowledge and friendships that they developed at MOHS.  For parents, it’s time to give them wings and let them fly.  Time went by in the blink of an eye.  From the moment they are in kindergarten, you have waited for the moment that they are marching to Pomp and Circumstance and the lump in your throat.  With social media, many will stay friends for life.  They will watch each other jump start careers, begin and end relationships, get engaged, married, have children, travel, and go through life’s good times and sorrowful times.  Their time at MOHS will always tie them together both in spirit and in camaraderie.  They will remember teachers they admired, sports they played or watched, clubs they joined, and events that left lasting impressions of a simpler time in their life.

We wish the graduates health, happiness, and a future that realizes their dreams, whatever they may be.  Congratulations graduates.  We are proud of your accomplishments.

We asked some of the students three simple questions to ponder and their answers are below, along with a photo of their choosing.   We were not disappointed.

The questions....

 

1. What is your biggest memory of MOHS?  (fun thing, sports, teacher, moment in time, etc)
2. Do you have any plans for after graduation?  (college, hiking Europe, working full time, etc)
3. What would you tell your freshman self on your first day at MOHS knowing what you know now?

 

Jake Mancini

 

1. My biggest memory of MOHS would have to be playing baseball. I have played baseball my entire life and then getting to the high school, it was more competitive and it was amazing playing the sport I love alongside my friends. Baseball has taught me some great life lessons such as teamwork and leadership which can be used in the future.

 

2. After graduating from MOHS, I will be attending the University of Alabama where I will be studying Telecommunication and Film. I will be following in my sister and brother's footsteps as they are both alumni of the University of Alabama. My overall goal is to work behind the scenes for a major television network.

 

3. If I could go back and tell my freshman self something, it would have to be to focus and try hard on your school work. You don't want to fall behind on it because it is hard to get back to where you want to be. You also want to be active in the school whether it is playing sports or joining clubs. But besides school work and clubs, you need to have fun. Find your friends quick and make great memories with them. High school flies by so you need to make the most of your time at MOHS.

 

 

Peter Lieberopolous

1. My biggest memory of MOHS is making the 2018 Lip Dub with my TV 4 class. This is the schools second Lip Dub but we are doing things a little differently this year to try include everyone and everything at MOHS!

 

2. My future plans after graduation are to attend The Pennsylvania State University at University Park.

 

3. Knowing what I know now I would tell my freshman year self to work hard and try your best. Join as many clubs and activities as you can, surround yourself with good people, and only do the things that make you happy!

 

Kyle Bastarrika

1. My biggest memory in High School has been breaking the school record in the 4X800 relay with the rest of my track team. It was awesome to be able to leave that mark on my school, and also to be a part of the overall record breaking athletic programs we have had this year.
2. After graduation, I will be attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I will decide my path of study. One thing for sure, though, is that I will be studying abroad in Spain some time in the next four years.
3. I would tell my freshman self that hard work really does pay off, but also that taking time to spend with friends and family is equally important, because you only get to live out these four years once.

Julia Chang

1. Going to the football state championship game at Met Life Stadium this past December was definitely the most memorable moment of high school. It was a new experience for our football team and fans, and overall just the perfect way to end all the time I've spent attending numerous football games over these past four years.

 

2. This summer, I am going to Taiwan for a little over a month to teach elementary students English through the AID Summer program. After that, hopefully I'll have some time to hang out with my friends before they leave for college and I head off to UCLA!

 

3. Always focus on your academics, but also follow your passions. These four years go by so fast and you want to spend every single minute of your time doing things that you know you care about.

 

Anthony enjoyed his four years at Mount Olive High School, he played Lacrosse all four years and made the varsity team as a Sophomore. He was also involved with the Media Arts department and was frequently an Anchor on the Mount Olive TV show. Anthony will continue his studies at The University of Kentucky where he will study Graphic Design in the fall

 

 

 

 

 

Alexa Cerda is the daughter of Gritzko and Jeannie Cerda of Mt. Olive.  She has been a Varsity Soccer player for the past four years at Mount Olive High School.  She was Captain of the Varsity team for her 2017 Senior Season.  Alexa currently plays for the Match Fit 99/00 ECNL Composite club team.  She will graduate Mt. Olive High School in June of 2018.

Alexa plans to attend East Stroudsburg University in the fall and will be a member of the Women's Soccer Team.

She is majoring in Communications Science Disorder/Speech Language Pathology

 

Peter Liberopoulos will be attending The Pennsylvania State University at University Park in the fall of 2018.  Peter's sister and brother are both graduates of Penn State.

Peter has made the most of his time at Mt. Olive High School.  He is an active member of Student Council, having served as Secretary for two years,  he is a member of the National Honor Society and Communications Honor Society.  Peter also played Football, Winter Track & Field (throwing), Lacrosse and Tennis. Peter is a four year member of Marauder Madness and is a director of the 2018 Lip Dub. Peter was also a member of the 2017 Homecoming Court and received 2 senior superlatives, Most Spirited and Social Butterfly. As an anchor on Marauder Madness, Peter would always end the show with, "It's a great day to be a Marauder