Oak Park, big and spectacular

JOE BINOYA/Acorn Newspapers SPREAD THE NEWS- David Misrahi greets friend Sasha Arya after the Oak Park High School graduation ceremony last Thursday. It was the largest senior class in school history. Oak Park High School's Class of 2008 was not only the biggest class in the history of the school, with 352 graduates, it is part of the largest student population bubble in the history of the nation.

The June 12 commencement ceremony at the high school football stadium was joined by Oak Park Independent School, which graduated an additional 15 students.

A pair of large video screens carried the action for those too far away to see.

Oak Park High class president Elite Mekel introduced three student speakers.

Michael Brightman said Oak Park graduates received many "gifts" from school, including the gifts of ambition and resilience. "We will need it," he said in light of the war, poor economy, world hunger and other problems that plague this nation and others.

Brightman called for his classmates to go "boldly into the future" with more than a little bit of "chutzpah."

Ethan Rader centered his speech on the importance of "nutrition" at school. The 20minute break, he said, is the "only time of day when we are all truly equal."

Jack Seidman challenged his classmates to "refuse to accept life without sacrifice" and said "complacency will be our greatest enemy."

Principal Lynn McCormack, who will retire this year, said while students must be filled with a sense of satisfaction for a "job well done," it doesn't mean their jobs at learning and growing are done or a parent's concerns will diminish. She asked students to be "bold" in their lives and dreams.

After paying homage to the "greatest generation" of men and women who came of age after World War II, Knight shared some data with the students. Knight's class of 1975 came in second to this year's crop of students in terms of class size but left a challenging legacy in its wake.

Besides leaving a $9.5trillion national debt for young people to pay, Knight said his generation is responsible for global warming, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, $5-per-gallon gas prices and the largest extinction of animals since "an asteroid hit earth."

"What will be the legacy of your class?" Knight asked.

Distinguished students

School board President Cindy Vinson introduced class valedictorians Alon Cohen and Alexandra Pourzia. Both Cohen and Pourzia earned a 4.59 gradepoint average after taking a rigorous course of study.

The salutatorian award was presented to Aditya Chandramohan. His GPA came in second by a fraction- 4.56.

Teachers Matt Micek and Pam Vaughan presented awards to the "Outstanding Female and Male Graduates," Sara Rosenberg and Andy Winningham. Counselor Randy McLelland congratulated the honor graduates- 129 in all.