The class of 2018’s president, valedictorian and two salutatorians attribute the high school to their continuing success.
Amid its series of senior pranks, the 2018 graduating class of Timber Creek Regional High School filled dozens of Solo cups with water, as a sea of red plastic occupied nearly every inch of the Chargers’ grand staircase.
Although the display has led to the cancellation of all future pranks, according to students, the site, they say, emulated a message of gratitude.
“The idea was that we didn’t do this by ourselves,” said co-salutatorian Kwame Amonu. “We weren’t solo.”
Amonu, as well as his fellow graduation speakers, including valedictorian Tyler Savage, co-salutatorian Megan DelRocini and class president Nya Foster, expressed their high school careers would not have been possible without the support of students, but above all, the staff.
A day before commencement, each of the four seniors took a moment during graduation rehearsal to reflect upon their growth over the last four years and how such experiences have fostered future plans. Their addresses also highlight life lessons they’ve gathered in the halls of high school — elements they planned to touch on in their speeches.
“Timber Creek has been amazing. I loved every second here,” Foster said. “I loved the teachers, the students. Honestly, just being here has been the perfect experience for me.”
Foster, who was class president for the past four years, plans to study either international business or business administration at Fairleigh Dickinson University this fall.
Profoundness is a recurring theme in all of the students’ addresses, as Foster touches on personal and universal statements that could relate to anyone in the audience.
While having the chance to hold the top position for four years, a rewarding aspect of the process, she says, was sharing the representation with fellow classmates, including Amonu, who served on the executive committee for four years.
“Just being able to be a representative of the class,” he said. “It was more of a team thing but still to be on that panel was a privilege.”
Recently recognized by Mayor Dave Mayer in an African American honors ceremony, Amonu, who plans to attend the University of Rochester in the fall where he will follow a pre-med track, attributes Timber Creek to unearthing not only his potential but his identity, cultivating more confidence and charisma.
Building upon Foster’s speech, his words will center upon the idea of everyday miracles — “not necessarily the big ones but the little ones that we often take for granted.”
This includes often overlooked gifts such as friends and family, which played a factor in his high school success, including organizing African American and Women’s assemblies through the history club or serving children with special needs through the Buddy Club.
“I feel like (Timber Creek) opened me up — opened me up to new people, teaching me how to talk to new people — how to relate to them, because, at the end of the day, we’re going to the same school for four years,” he said. “It’s good to know everybody and make the best relationships while you can.”
DelRocini, who was president of the Leo Club, also thanks Timber Creek for her personal and academic evolution.
“Being the president shaped me,” she said. “I’ve always been shy, but that kind of helped me become more of a leader.”
The graduate, who plans to attend Rutgers University in the fall to study nursing, further cultivated these leadership skills by serving as secretary on student council and participating in HOBY or the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Foundation.
DelRocini hopes that, through her address, listeners realize that happiness often rests in ordinary details of routine life.
“(Dreams) don’t need to be big and crazy,” she said. “You can just have everyday little dreams and goals.”
Finally, Savage, who is graduating at the top of the class, has also collected lessons from various experiences at Timber Creek, which he wants to shed light on for not only students but all audience members.
From competing on the track and cross country teams to serving as a member of the National Honor Society, Science Honor Society and World Language Club, the valedictorian says Timber Creek helped him find his passions, especially running.
“(Track and cross country) really teaches you dedication, motivation,” he said. “A team is so important — acting as a unit and not acting for yourself but acting for everyone else. And that is especially true in being a senior.”
Savage, who was recently named as the best overall student in his class at Timber Creek, will attend Thomas Jefferson University in the fall where he plans to study in the medical field.
Drawing inspiration from the novel “Slaughterhouse Five,” Savage’s speech reminds folks to strip worries of the past and future and solely focus on today.
“I just really wanted to stress that (to audiences), because it’s a challenge — it is — to live in the moment, but when you do that, I think everyone essentially lives happier lives,” he said.
Aligning with the other graduates’ thoughts, Savage also feels his achievements would not have come to fruition without the Timber Creek faculty and staff.
Of course, he says, those Solo cups said it all.
“It was just a prank, but it had meaning there. (The teachers) are our foundation,” Savage said. “They’re kind of our backbone … the things they teach, the way they teach, their methods. And not even just academic — in general — just lessons they teach you. I’ve learned so many things about becoming an adult and just life from them.”
