Roscoe Middle School 8th grade graduation - live on YouTube

With their families watching them on YouTube, the 8th grade class of Roscoe Middle School (RMS) participated in a live graduation ceremony in a warm school cafeteria on Thursday, June 3, 2021. No students wore caps and gowns this year, but many of the students dressed up, some in creative ways, for the event. Members of the National Junior Honor Society received a gold honor cord around their shoulders. After receiving their Certificates of Completion from Superintendent Keli Freedlund, students stopped to pose for a personal photo. Many wore big smiles, some wore masks, some wore black dresses, some wore t-shirts, some wore ties.

Unfortunately, because of COVID-19, the school was not able to host a live audience, so the ceremony was streamed live for family members. The 46-minute video of the ceremony at https://youtu.be/9JcGPPD-B6Y has already been viewed more than 1,000 times. During an ordinary graduation, audience members might have been stared at if they shouted out during the ceremony. But  in the YouTube Live comments, proud parents and grandparents  were able to give shout-outs by name to students. One mom commented, "I am so proud of all my kiddos!!!! I am literally crying! I am literally crying right now!!!!! We have highschoolers now!!!!!"

Principal Julie Cropp began by recognizing those who had made the year successful. She thanked Superintendent Keli Freedlund "for having the courage to have our school be in-person five days a week." Cropp observed, "Normally a school year takes on kind of a rhythm after all the decisions are made. This year there was never a rhythm." But she noted that there had been "many moments of great work and laughter and joy."

Student Council President Angelina Redisi read an excellent speech chronicling her RMS memories from her 6th grade arrival ("anxiously walking around with friends or maybe looking for friends") to quarantine ("watching science fiction movies") until now. She said, "This year we have had many things taken away from us, then given back but changed."

The Rockton American Legion Post 332 presented the Citizenship Awards - a surprise to Benjamin Klink and Abbi Sumner, who hadn't been told in advance. The awards recognize qualities of courage, honor, leadership, patriotism, scholarship, and service.

After each student had been recognized, the final speaker, 8th grader Alexander Alberstett, spoke about leadership, beginning with the examples of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. "Kids our age want to fit in," he said. "Remember, rather than being a follower in school or life, you can take the path of leadership."

As the student left the cafeteria, Mrs. Diana Boelte led the RMS Concert Band in playing “Graduation Suite - Rondeau” by Jean Joseph Mouret, arranged by Michael Story. As the video ended, the graduates gone, some of the band members carried away music stands and chairs.

Interstate Studios took 263 graduation photos that families can order, including a photo of their student receiving the certificate and a posed photo after receiving it. They also photographed the student speakers, Student Council President Angelina Redisi and Alexander Alberstett, and the presentation of the American Legion Citizenship Awards.

To view the image gallery of screenshots from the ceremony, click on the photo below, then the left and right arrows. You can also use your mouse or finger to swipe the images left or right.

Roscoe Middle School Class of 2021

* Denotes National Junior Honor Society Member

Aiden Acres

Alexander Alberstett *

Brock Anderson

George Andrews

Maxwell Aranki

Aaliyah Bach

Ethan Ballard

Landon Bartlett

Chloe Benson

Jacob Benson

Elijah Bergman

Lillian Berke

Kaleigh Black

Makayla Bloomingdale

Owen Bock

Keila Borges-Aragon

Mason Boyce

Kayleigh Brauer

Bennett Brown

Mira Bryson

Anthony Bufalo

Abigail Bunnell

Carson Burow

Carter Butetyn

Zoey Calhoun

Angelina Cassioppi

Thomas Castelli

Roberto Catalani

Damien Colon

Sofia Combs

Greyson Cotone *

Camden Cutler

Kailyn Davis

Jakob DeLeo

Carlos Delgado

Alexa Douglas

Isabella Drummond

Jonathan Duarte

Noah Duer

Caleb Dusavage

Madisyn Engelhardt

Bryce Ewing

John Featherston

Malia Gallagher

Diana Garcia

Addison Garris

Evan Gilson

Devin Giordano

Chloe Gomez

Raymond Grommes

Evan Guetschow

Jennavieve Harms

Abigail Harris

Payton Harris

Trenton Harshbarger

Addyson Hayunga

Karl Hellinga

Tyler Henry

Ariana Hernandez

Citlaly Hernandez

Donald Hinson

Shelby Hobbs

Isabella Hoeppner

Kaden Holze

Mykel Horkey

Robert Horvath

Xavier Huber

Urban Ives

Olin Johnson

Trevor Johnson

Talula Jones

Lillian Jordan

Avani Joshi *

Camden Juno

Owen Kaiser

Marielle Keaggy

Jakob Keip

Abbigayle Ketelsen

Brooklyn Klabacha

Benjamin Klink

Oliver Knezevic

Zachary Krenz

Kyle Kroening

Owen Landini

Eleanor LeFavour-Backman

Oriana Leon

Cristian Lobato

Javieona Longstreet

Jesse Longstreet

Adrian Lucas

Grant Lynch

Brooklyn Malcomson

Anna Martin

Preston Mayberry

Abigail Mayer

Cameron McBride

Riley McBride

Joel McGinnis

Mali McMaster

Richard McNabb

Courtney McWilliams *

Aaliyah Merkle

Gavin Miller

Tegan Miller

Sydney Molander

Isabella Montoya

Angelina Morgan

Brandon Morhardt

Hannah Morris

Luis Munoz Jr.

Natalie Murphy

Sean Murphy

William Newsom

Jason Nguyen

Julia Nichols

Samantha Nosbisch *

Mason Oberheim

Madison Olson

Brayden Ort

Cameron Osborne

Connor Osterberg

Noah Otwell

Zitlali Partida

Matthew Peck

Nevaeh Perez

Waldo Perez

Alexa Phillips

Mallory Porter

Steven Powers

Noah Reader

Angelina Redisi

Colin Reese

Emily Reyes

Caleigh Rice

Chloie Riesen

Joanna Robles

Brady Rodriguez

Camden Rodriguez

Jonah Rohr

Trever Saelzler

Juliana Sather

Kaily Saulters

Ava Scales

Aniah Schaffer

Kali Schleis

Cole Schmall

Ryley Shoemaker

Olivia Simpson

Samuel Sinnaeve

Alexander Skrade

Vincent Skwarlo

Addison Smith

Carter Snudden

Abigail Sommer

Francisco Soto

Peyton Spearman

Taybor Staas

Gavin Steinke

Skyler Stevens

Easton Stewart

Abbi Sumner

Juriam Tapia-Berry

Samara Thomas

Brock Thompson

Riley Tillotson

Danielle Tomlinson

Benjamin Toole

Owen Tyson

Adamaris Urena

Carmysia Vance

Alexandra Vongsiri

Johanna Wallace

Cale Walls

Joseph Wang

Nicholas Washburn

Berlin Weidman

Cole Wilson

Olivia Wilson

Peyton Wilson

Adalynn Wisocki

Jaden Wright

Sasha Yun

Evelyn Zibell