The 392 seniors in the North Point High School Class of 2019 graduated tonight in a ceremony that celebrated the accomplishments, successes and future plans of its graduating class. They started the night as high school seniors and left the Charles County Convocation Center as the first high school graduating class of 2019.
Each graduate was celebrated during the program, from academic award winners and scholars to athletes and students who overcame challenges in order to walk the stage tonight to get their diplomas. Leading the ceremony were class leaders and student government officers who shared a common theme for the night – be who you are and make a positive impact in the world.
Class valedictorian Sydney Marohn-Johnson is set to attend Vanderbilt University in the fall to study engineering. Recognized as a scholar in the North Point engineering career and technology education (CTE) program, Marohn-Johnson encouraged her classmates to be fearless.
“Wherever your path leads, take that leap! Live fearlessly, be open to new things and new people. Life is just too short not to create the happiness each and every one of you deserves,” Marohn-Johnson said.
Helping to lead the graduating class were co-salutatorians Adolf Jerald “A.J.” Accad and Matteo Marchi, who both plan to study engineering after they graduate. Both will attend the University of Maryland, College Park in the fall and delivered powerful words of wisdom to their classmates.
Accad took a humorous approach to his salutatory speech and referred to himself as the class clown. But his speech had a much more powerful message than a joke could illustrate.
“Don’t let anyone tell you that your lack of recognition and awards makes you less of a person. Most importantly, be the you that you want to be. A number does not define who you are. A certificate does not define who you are. You are precisely who you define yourself to be, so open that dictionary and start writing,” Accad said.
Marchi expressed the need for his classmates to remember the path that led them to today and plan for tomorrow and beyond. “From now on, our life is in our own hands: we now decide the trajectory for the rest of our lives, and rightfully adjust the path as we explore who we are as people. Our lives will be dominated by our individual search for truth, for a personal identity, for a future,” Marchi said.
Plans for graduates in the Eagles Class of 2019 include enrollment at colleges and universities such as the College of Southern Maryland, Towson University and the University of Maryland, College Park, to plans to immediately enter the workforce or enlist with the military.
North Point’s graduation was the first of seven high school ceremonies planned for May 30-31 and June 1 at the Charles County Convocation Center. The North Point Class of 2019 earned $24,606,110 in scholarship offers. Photos from North Point’s graduation are posted on the school system website at https://www.ccboe.com/index.php/graduation-2019.
