Clearview Clippers sail onto next chapter

Clearview High School's graduating Clippers sailed across the stage at the Lorain Palace Theater on Wednesday. Student speaker Kyle Miglets offered three lessons he learned from Clearview High School. "You have to be fearless in order to be courageous; you have to be a loser in order to be a winner; and people will judge you no matter what, so don't let that hold you back from living the life you want for yourself," he said. School was more than a place to be during the week, Miglets said. At times, it felt like a prison, but at others, a safe haven. "In the end … we made it through all the obstacles and the hurdles," he said. "We all share many memories with one another and looking back on our journey I can proudly say it was a fun ride." He implored his fellow Clippers to remember the struggles they had while at Clearview, as a testament that they can persevere and "things aren't as bad as they seem." While it may be freeing to know they're no longer required to sit at desks at Clearview High School listening to lectures, they will miss class potlucks and classes outside on warm spring days. The Class of 2024 will remember the relationships that did not last, and those that grew from a semester-long elective course, he said, and the times when Superintendent Jerome Davis would not give them a snow day when it felt like the rest of the state was off, he said with a laugh. He reminded his classmates to take risks, chase opportunities and never give up. "We get one shot at life, so don't look back 20 years from now and wish things could have happened differently," he said. He ended his remarks with a quote from James Dean: "Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today." Superintendent Jerome Davis offered similar advice for the departing Clippers. The district's tightknit community came together Wednesday to celebrate the accomplishments of those walking across the stage. Standing on the edge of a new chapter in those young graduates' lives, Davis reminded them of a Booker T. Washington quote: "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed." Those obstacles, for the district's 94th graduating class, have been immense, including the COVID-19 pandemic turning their freshman year on its head, Davis said, yet through it all, each student showed resilience and tenacity. He implored the class of 2024 to carry the strength they learned from their time at Clearview Schools with them and said "there is no limit to what you can achieve." "Your journey is just beginning and the world is eager to see what you will accomplish," he said. High School Principal Noeleen Rothacker reminded graduates of their support system in Clearview — their families and the staff at the district. "When you leave this stage tonight, don't lose sight of the bond that unites you … stay connected, support each other through the rollercoaster of life and celebrate the victories no matter how small," she said. She also announced the school's top academic performers: the salutatorian was Savannah Jancsura, with a 4.3 GPA; the valedictorian was Ayden Cruz, with a 4.4 GPA. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.