PD Old Forge School

Richard Maopolski OFHS Class of 2009 President

If you venture into the valleys of the mountainous Northeast Pennsylvania, you will come across a small town held together by family ties, ethnic culture, lifetime friendships and mozzarella cheese. Journey down the Main Street and you will encounter more restaurants and churches than people walking the streets. Signs cover the buildings and light poles cheering on our softball team to bring home a state title victory. This is home: Old Forge Pennsylvania, where everyone knows your name.

click image to enlarge

Old Forge HS Class of 2009 President and Salutatorian Richard Maopolski is all smiles after receiving a hug from classmate, and cousin, Anthony Pero.

photo by bill tarutis

Select images available for purchase in the
Times Leader Photo Store

In a town as close-knit and involved as Old Forge, students, parents, and alumni of Old Forge High School always flock to important school events. That’s why it is no surprise that on Friday, June 5, the OFHS graduation glass of 2009 welcomed a packed auditorium for the 99th annual commencement ceremonies.

We as the class of 2009 were one year shy of that prized centennial; but the number 99 says a great deal about our district. For about 100 years, Old Forge has been able to continue to pride itself on being one of the only “one-town, one-school, one-districts” in the area.

Seventy students lined up outside the school waiting to enter the auditorium to mark an end to our careers at Old Forge. As the cool wind blew our tassels in all directions, we looked amongst each other slowly realizing this would be the night we graduate. It was hard to grasp that it would be the last time we would all be together under the same roof. There was no time for nervousness because we knew we had to record every dear moment in our memories.

Pomp and Circumstance ushered us through the doors as our class advisors made sure we stopped on our five spots coming in the auditorium so that our parents would have perfect Kodak moments. On stage, I enjoyed my role as Class President because throughout the ceremony I could look around at the faces of all of my classmates and try to share in their night by seeing everything unfold from their eyes.

I saw tears and smiles, and I heard laughs and sniffles. Every emotion flowed through us throughout the night. We reflected on our memories in a photo slideshow, listened to classmates’ speeches and the advice and congratulations of our administrators, and looked out at our families in the audience.

It was uniquely special for every member of the Class of 2009. Personally, I was able to graduate with my cousins Anthony Pero and Mia Mancuso; I prepared and read a Salutatory speech imploring to always fight for your dreams and the importance of moral courage; and had another cousin, Dr. Maria Ciuferri-Wansacz, guide us as our keynote speaker.

Upon receiving our diplomas, I led the class in our tassel turning ceremony and congratulated each person individually as they left the auditorium. All the work as Class President was worth it just to be able to be a part of everyone’s graduation night with a hug, handshake, or to be spun around in a circle in my cousin, Anthony’s arms. We kissed everyone on our way out of the auditorium and threw our caps up victoriously and triumphantly as we closed the page on another successful graduating class from Old Forge.

After graduation, visiting Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA allowed me to realize what it means to be the only out-of-state college freshmen from Old Forge this year.

There will be no red and white Old Forge pizza and the smell of walking down Main Street that goes with it.

And while Cheers in Boston is the place, “where everyone knows your name” (even though they don’t) as opposed to Dooley’s and G.I.’s in Old Forge, I will be several hours distance from the only place I ever called home.

I will miss the energetic and pervasive Old Forge spirit that has resonated at every sports event and which leads us to our District crowns and State playoff berth. With graduation we realize just how important our hometown roots are and how much we will miss that comfort.

But, then again, who says you can’t go home.