Cloverleaf graduation: Colts ride into the future, prepare for drive-in event

WESTFIELD TWP. — "I'm very grateful for what everyone has put together for us here," said River Hustick on Monday, one of 199 Colts turning their tassels this week at Cloverleaf High School. "It's been tough for all of us being apart, but hopefully, we'll still be able to have some graduation parties over the summer," he said. The district is conducting a three-day commencement ceremony and video presentation of all graduates that will take place at 9:20 p.m. Sunday, May 31 at Wadsworth's Blue Sky Drive-In Theater, 959 Broad St. That video will also be shown simultaneously to the public on Cloverleaf Schools' Facebook page. Monday's scene saw an elaborate stage set up in the high school gymnasium where graduates were led in one at a time to receive their diplomas and a congratulations from principal Jamie Lormeau. Each student was also led into a video production area where they recorded personal sentiments for the video. Superintendent Daryl Kubilus praised Lormeau and other officials for working quickly and tirelessly in organizing the events as well as ensuring that needed safety measures were in place. "I can't say how happy I am to see kids in the hall for the first time in nine weeks," Kubilus said as he was welcoming a family at the school's front door. "There is a real feeling of commencement today and that wouldn't be possible without all of the hard work people in this district have put in. It meant a lot to all of us to still have something special for our kids, because they've earned it." The class of 2020 earned $55,000 in local scholarship money on top of offers from various colleges and universities, which guidance counselors said totals around $250,000 each year. Sixteen graduates earned summa cum laude honors while 11 students and 22 students secured magna cum laude and cum laude recognition, respectively. Forty-two Colts are receiving honors diplomas or career tech certificates and 30 earned the U.S. President's Award for Educational Excellence. Graduate Ava Jackman took pictures on a life-size Cloverleaf Colt statue and is heading to Kent State University to study nursing. "With today, a lot of us were expecting to not even have a graduation, maybe something online," Jackman said. "This is so nice. It still feels like a graduation today. The experience is a little smaller but it's still good. My little brother lives with a disability and it's inspired me to work toward getting into the medical field. "Classes I've taken here and at the Medina County Career Center have helped a lot with that." Fellow graduate Jayme Keene is still choosing his next step but is set on breaking into the film industry, whether that comes through a role behind or in front of the camera. "We all enjoyed being back here today and I think they did a good job with what was possible to do," he said. "I think it's a great lesson too, that you can turn a negative into a positive. I'll always remember hanging out with my friends. We had a big study hall every morning and it was always a place to have a laugh and talk about things in our lives." "I'd love directing or acting," Keene added. "I love watching movies and think I'd be good at making them someday. Creative movies like 'Inception' kind of set me in that direction, just kind of having that desire to be creative myself." The superintendent recalled seniors lobbying him to help them with this year's class prank, which he agreed to along with a few provisions. "The kids asked and asked me to be part of it, I'm talking something like 20 emails," Kubilus said. "They wanted me to call a fake snow day after the closure at our usual time of 5:45 a.m. I finally said yes, but only if we limited it to teachers and parents and didn't put it out until 8 a.m. I also got to say whatever I wanted after the snow day part. "I said this prank was lovingly brought to you by the class of 2020. Then I started discussing how special and classy they are. I talked about how they've had to sacrifice so much in their senior year. They lost out on spring sports, their academic programs, their usual commencement and just being part of the school their final semester. "My commencement ceremony address touches on that, using adversity to strengthen ourselves. These kids couldn't have done that any better." Contact reporter Jonathan Delozier at 330-721-4050 or jdelozier@medina-gazette.com.