Ithaca, NY — The New Roots Charter School Class of 2024 celebrated their high school graduation on Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at the Community School of Music & Arts (CSMA).
The graduation ceremony was live streamed on the New Roots Facebook page, and the recording is available for anyone who missed it.
Robert Cantelmo, Mayor of the City of Ithaca, gave an inspiring keynote address to the graduating class. The senior class nominated Cantelmo to give the keynote speech at their ceremony after meeting him on a field trip to City Hall in their Participation in Government class. Recognizing the challenges that this graduating class has already faced in their lifetime, from the pandemic, to climate change, to the rise of smartphones and social media, Cantelmo remarked in his speech, “I’m not going to ask you to change the world. I have no doubt that you will.” Instead, his parting advice to graduates was to care for their fellow humans, stay true to who they are, and embrace their imperfections and quirkiness.
Fifteen outstanding seniors were recognized with Sustainability Leadership Awards at the school’s Senior Recognition Ceremony held at the CSMA on Thursday, June 13. These young sustainability leaders were recognized as visionaries, life-long learners, systems thinkers, healthy persons, and citizens and community members, attributes that reflect the essence of the New Roots tagline, “Growing students for a Just and Sustainable Future with Passion & Purpose.” The following New Roots students received Sustainability Leadership Awards:
Healthy Persons: Emi Asakura and Valerie Hoskins
Lifelong Learners: Echo Menter-Jones and Bowie Purvis
Communicators: Breanna Oaks-Doan, Duckie Scharon, and Mara Stewart
Community Members: Emi Asakura, Willow Reyer, and Duckie Scharon
Citizens: Rebecca Burke, Zoai Ehrgott, and Echo Menter-Jones
Members of Ecosystems: Effie Geissinger and Sonora Myers
Visionaries: Aeron Jauquet, Leila Sherman, and Ezra VanCamp-Ingiosi
Aeron Jauquet of Ithaca, NY and Sonora Myers of Willseyville, NY were presented with the New York State Scholarship for Academic Excellence, awarded to top-performing students in the graduating class.
Two students were honored with the Capstone Award recognizing students’ exemplary academic research into sustainability issues impacting our community, and their visionary thinking about solutions: John Farrar of Ithaca, NY and Valerie Hoskins of Dryden, NY.
Two students committed to the restoration of our local ecosystems through leadership in school projects and initiatives were recognized with the Green Warriors Award: Aeron Jauquet of Ithaca, NY and Sonora Myers of Willseyville, NY.
Two students were recognized with the New Roots Academic Leadership Award for inspiring academic engagement among their peers: John Farrar of Ithaca, NY and Valerie Hoskins of Dryden, NY.
Rebecca Burke of Groton, NY, John Farrar of Ithaca, NY, and Valerie Hoskins of Dryden, NY were awarded the College Acceleration Award, which recognizes the graduating seniors with the highest number of college credits earned in high school.
Three students were honored with the Community Leadership Award for their contributions to New Roots student-led programming and a positive school culture: John Farrar of Ithaca, NY, Aeron Jauquet of Ithaca, and Willow Reyer of Newfield, NY.
Luke McCabe of Ithaca, NY was recognized with the Daniel “Rocky” Bellinger Award, which represents the New Roots commitment to offer every young person who walks through our doors the opportunity to imagine and create a future they can be excited about. Named in honor of a founding student, the Daniel “Rocky” Bellinger Award is granted to a student who demonstrates persistence in achieving the goal of graduation.
Bowie Purvis of Elmira, NY and Duckie Scharon of Lansing, NY were given the Triple “C” Award by the New York State Comptroller’s Office, which recognizes the “Character, Courage, and Commitment” of New York’s hard-working students.
Beatrice Higgins of Spencer, NY was awarded the Bella Mazza Entrepreneurship Award, granted to a student who intends to launch their own small enterprise after high school.
Three students were recognized with the Artistic Vision Award for their inspiring commitment to manifesting their artistic vision: Emi Asakura of Ithaca, NY, Quin Bellnier of Brooktondale, NY, and Leila Sherman of Van Etten, NY.
“We are so proud of the Class of 2024 not only for their leadership in our learning community amid the unexpected challenges that were part of their high school experience due to the pandemic, but also for the ways that their accomplishments are being recognized by community organizations and colleges,” said Nilsen-Hodges. “They truly exemplify our commitment to “growing students for a just and sustainable future with passion and purpose.”
New Roots Charter School proudly presents the Class of 2024:
Emi Asakura of Ithaca, NY
Quin Bellnier of Brooktondale, NY
Rebecca Burke of Groton, NY
Zoai Ehrgott of Newfield, NY
John Farrar of Ithaca, NY
Effie Geissinger of Watkins Glen, NY
Beatrice Higgins of Spencer, NY
Valerie Hoskins of Dryden, NY
Aeron Jauquet of Ithaca, NY
Clara Lenetsky of Ithaca, NY
Luke McCabe of Ithaca, NY
Echo Menter-Jones of Newfield, NY
Sonora Myers of Willseyville, NY
Breanna Oaks-Doan of Ithaca, NY
Bowie Purvis of Elmira, NY
Willow Reyer of Newfield, NY
Leila Sherman of Van Etten, NY
Ezra VanCamp-Ingiosi of Slaterville Springs, NY
Cora Williams of Ithaca, NY
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New Roots Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school serving grades 9-12 that is open to any young person who is eligible to attend high school in New York State. Offering a private school education at a public school price (free to students!), young people prepare for lives of passion and purpose as they prepare to create and embrace new 21st century life opportunities through career and college preparation. Visit newrootsschool.org to learn more.
For more information, contact Michael Mazza, Director of Community Engagement at New Roots Charter School, at mmazza@newrootsschool.org.