On June 2, Lampeter-Strasburg (L-S) High School held its commencement ceremony for its graduating class. The members of the Class of 2023 gathered at JK Mechanical Football Stadium to conclude their time together, hear a few speeches and listen to a performance from the senior chorus.

During the commencement ceremony, students had an opportunity to share their experiences at L-S High School and reflect on the hard work it took to bring them to the stage where they received their diplomas. "It takes a lot of motivation to keep working because if you've worked hard all of the other years, senior year is just the cherry on top," said Maggie Swarr, the 2023 senior class president. For Swarr, her time at L-S included participating in several clubs and sports; as she graduated, she recalled fond memories of volunteering for Mini-THON and breaking her personal records running track. Swarr plans to study architecture at Belmont University in the fall while continuing to participate in track and field. She credited her teacher Todd Garber with helping her have a successful four years of high school.

For many students, graduation is a bittersweet time. Although the next chapter of their lives is an exciting new adventure, seniors such as Sachi Singh are going to miss the experiences they had at L-S. "My favorite memories were the senior class trip, playing with my volleyball team these past four years and making some of my best friends," Singh said. "My high school career has gone by so fast, and I wish I could've appreciated every moment of it even more." Singh, the Class of 2023 secretary, plans to attend Penn State University in the fall to major in business analytics and marketing.

For the class of 2023, the COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges. Students had to adapt to the circumstances that resulted in less physical classroom time, which senior Chase Barber said made him value the time he had once returning to school. "If I could travel back in time and talk to my freshman self, I would say, 'Don't take your time for granted, especially when a pandemic can strip half your time away,'" Barber said. Barber hopes to study architectural engineering at Penn State University in the fall.

"At L-S, traditions are extremely important," said senior Elly Bruner. "One of my fondest memories is working hard to bring back traditions once most of the COVID-19 regulations were lifted." Bruner recalled working with fellow students and school administrators to ensure that activities like Mini-THON and Clash of Classes were still able to be completed while abiding by regulations. In the fall, Bruner plans to attend Grove City College to major in education with a specialization in English. "L-S has blessed me with countless teachers that have desired for me to become my best self in every aspect," added Bruner. "My heart is for the upcoming generations, and that is exactly how I want to impact them."