POPLAR RIDGE - One of Southern Cayuga High School's senior speakers listed the challenges her school has faced during her matriculation: a high turnover in the school's superintendents and principals and the shrinking population of a rural school district.

“Our class has been shrinking over the years, but even though people have been leaving there also have been people coming into our school and our lives,” Stephanie L. Piechuta said in her address during the Southern Cayuga High School commencement Saturday. “Our class hasn't always had the most stable schooling with principals changing, teachers leaving and even superintendents leaving.”

But the National Honor Society member and honor graduate continued that despite that tumult her experience at Southern Cayuga has been a rewarding one.

“Looking back at all the unstableness that we have been through, I can think of one thing that was stable: our friends,” Piechuta said. “Being a small school means that everyone knows everyone so the groups of friends overlap.”

Southern Cayuga's auditorium was packed to the brim to witness the gradation of 76 students. Female students in white gowns and male students in red took the auditorium stage.

Seven students were high honor graduates with averages above 95, and eight were honor graduates with averages between 90 to 94. More than half the class were candidates for Regents, Advanced Regents or Advanced Regents Diplomas with honors.

Bethany Ortquist, the other senior class speaker, said that despite joining Southern Cayuga just last year she was swept into the heart of school.

“I may not have as many memories or know as much about Southern Cayuga as all of you do ... I have not been here as long as many of you, but even so, the impact you guys had on my life and the memories I will take with me means as much to me as if I had been here since pre-school,” Ortquist said. “That's what's special about Southern Cayuga. You don't have to be here long to realize how wonderful the people are.”

The two senior class speakers volunteered to give the addresses with the approval of the senior class advisors.

Superintendent Mary Kay Worth recalled how her graduation of 35 years ago was postponed until July after Hurricane Agnes brought flooding to her hometown of Portville, Cattaraugus County. With her high school graduation's postponement, many students ended up not participating in the ceremony, so with the wisdom of experience, she told the Class of 2007 to relish the last moment they would have together.

“Life is special. Statistically, this is the last time you will all manage to be in the same room at the same time again. The adults in this room all know that ... Know you are loved as you move on to that next chapter of life,” Worth said.

Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net