panthervalley1968

     Commencement exercises were be held Saturday, June 1, 1968 for 194 students of the Panther Valley School District in the high school stadium, Lansford. The diplomas, representing 12 years of successful elementary and high school education were presented by president of the school board Robert Stianche.
     The 100 boys and 94 girls in the class chose as their motto, "In Ourselves Our Future Lies" and class colors are gold and white, class flower, daisy and the school yearbook bears the name "Black Diamond."
     Class officers are Bernard Galgoci, president; Walter Scheese, vice president; Mary Bales, secretary and Melanie Mongi, treasurer.
     "Every graduate here must learn how to accept defeat, because when you go out into the world, you are not always going to win. Learn to put first things first." This was the advice of Rev. James S. Flora, pastor of the Church of the Brethren, Palmyra, as he addressed the 194 graduates of Panther Valley High School at commencement on Saturday evening. He also asked them to believe in their God-given talents and have faith in themselves.
     Honor awards for scholastic achievements were presented to James Reese, plaque and cash award from the Panther Valley Jaycees, to the outstanding junior citizen; $50 Savings Bond from Local 587, United Workers C.I.O., Bundy Tubing Co., known as the Thomas F. Dougherty Memorial Award to the senior showing leadership, ambition, brotherhood, organization and resourcefulness as selected by the faculty, certificate as the outstanding teenager in recognition of outstanding ability, accomplishments and service, also selected by vote of the faculty and the National High School Award for meritorious attainments in both intellectual and social values.
     Marilyn Williams and Michael Vadyak, $10 cash award to each as outstanding students of Latin, known as the Monsignor A. J. Angelini Latin Award; Georgette Zaden, $25 award sponsored by Joseph Vadyak for the outstanding student in art; Mary Bales and Samuel Lesko, medals and pins for qualities of honor, courage, scholarship, leadership, service and Americanism, known as the Coaldale American Legion Auxiliary award.
     Carol Holp, plaque for outstanding scholastic achievement in commercial art from Vocational Industrial Club of America; Barry Miller, plaque, outstanding scholastic achievement in electrical construction from VICA and Nicholas Sparich, plaque, outstanding scholastic achievement in data processing from VICA. Robert Bockorick, plaque, outstanding scholastic achievement in carpentry from VICA. Beth DeGatis, National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, award certificate for demonstrating qualities of dependability, leadership, service and patriotism. Carol Ann Bryant, a cup award as the salutatorian of the class and $50 Savings Bond from the Panther Valley School District. Jay Dougherty, Bosch and Lomb Award in recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of science.
     Johanna Katchen, Reader's Digest certificate as the valedictorian, a cup and $50 Savings Bond as valedictorian by the Panther Valley School District, The B'nal B'rith Blue Mountain Lodge Award, $25 bond, desire for learning and desire for scholastic achievement, and the John F. Cerchiaro Memorial Scholarship Award, $100 to the student with the highest average for three years of high school who intends to continue her education by attending college.
     Thomas Kokura, certificate as outstanding teen-ager in recognition of outstanding ability, accomplishments and service as selected by vote of the faculty. Thomas Merman, a certificate in recognition of his musical ability and books valued at $25 given in his name to the school library by the Panther Valley Chapter of Unico. George Pisanick, $10 award sponsored by Mrs. Catherine Dolan to the outstanding pupil in Spanish. Monica Rajnic, $20 award by the Data Computing Service to the highest ranking pupil in general accounting and bookkeeping for two years.
     Certificates of Achievement from the Carbon County Area Vocational Technical School were presented to Melanie Mongi, James Kassak and Timothy Midas for outstanding work in distributive education. Nicholas Sparich, Patricia Reis, Rosann Morana, Frederick Michalac, Michael Marek, William Mansberry and Monica DeLauretis for data processing.
     The awards were presented by John D. Williams, high school principal and Francis J. Dolan, district superintendent.
     Johanna Katchen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Katchen of Nesquehoning, gave the valedictory and chose the topic, "Just Beyond the Horizon." Carol Bryant, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Bryant of Summit Hill, class salutatorian, spoke on the theme, "The Choice is Yours."
     Diplomas were presented the graduated by Robert Stianche, president of the school board. Rev. Elmer H. Ludiam, pastor of the Lansford Methodist Church offered the invocation and Rev. Paul Barnyock, rector of St. Mary's Greek Catholic Church, Nesquehoning, gave the benediction.
     The long line of graduates walked from the school to the stadium behind the senior school band and received a standing ovation upon their entry into the stadium where commencement was held.

Row 1: Jean (Welsh) Zellner, Monica (Rajnic) Lewellis, Susan (Gazdick) Lynch, Sharon (Brode) Benack, Melanie (Mongi) Eames, Mary Ann Davis, Beth (DeGatis) Reese,, Arlene (Gorka) Orsulak, Christine (Chodur) Marek, Patricia (Pogwist) Reiter, LaRue (Gangaware) Pogwist and Michael Guy. Row 2: Barbara (Garrett) Madea,, Marcia (Smith) Evans, Michelle (Horvath) Kershner, Faithanne (Jones) Brown, Roseann Perbetsky, Peter Castagnola, Samuel Riccardi, Margaret (Cattivera) Turrano, Debbie (Gorka) Shoemaker, Libby (Kadlecik) Mussoline, Elizabeth (Miller) Earley, Frank Guardini and Denny Creitz. Row 3: Jay Dougherty, Mary (Bales) McKee, Julianne (Susko) Dampman, Susan (Feane) Miller, Carol (Holp) Burd, Patricia (Rehatchek) Orsulak, James Biduck, Joseph Genits, Mark Sniscak and Milan Skodacek. Row 4: Robert Speshok, Daniel Davidyock, Michaell Steinhilber, Christine (Yurchak) Reiger, Donna (Smith) Seiwell, Charles Whitehead, Robert Pavlik, Barry Miller, Thomas Ferrence and James Evans.
Row 5: Charles Reehl, Joseph Kucan, Michael Marek and Richard Indrisek. Row 6: Samuel Lesko, Ronald Berezniak, Paul Yaniga, David Marks, James Reese, Thomas Mermon, Stanley Michalik, John Gawlik, Anthony Rutch, Joseph Pogwist and Gary Ciganek.