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Kaitlyn Moses, 18, of Beechview, valedictorian of the 2022 class of Brashear High School speaks at their graduation ceremony, at the Petersen Event Center, on June 18, 2022.
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Lessons from Pittsburgh’s 2022 graduating seniors

Mattie Neretin/Post-Gazette

Lessons from Pittsburgh’s 2022 graduating seniors

Challenged by COVID, this year's graduating class had a high school experience like few others.

Proud educators, families and friends crowded into Petersen Events Center in Oakland this weekend for the commencement ceremonies of Pittsburgh’s high schools.

There, the students in their colorful caps and gowns were the stars of the show. The approximately 1,200 seniors in the 2022 graduating class represent a diverse mix of talents, interests and abilities, hard-earned during four challenging but unique years.

High school can be tough enough. Now add in a pandemic and a rapidly, evolving world, and these students had a high school experience like few others.

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The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette spoke with half a dozen of the Pittsburgh Public Schools’ top students the week before graduation about some of the most important lessons they learned in high school.


Laniah Walker

Age: 18

From: Hill District

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School: University Prep

College: California University of Pennsylvania

Major: Political science

Laniah Walker said her high school experience taught her to try things for herself before judging them.

For Laniah, that thing just so happened to be her school, University Prep.

Laniah attended Obama Academy for grades 6-8, and could have continued there for high school. Instead, she decided to go to University Prep, the school in her neighborhood.

She said she knew University Prep did not have the best reputation among city high schools, but when she got there she found the rumors not entirely true.

The school had good, caring teachers, and Laniah became a standout student and leader among her peers, which she didn't think she would have done at Obama, she said.

"Don't focus on what you've heard because you didn't experience it," she said of University Prep.

Of course, like all 2022 graduating seniors, COVID-19 created challenges during Laniah's time in high school, especially when it came to online learning.

But even with the difficulties, Laniah said she continued to learn valuable lessons that she believes will help her in college and in life.

"I learned a lot of independence, time management,” she said. “I learned that I don't need somebody badgering me to get my work done. I learned determination."


Robert Famiglietti

Age: 18

From: Bon Air

School: Science and Technology Academy

College: Carnegie Mellon University

Major: Computational biology

Robert Famiglietti said the opportunities he got at the Science and Technology Academy led directly to his interest in pursuing computational biology in college.

Participating in the University of Pittsburgh's “Gene Team,” Robert worked on several projects that nurtured his desire to make complex scientific research more accessible.

"By having a degree in computational biology, I'll be able to model the data that I'm collecting in a way that's understandable for others," he said.

But that wasn't always so clear to Robert.

Robert said there were times in high school when he had to pause and think about what he wanted to do.

And that's OK, he said.

"It's so easy, especially in this fast-paced world today, to get overwhelmed and to lose sight of what you actually want to achieve in your life," he said. "So it's important to step back sometimes and actually reflect on what's actually going on, what you're doing, why you're doing it."

That sort of patience was an important lesson for Robert, who had three of his four high school years affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the many months he spent learning remotely, Robert had to contend not just with his class work, but also with the inescapable interferences that came while working from home.

"The biggest challenge for me was just the sheer amount of distractions that were at your disposal because you're at your house," he said. "My family was working from home as well, all those noises. That was overwhelming and it was kind of difficult, but we made it through."


Hanna Lowden

Age: 18

From: Squirrel Hill

School: Allderdice High School

College: University of Richmond

Major: Undecided, looking at business

Hanna Lowden will be one of several valedictorians from this year’s graduating class at Allderdice.

That’s not to say the four years she and her classmates spent in high school were easy.

“We had over a year of online school, so it was tough,” she said. “It was hard because we didn't get to socialize, we didn't get the opportunities to work in the classroom. But I'm really proud of everyone for overcoming those obstacles, and I think we all used it to motivate ourselves and do our best work, too."

The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on Hanna’s high school experience, from losing the ability to work face-to-face with her teachers, to not being able to hang out with her friends.

Hanna, however, said she believes that the challenges have helped her generation learn to “go with the flow” and navigate through unexpected roadblocks.

But most importantly, she said, it has prepared her for whatever college and the future may bring.

“I think in the long run, it taught us that despite these challenges, we can learn to adapt and overcome obstacles that are put in our way,” Hanna said.


Sean Russell Jr.

Age: 18

From: Homewood

School: Westinghouse

College: Stanford University

Major: Undecided, but interested in bioengineering and medicine

Sean Russell Jr. is looking forward to sending his graduating class at Westinghouse High School off with an inspiring message.

In his commencement address, Sean said he wants to motivate the class and “inspire them along their own journeys.”

“[The speech] is supposed to be relatable and connect with us all,” he said.

Sean is excited to embark on his new journey at Stanford University, where he plans to study bioengineering with a pathway to medical school. However, he wants to explore the curriculum before he makes a decision.

Before the fall semester begins, Sean will participate in the Stanford “Summer Bridge” program, which helps incoming freshmen transition from their high school studies to their prospective college studies.

Sean said that participating in the program is a way to “seize opportunities” this summer and commence a successful college career.

“I'm looking forward to the growth that's going to happen in college,” he said. “I'm looking forward to meeting new people and exploring my interests and finding out more about who I am."


Neila McElfresh

Age: 18

From: Morningside

School: CAPA

College: University of Pittsburgh

Major: Psychology, on a pre-med track

Neila McElfresh grew close to the small group of literary arts students she spent much of her time with during her years at CAPA.

While graduating means that the group will no longer spend hours together on a daily basis, she said she knows the people she bonded with will be there to support her for years to come.

“I think we all know that we're still going to have those people because the communities we were able to have were so small and tight-knit,” Neila said.

Working in a group setting — as students at CAPA so often do with others in their majors — prepared Neila for many different things, she said. It taught her to work well with others and gave her the courage to share her art, “which is a pretty vulnerable thing to do,” she said.

Those connections were tested when the pandemic hit and classes and other school activities moved online or were postponed. And yet, Neila persevered.

“It's really hard to absorb content in an online platform,” she said, but “we were able to rely on each other when learning was difficult at that time.”

When schools reopened, though, Neila said she found an even deeper connection with her classmates.

“Coming back, especially within departments, I would say that everyone was so much closer,” she said. “When we came back into the building, everyone sort of gathered with their departments throughout the entire school day because those were the people you were able to engage with the most while we were online."


Samaree Perkins

Age: 18

From Stanton Heights

School: Obama Academy

College: Capital University

Major: Pre-law, interested in Constitutional law

As a valedictorian, Samaree Perkins said people expect her to be “perfect.” But she wants her classmates to know it's OK not to be.

That’s a lesson that Samaree had to learn for herself in high school.

"That was one of the things I struggled with early on, stressing myself out, trying too hard to be the best,” she said. “That was a battle I had to overcome myself, so that's how I'm able to talk about it."

Samaree said she discovered that there is something more important than seeking perfection: challenging yourself to constantly improve.

“Don't stress yourself out trying to achieve perfection, because it's not attainable — just achieve progress instead," she said.

That wasn’t always easy during her high school years, three of which were upended by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, Samaree has a positive outlook on the situation.

"Although I didn't have the best experience with virtual learning, it definitely gave me tools that I can use in the future that I think are valuable," she said.

Online instruction not only gave her a stronger command of technology, she said. It also helped her increase her interpersonal skills.

"I really learned to value being able to talk with people and understand what they're saying," she said.

Alecia Taylor: ataylor@post-gazette.com. Andrew Goldstein: agoldstein@post-gazette.com.

First Published: June 19, 2022, 10:00 a.m.
Updated: June 20, 2022, 9:57 a.m.

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Kaitlyn Moses, 18, of Beechview, valedictorian of the 2022 class of Brashear High School speaks at their graduation ceremony, at the Petersen Event Center, on June 18, 2022.  (Mattie Neretin/Post-Gazette)
Laniah Watson-Walker, salutatorian at Pittsburgh Milliones, University Preparatory - who will be attending California University next year - takes a photo with her mother Ronica Walker during the inaugural Pittsburgh Public School's Breakfast of Champions on the University of Pittsburgh campus Monday, Jun. 13, 2022, in Pittsburgh.  (Pam Panchak/Post-Gazette)
Samaree Perkins, 18, of Stanton Heights, is an Obama Academy valedictorian.  (Samaree Perkins)
Robert Famiglietti, a valedictorian at Pittsburgh SciTech - will be attending Carnegie Mellon University next year the inaugural Pittsburgh Public School's Breakfast of Champions at the University Club on the University of Pittsburgh campus Monday, Jun. 13, 2022, in Pittsburgh.  (Pam Panchak/Post-Gazette)
Hanna Lowden, a valedictorian at Pittsburgh Allderdice - will be attending the University of Richmond next year at the inaugural Pittsburgh Public Schools Breakfast of Champions at the University Club on the University of Pittsburgh campus Monday, Jun. 13, 2022, in Pittsburgh.  (Pam Panchak/Post-Gazette)
Sean Russell, valedictorian at Pittsburgh Westinghouse - who will be attending Stanford University next year - listens to a speaker during the inaugural Pittsburgh Public School's Breakfast of Champions at the University Club on the University of Pittsburgh campus Monday, Jun. 13, 2022, in Pittsburgh.  (Pam Panchak/Post-Gazette)
Neila McElfresh, 18, of Morningside, is a valedictorian at CAPA.  (CAPA)
Mattie Neretin/Post-Gazette
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