DUKE CENTER, Pa. — Fifty students received their diplomas as the class of 2025 during Otto-Eldred High School commencement activities held Friday evening in front of a full house in the school auditorium.
Danica Austin, class of 2026 president, welcomed graduates and their families.
“The Class of 2025 has led with resilience, kindness and integrity,” Austin said. “You’ve shown us what it means to persevere, to grow and to leave a legacy that matters.”
Adelyn Bell and Charles Minard, as the top-ranking students in their respective curricular areas, offered remarks to their fellow graduates.
Bell, both the top Academic and Agriculture Sciences student, pondered purpose and the end of a high school athletic career.
“Now what? Sports felt like my purpose. They shaped my schedule, my mindset and so much of who I thought I was,” Bell shared. “But as I reflected on this question, I began to realize that purpose is more than what we do — it’s who we’re becoming.
“And while this moment marks an ending, it’s also the beginning of something far greater: the journey to find our true purpose.”
She proceeded to break down purpose, letter by letter, as it applies to the Otto-Eldred Class of 2025.
“P is for positive … U is for uniqueness … R is for resilience … P is for present … O is for opportunity … S is for service … and E is for evolve,” Bell said. “Purpose isn’t found all at once. We will find it piece by piece in the risks we take, lessons we learn and choices we make.
“Let’s go out into the world and dream bigger than we ever dared, live louder than we’ve been told and pursue our purpose with everything we have. Today isn’t just the end of something — it’s the beginning of everything.”
Minard, the Terrors’ Career and Technical mantle speaker, said, “Learning what you don’t want to do with your future is just as important as figuring out what you do want to pursue.
“… The Career and Technical Center … is where I discovered what I enjoy doing — and sometimes, just as importantly, what I don’t. Attending CTC gave me the space to explore both. I went to two different shops in my time there, and I can honestly say that I do not want to do either of them in the future. And that is OK, that is what high school is all about — discovering what works for you and what doesn’t work for you.”
Bell passed the Academic mantle to Elizabeth Yingling and the Agriculture Sciences mantle to Haley Jordan. Bryin Roberts accepted the CTC mantle from Minard.
Manning Splain was next to take the stage, to introduce the evening’s surprise commencement speaker.
“Most people know our guest speaker as Mr. Splain, Matt or even Coach,” Manning said, adding some high points of his career including 100 wins and three District 9 titles as Coudersport girls’ basketball coach, six years as Otto-Eldred High School principal before becoming superintendent in 2011, and serving as president of the Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools.
“He enjoys volunteering his time as a youth sports coach for numerous local organizations,” Manning continued. “But to me, he’s something much more — I have the honor and privilege of calling him ‘Dad.’ And that title means more to me than any other name he goes by.
“Because while others might know him for his leadership, his guidance or his ability to motivate a team, I’ve had the privilege of knowing the man behind all of that. The one who shows up, no matter what. The one who teaches lessons not just with words, but with actions.”
Superintendent Matthew Splain offered the commencement address to the Terrors’ Class of 2025.
“To the class of 2025, knowing that you struggle with indecision — not being able to pick a graduation speaker, solidifying your future path — helping you with decision-making seemed to be an appropriate topic for tonight,” Splain said.
“The space between knowing and not knowing or deciding and indecision is full of frustration. That is where the learning occurs. When you feel frustrated/confused, not sure what to do, your brain is being asked to make connections and predictions. By the time you “know,” you have learned something to help guide you in the future.
“Resilience and success come from the amount of time in the ‘frustration zone,’” Splain continued. “You don’t want to live there, but appreciate that it will help you learn, help you grow and, hopefully, help you mature.”
Splain urged the graduates to remember that free will is “one of the greatest gifts you have ever received,” and to never take it for granted, for it has “so much power to do good, and also so much potential to do evil things.”
However, he continued, “Don’t convince yourself that a decision is more than what it is. These decisions can be paralyzing. They will churn your stomach, keep you up at night.” Instead, he reminded the class to “control what you can control. Understand your options, understand your strengths … narrow down your options, simplify your choices and make the decision that fits best.
“Whether it be tonight, tomorrow, next week or next year, a decision awaits,” Splain stated. “Follow your passion, follow your strength and, most importantly, follow your heart. You know who you are and who you want to be. You have been raised in a wonderfully supportive community; we want to see you happy and fulfilled and … we all look forward to seeing what your next step and next big decision will be.”
Kameron Rounsville, president of the Class of 2025, introduced the class.
“Tonight, we gather in the auditorium for the last time as the class of 2025. It’s been a long ride. We’ve had our ups and downs, our challenges and our victories, but through it all, we made it here together. As we take our next steps, whether that’s college, work or something else, I hope we hold on to what made this class special. Let’s keep being curious, kind and real as we strive to accomplish our goals.”
Principal Nicholas LaBella then awarded diplomas to the following students:
Jacob James Aldrich, Hunter Joshua App, Adelyn Ann Bell, Sydney Marie Blendinger, Isaac Leroy Bobenreith, Aiden Jonathan Burkett-Smeltzer, Samaria Elizabeth Campbell, Kadence Nikole Colley, Sueda Dagci, Sara Katherine DeLong, Carrie Ruth Drummond, Andrew Steven Ellison, Jerimiah Thomas Ford, Landon Derrick Francis, Ashton John Garthwaite, Brodrick Emidio Justice Green, Jakob Angel Hernandez, Joseph Anthony Horton, Reese Katherine Kinney, Rowan Paige Kriner, Clara-Jane Renee Kusnierz, Logan Allen-Thomas Maben, Megan Olivia Mahaney, Jaden Lynn McDonald, Breydon Matthew Mericle, Owen Avery Scott Miles, Charles Everett Minard, Jared Michael Obenrader, Jaden Isaac Prince, Calley Jean Raught, Caleigh Grace Rosler, Kameron Elizabeth Rounsville, David Mark Schenfield III, McKenzee Mae Schultz, Blake Cayden-Raider Schwab, Khale Austyn Shanahan, Brayden Paul Shuey, Mercury Rizen Slade, Skyler Thomas Smith, Cosette Alexandra-Al Sowers, Manning John Splain, Anessa Rose Steel, Garry Edward Strait II, Auttum Jean Stroup, McKenna Rose Taggart, Ray’Shene Jamal Thomas, Brooke Elizabeth Vanalstyne, Skylar Alexis Waid, Cody James Ray Weida and Halle Marie Wilson.
