Commencement night is often full of glances in the rearview mirror.

On Monday night, however, as Palmerton Area High School’s Class of 2021 marched into the district’s athletic stadium for the final time as students, there was also a clear path forward.

“Each year of schooling up until this point has been fairly straightforward, our purpose and path set and defined,” Emily Baumgardt, Palmerton salutatorian, said in addressing the class. “But here we all stand with boundless potential and freedom, each to draw a path of life that is solely our own. I am confident that my classmates and I, whether we are attending college or trade school, or entering the workforce or military, have the vision and capability to achieve our own versions of success.”

Success, as Baumgardt pointed out, carries different definitions and is measured differently by everyone. One of those definitions includes overcoming adversity, something the 112 members of the graduating class did over and over again, particularly the past two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Education, clubs, sports, band and countless activities saw disruptions.

“Without the dedication and perseverance of our class, we could not have achieved all that we have,” Baumgardt said. “Obtaining success through a global pandemic is an extraordinary feat the Class of 2021 should be extremely proud of.”

Valedictorian Gina Laviolette led the class on a look back over their educational careers, from classes at Towamensing Elementary and field trips at S.S. Palmer to discussions about the danger of McDonald’s supersizing with junior high teacher Keven Kolodziejski and the legality of cannibalism in Craig Borland’s high school civil/criminal law class.

Outside of the classroom, there were sports championships, a marching band performance at Walt Disney World, and a record-breaking number of Future Business Leaders of America state qualifiers. They are among the accomplishments too numerous to count.

“We’re all thankful for Palmerton for one reason or another, but we can all be thankful for the fact that it has made us into people who are ready to go out in the world on our own,” Laviolette said. “Whatever it is that you’re taking away with you into your future, the most important thing to remember is how much Palmerton has shaped you into the person you’ve become.”

The Class of 2021, at least for class President Matthew Yurkunas, is made up of truly unique individuals. There are graduates, he said, planning for careers ranging from morticians to chemical engineers. All of them, he said, have the ability to be successful.

“The biggest success you can achieve in your life is impacting someone else,” he told the class. “My aunt taught me a few years ago to treat everyone with an equal amount of respect. Whether they be a member of the janitorial staff or the chief executive officer of a company, they are both human. Don’t get lost in titles or recognition. Aim to be what you define as successful and encourage others around you to do the same.”

High School Principal Paula Husar addressed the pandemic’s effect on the Class of 2021. The day everyone returned to school together in April, she met with the class to talk about all that they missed.

“We lost things as a high school, a school district, a community and a country, but it’s time to look forward,” Husar said. “The Class of 2021 has already learned life is full of curves, surprises, uncertainty and even unfairness. You just have to focus with making lemonade out of the lemons that are thrown at you.”

The last year for the Class of 2021 was also Dr. Jodi Frankelli’s first year as superintendent at Palmerton.

“We will always share that bond and you will always share a special place in my heart,” she told the class.

The past 13 years came full circle for the graduating class Monday night. As Baumgardt pointed out, “Isn’t it ironic that we were served the same peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch as seniors that our moms used to make us in kindergarten.

“Today,” she added, “we are all the same. We wear the same cap and gown. We receive the same diplomas. We are Blue Bombers who are filled with hope and greatness.”