Up until this year, there would have been little chance that an outdoor graduation would go forward after a day of rainstorms at Jim Thorpe’s Olympian Stadium, long known for mud bowl football games.

But on Friday night the Jim Thorpe Area High School Class of 2021 received their diplomas on the district’s new turf field, and kept their gowns clean despite a day of rain. Parents still cheered loudly from beneath umbrellas as 119 students received diplomas.

Valedictorian Brandy Montemuro noted that the Olympians football team went most of the season without a home field due to the stadium project. She said it was one of many signs that the Class of 2021’s senior year was seemingly “destined for disaster.” They also had no fans in the stands for their games, no interaction in the hallways or lunchrooms.

But while the year showed that nothing was guaranteed, Montemuro said, the Class of 2021 learned not to let unexpected challenges keep them from moving forward and living life.

“Many things in life may seem destined for disaster. See them through. Never say no when faced with opportunity, because you never know what could come of it,” Montemuro said.

In her address, Salutatorian Katie Steen reflected on non-COVID-related challenges that the Class of 2021 experienced in their four years. Late nights studying, and occasional early mornings completing forgotten assignments helped build character.

As graduates, they overcame those obstacles, and Steen said that the experiences have molded them into the people they will be in the real world.

“Without even realizing it, this school has shaped most of our lives,” she said.

Class President Tim Loftus jokingly referred to some of the keys to his graduation - the cancellation of finals, and the ability to screen record lectures so he could sleep through class. But he was serious when he said that living through the unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic will lead to a new perspective for the Class of 2021. He said he predicts a new renaissance for the world following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a bright future for the Class of 2021.

He said someday, the challenges of the pandemic will seem trivial when they look back on them as adults.

“In 20 years or so, when we all get cataracts from the blue light overexposure, let us look back at these simple days and remember fondly these times when we didn’t have to worry about what our mouths looked like, could avoid most of the people we didn’t like, and could blame all our troubles on a global pandemic,” he said.

The students entered the stadium backed by a bagpiper. Superintendent John Rushefski said in his remarks that it gave him goose bumps and highlighted the importance of the moment.

As they walked into the stadium, students wore the masks that they have worn the entire year. But after they sat, Principal Thomas Lesisko ordered them to remove them. He said he was as pleased as the students were.

Lesisko said he was exhausted with hearing the word pandemic, so he offered other “p” words which defined the Class of 2021. They included patience, progress, perseverance and being pioneers. During the past year, the students displayed all of them.

“During the past 15 years you needed to stop and take a hard look at yourself. At the end of the day, you learned you can endure a lot more than you think you can, a lot more than you thought is possible,” Lesisko said.