NORTHAMPTON — As high school seniors across the country march down the aisle to the classic “Pomp and Circumstance,” the graduating class at PVPA danced down the aisle Thursday to Britney Spears’ “Toxic,” in a display of individuality and creativity that has come to be associated with the performing arts school.
The audience that gathered at the Calvin Theatre for the graduation sounded and acted more like a crowd at a rock concert as they cheered on and danced alongside the 60 graduating seniors from the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts charter school. Administrators and teachers also got in on the fun, with Chris Fournier, the school’s director of student affairs, leading the crowd in a sway and clap from on stage.
After urging the crowd to turn their attention to the graduates and “give ’em some love!” Fournier addressed the school community, saying the school “revered the collective.”
He then drew a parallel between life and the scenes of a movie or play, first saying that each individual is the protagonist of his or her own story.
He asked the students, “What is this scene with an ensemble cast?” telling them to reflect on the people who have helped them achieve their goals and gotten them to where they want to be. Fournier ended his speech by telling the seniors to “journey forward with PVPA in your souls.”
The speeches and awards were intertwined with musical performances and films the students had made, showcasing the artistry they had learned at the South Hadley school.
Clara Kohrman said she learned a lot over the course of her six years at PVPA, including how to “solve for x,” but she said the most valuable thing she learned was “what it meant to be an artist.”
In her address to her fellow graduates, Kohrman talked about the special bond she shared with her classmates.
“You put a piece of yourself in every piece of art you make, and at PVPA, we made art all the time,” said Kohrman, “It’s like sharing a part of yourself.”
Nina Devine said PVPA was “unlike any school” she had ever experienced, and she talked about how it differs from some traditional high schools, saying she was friends with her teachers and got to call them by their first names. She also said that PVPA “fostered a sense of freedom in even the smallest ways,” by allowing hats and chewing gum in school.
Both students talked about how their time at PVPA has empowered them to make change.
“Art makes change,” Kohrman said. “Art is a conversation.”
Devine echoed that sentiment saying “art empowers people to make change and take risks.”
Interim Director Marc Kenen, who was brought on after the previous director, George E. Simpson, was dismissed in February, addressed some of the problems the school has had this year, including Simpson’s short and controversial tenure. Simpson was fired less than a year into the job after being arrested on charges of heroin and methamphetamine possession.
In his speech, Kenen praised the school’s teachers for persevering.
“The staffed showed great resilience” said Kenen, adding that they “remained focused on providing high-quality education.”
Board president Melinda Winter, too, acknowledged the difficulties.
“It’s been a tough year at PVPA,” she said. She also thanked the teachers for battling through the administrative issues the school was facing.
After speeches by students and the presentation of the diplomas, the students put on a number of performances, showcasing their final projects as PVPA students.
Kohrman said she looks forward to seeing what her fellow PVPA graduates will create next.