Lights, Action, Graduation! The Lehigh Valley Charter HS for the Arts 2025 Commencement was held June 9 at ArtsQuest. The atmosphere in the Musikfest Café was high energy and full of enthusiasm as 139 seniors received their diplomas

Assistant Principal Jessica Diana advised the 2025 graduates to apply the three B’s to life: “Be bold, be brilliant, and be seated.” She stressed the importance of stating your mind confidently but also knowing when to back-off.

The National Anthem was sung by the Charter Arts touring Choir. Before saluting the flag speaker Mario Acerra, president of the board of directors, drew specific attention to the last 5 words of the Pledge of Allegiance reminding the seniors that, “Liberty and Justice for All, is exactly that” and that these students are “the mirrors and visionaries of the future.”

Principal Jennifer Levernier proclaimed this graduation “a celebration of what you’ve become and what you are becoming.” She hailed the graduates for being artists, the world now needs their “voice, vision, and values”

Before the presentation of diplomas, two student speakers addressed guests and peers. Student speakers are chosen via an application process. The first speaker Alyse Gammons, a literary arts major, is planning to attend Millersville University and major in environmental biology. Gammons compared her high school experience to the Japanese pottery repair technique Kintsugi, which literally translates to “joined with gold.” It is the ancient Japanese practice of mending broken ceramics with gold. Until attending Charter Arts, Gammons said she felt apart from other students and the less creative world. Her time at the school has mended her, not just fixing her but joined her with gold; ideas and people like her. The second speaker, Bee Kanofsky also a literary arts major, plans to attend Bard College to study dramatic writing. Bee spoke of the many ways she has grown and the growth she has seen in her peers. She credits Charter Arts for opening many new doors for her.

Diplomas were presented by Executive Director Dr. Christina Lincoln, Principal Jennifer Levernier, Assistant Principal Jessica Diana and each of the Department Artistic Directors. As the recessional was played by the Charter Arts Orchestra the class of 2025 exited as a group for their last performance together, stage left.