‘Gallop of the Graduates’ takes Chartiers Valley seniors down memory lane

Stacie Vaughan joined her students and colleagues lining the hallways of Chartiers Valley Intermediate School ready to welcome and celebrate this year’s graduating class.

She had with her a green piece of paper.

That paper had a printed book cover of Shel Silverstein’s “The Giving Tree.” It’s a book Stacie’s husband, Scott, years ago would read to their daughter Morgan, a sophomore, and her friend Annamarie Armenti, now a graduating senior from Chartiers Valley.

And while the teachers and students cheered on CV’s Class of 2025 as they made their way down the hallway May 19 as part of “Gallop of the Graduates,” Stacie Vaughan and Armenti embraced.

“I love the idea,” Vaughan said of the gallop, where the members of the graduating class make their way through the district buildings, being supported by their younger peers and former teachers and mentors. “I think it’s great. The kids enjoy it, and the adults might be enjoying it more.

“It’s fun to see them, when we remember when they were little. And now, they’re adults – taller than us.”

Dressed in their caps and gowns, CV seniors paraded around the district’s middle, intermediate and primary schools, reminiscing over their educational journeys through the district and saying one last goodbye. Commencement is Friday, May 30.

Those types of memories and experiences were what Chartiers Valley officials were hoping for when coordinating the event. The schools were where many graduates first learned to read, write and dream, said high school Principal Lesley McDonough.

“The gallop of the graduates is more than just a walk,” McDonough said. “It’s a full-circle moment, honoring the growth, memories and community that have shaped each student’s path.”

Senior Lee Basehore said she enjoyed the tour through the schools.

“Getting a chance to walk around, see them and have a chance to say goodbye is a good way to end the school year,” said Basehore, who plans to attend UPMC School of Nursing at Mercy Hospital.

Senior Ava Kulasa wanted the district’s younger students to know that the journey through school goes by quickly.

“I’d give them advice to enjoy their high school years. They go by so fast,” said Kulasa, who plans to go to the Indiana University of Pennsylvania to study graphic design.

To primary school teacher Tina Mulligan, the event really was full-circle: her son, Tristin, is a 2025 CV graduate, and she helps coach the high school volleyball team. Tristin plans to be a nuclear engineer.

“I think it’s good to make connections so these kids know, we go to school to learn, and that’s the final prize,” she said. “It helps them think about the future.”