Graduating High School Seniors Saluted with Individual At-Home Celebrations

For 15 local high school seniors, the effects of the Coronavirus closings extend beyond missing out on traditional high school graduation events. Sadly, after years of being members of Young Singers of the Palm Beaches children’s choir, their final concert and anticipated senior tribute performance could not be held.

 

After ten to eleven years, the longest any student has stayed with the choir, Victoria DeAlba, Christopher Mee, and D’Angelo Pena did not get their special senior moment in the on-stage spotlight. The teens hoped to sing in their last public performance with the Young Singers on May 17^th at the Kravis Center, as part of YSPB’s spring concert, “Be The Change.” But now all Kravis performances have been canceled, and with an undetermined quarantine timeline, it’s difficult to say when the seniors will be able to sing together.

Joining Victoria, Christopher and D’Angelo are 12 other graduating seniors: Kate Richman, who has been with the choir for 9 years, Juliana Burns, Jillian Durand, Ethan Estevez, Lindsey Gonzalez, Megan Mascaro, Waleska Figueirido Ocasio, Veronika Rojas, Justine Swiatkowski, Valentina Velasco, Mackenzie Viau, and Alonna Ward.

To celebrate all these special seniors the conductors and staff of YSPB assembled on Sunday, May 17th, the date of what should have been their spring concert. They drove parade style in decorated cars and with the YSPB van, to each senior's home, where they donned masks to get out and surprise celebrate each teen with confetti, posters and a personalized yard sign.

 

Senior singer Victoria DeAlba extends her thanks to the Young Singers noting, “Young Singers has changed my life in a positive way and has been part of the foundation of who I am as a person today. It has been ten years filled with music and joy.”

 

Justine Swiatkowski, a choir member for 6 years, sums up what the organization is all about, “Even with all the craziness happening in the world today there is peace in music. We have the opportunity to come together and make a change.”