Pittston Area underclassman, family, and friends paraded down Main Street in Pittston honoring senior atheletes, band members, cheerleaders, and class officers.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Pittston Area senior class president, Clare Karotko (blonde hair holding sign), is surrounded by family at the completion of the senior parade on Sunday, June 6. Karotko held the position of class president for all four years at Pittston Area.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Tiara George waves to the dozens of cars passing by her sports banner on Sunday, June 6. George’s banner was one of nearly 80 banners hanging on Main Street, Pittston, honoring senior athletes, band members, cheer squad members and class officers.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Senior Anthony Thomas, of Jenkins Township, who excelled at track and played football for the Patriots, was on hand for the parade. Thomas will attend Bloomsburg University in the fall.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON — For the second year in a row, downtown Main Street, Pittston, featured banners with Pittston Area senior athletes, cheer squad, band members, and class officers. Senior parents, family and friends paraded past seniors standing at their banners on Sunday, June 6.
With the pandemic in full-swing in mid-March of 2020, spring sports were canceled. Knowing how disappointed all the students were about not playing spring sports, then senior parent Melissa Cencetti, whose son Joseph was a senior playing on the baseball team, came up with idea of having a banner program ending with a parade to honor the students.
The initial reaction was positive, and the parade and banners were an overwhelming success.
Nearly 80 banners were hung in total, and the students will receive their banner once removed from the light standards.
“We are just trying to honor these kids who have been through the most bizarre 18 months of our lifetime,” Carmen Sciandra, Pittston Area senior parent of Stephen Sciandra, said. “As I look back at my life, I have such great memories of my junior and senior years of high school. I can’t imagine being a kid and this is your senior year. They have persevered and a little celebration is worthy.”
Kylie Lynch, of Avoca, who participated in track while at Pittston Area, stood under her banner in anticipation of the parade to start.
“I think this is a good way for our seniors to get out of the school year because most of the year was awful,” Lynch said.
Lynch will attend Penn State in the fall.
Bernadette Lieback, of Pittston, was positioned under her banner on Main Street minutes before the parade began.
“Fantastic — between basketball and softball,” Lieback summarized her sports career at Pittston Area. “Softball we went to district championships two years in a row was a great experience. Graduation is approaching and it’s going to be upsetting. We’re really realizing this is it and we’re going to go our separate ways this fall.”
Lieback is looking towards a career as a nurse anesthetist after attending King’s College.
Upon completion of the parade, many students waited for family and friends to return for photo opportunities.
