Retirees honored at Pine-Richland commencement

Along with celebrating the Pine-Richland High School Class of 2024, the June 7 commencement honored two retiring staff members.

Brian Scott served more than 27 years as high school band director and music teacher, and Michael Gasparetto founded the Junior Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps at Pine-Richland and led for 13½ years.

“We proudly share that we believe Pine-Richland has the best band around, and that would not have been possible without Mr. Scott,” Principal Frank Hernandez said.

Shane Horan, president of the band, spoke on behalf of students “who have been impacted by Mr. Scott and the band program as a whole.”

“Without this program, many of us would not be where we are in life today, and for that, we are forever grateful for Mr. Scott,” Horan said. “Without his dedication and leadership, we would have never become the band that we are today.”

Gasparetto joined the Air Force in 1981 and served from 1983-87 in what then was West Germany before becoming a recruiter, “rising to the top as career field manager,” according to Rocco Jarvis, senior class co-president.

“Stationed at the Pentagon for all worldwide Air Force recruiting, he set the policy for determining who was eligible for admission into the Air Force,” Jarvis said, noting that at Pine-Richland: “Cadets complete thousands of hours of community service each school year, and many have been appointed to academies and received ROTC scholarships for where they plan on attending.”

Serving as faculty speaker at commencement, Gasparetto stressed the importance of “integrity as a leader.”

“Many of you have already had experience at leaders while in high school, whether it was on a sports team, in the band, in JROTC or part of a group project,” he told the soon-to-be graduates. “When you have an opportunity to be a leader in your future, it will be one of the most rewarding opportunities you will ever have in your professional lives.

“And with that, there are three things you must do as a leader. One, you must set your standards high. Two, you must work hard to insist through motivation and inspiration that those who work for you measure up to those same standards,” Gasparetto said. “And three, you have to model that behavior that you expect those who work for you and with you to uphold.”

He advised members of the Class of ’24 “to always care for those in your charge, and the easiest way to do that is to set your integrity standard as absolutely highest as you possibly can. And never compromise your position, ever.”