Oley Valley graduation bittersweet

Senior who would have been valedictorian remembered

Kendra Mauger clutches a graduation program bearing a picture of her late son, Todd Channing Mauger, during Oley Valley's commencement Thursday night. She and her family were presented with a diploma for Todd, who was on track to be class valedictorian when he died in March.
Two by two, the graduates walked into the Oley Valley High School gymnasium, some looking straight ahead with solemn expressions, others giggling and looking around at the crowd.

But one young woman walked alone, the graduate who was supposed to enter beside Todd Channing Mauger, who would have given his valedictorian speech during the Thursday ceremony.

Channing's name was listed along with the other 139 graduates in the program, but his chair was empty, draped with the blue fabric he would have worn.

"As teenagers, we think of ourselves as invincible with our whole lives in front of us," said student speaker Matthew Gehman, class salutatorian. "Sadly, that is not always the case."

Channing died in March of aplastic anemia, a disease in which bone marrow stops producing the necessary platelets and cells for a healthy immune system.

The school named Channing and class vice president Rachel Stahl co-valedictorians Thursday, and the ceremony was dedicated to Channing.

"Channing's spirit will always be the winds beneath our wings for the Class of 2013," Dr. Tracy S. Shank, superintendent, said before giving Channing's diploma to his parents. "Congratulations, Channing."

Shank and other school officials hugged Channing's parents and two little brothers, Clay, an Oley Valley freshman, and Curt, a sixth-grader at Oley Valley Middle School.

Crowd members pulled out handkerchiefs and wiped their eyes as Shank and other school officials placed medals that Channing would have received around the necks of Clay, Curt and his father, Todd.

Channing had been accepted to Colgate University, and was leaning toward going there to study cartography.

"It was emotional but I was really glad we went," Channing's mom, Kendra Mauger, said after the ceremony. "It was really great seeing Channing's friends and the school did a great job honoring his memory.

"He was a pretty laid-back kid but he was a hard worker, and he has two brothers who really miss him."

"The hardest part was watching the kids come in, but I still wouldn't have missed that."

Channing was one of three Oley Valley students who died in the past school year. Junior Greg Hilbert died the day before graduation, and Robert Perkins, also a junior, died in January.

The district had planned to release six doves outside in memory of the students, as well as 2005 graduate Jarett Yoder, who was killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan in April; former superintendent Robert J. Lesko, who died in May; and student Alyssa Lower, who died last March and would have been a junior this year.

But due to the rain, the ceremony was held inside and that didn't happen. So much has not gone as planned, Shank said.

"Class of 2013, you have made me proud - extremely proud" said Dr. Darrell Markley, school principal. "It has been a tough year."

When Stahl gave her valedictorian speech, she encouraged her fellow graduates to impact other people's lives the way Channing and the other students who died impacted theirs.

"Think of all the people you will meet when you leave Oley," she said. "That's how many lives you can change."


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