LORAIN, Ohio — A fight at Mercy Health Stadium Tuesday evening brought attention to Lorain High School’s graduation ceremony for all the wrong reasons. Now, the outgoing Class of 2024 wants to shift the narrative back to the achievements of the graduating seniors.
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“Our school and our city shouldn’t be recognized for the fights when so many good things come out of our school,” said Allison Loera.
It’s the end of an era for Allison and her friends Emmeryson Nazario and Shane Ramey-Rowland.
“This summer I’m preparing for college. It’s just crazy to think about,” said Allison.
The recent Lorain High School graduates will be heading to separate schools in the fall after four years of pouring themselves into academics and extracurriculars. All three have resumes that could fill pages.
“I was captain of the soccer team. I played the clarinet in the marching band. I was on the cheer team. I was in the National Honor Society for my senior year, and then I did track,” said Allison. “Last summer, I was also a Lorain International Princess, and I represented Puerto Rico.”
“I was a varsity football player, captain of the football team, varsity baseball player. I was a part of the Lorain High marching band, wood ensemble and orchestra. I did the college-plus credit program here and graduated with my associate's degree,” Shane said, adding he also volunteered to read to elementary students and took part in student news.
Emmerysn gave a speech at graduation as the National Honor Society president. She, too, shares a long list of accomplishments.
“I was a cheerleader; I was on the flag team with the band. I was in CCP, so I graduated with my associate’s degree from Lorain County Community College. I was in Key Club, I was the president of National Honor Society,” she said. “And I was also a Lorain International Princess last summer representing my Irish culture.”
Emmersyn plans to study fashion merchandising at Kent State in the fall, with a minor in either marketing, PR or business.
She said many of her fellow graduates are equally impressive.
“There’s so many things that graduates from Lorain High have done that get overlooked,” she said.
Shane plans to study exercise science at Gannon College. A doctorate through the school’s 4-year undergrad and 3-year postgrad program will be faster and more affordable, thanks to an associate’s degree he earned during high school.
“It’ll only be 5 years to get it. So with the football scholarship I received, I will be only paying for one year total of my degree,” he said.
Allison was inspired to study social work at the Ohio State University so she can eventually return to work in Lorain.
“We’re a community that comes together and we have a lot of passion for our community,” she said.
That’s why, when a fight broke out after graduation and distracted from the celebration, she took to social media to set the record straight.
“I was like, ‘This is not OK.’ So many good things come out of this school and this city,” she said. “We’re not just a dangerous city like people might say.”
A day after posting in a Lorain community Facebook group, Allison’s post garnered more than 2,000 likes, 600 shares and 500 comments. Many commenters shared their own experiences and accomplishments from Lorain.
“I got my message across,” Allison said. “All I wanted people to know was the good things that came out of this city.”
Her peers agreed they’re proud to be from Lorain and represent the city’s future.
“I just want them to understand that as a community, we’re growing. We’re in a renaissance era right now,” Shane said. “We just have a lot of students working diligently to create this culture and this community.”
Emmersyn added, “Lorain is community. Lorain is determination. And Lorain is proud to be Lorain.”
In a statement from Lorain Superintendent Dr. Jeff Graham earlier this week, he said the class of 2024 represented the highest graduation rate in a generation. 45 students, including Allison, Emmersyn and Shane, also earned their associate’s degrees along with their high school diplomas.
