PINE PLAINS — Midmorning rain and the threat of more did nothing to dampen the spirits of graduates and attendees at Stissing Mountain High School’s commencement ceremonies on Saturday, June 24. The school’s large auditorium was packed, with standing room at the back filled.
All stood for the processional, aided in its timing by personal messages spoken to each graduate by class advisor and special education teacher Carol Stracher, accompanied by band and choir renditions of traditional ceremonial tunes led by Erin Marlow and Alec Sisco, arranged with harmonies.
After a brief welcome by Principal Christopher Boyd, remarks by Pine Plains Central School District (PPCSD) Board of Education President Anne Arent began by recognizing a milestone in board history: the service of class of ‘23 President John Bopp III as a nonvoting student member.
Arent also noted that this particular class of 67 graduates had all been schooled together since their earliest days at Cold Spring Elementary, and are thus known to each other and to administrators as a cohesive group that served to unite the northern and southern portions of the Pine Plains district. Arent’s own youngest child received her diploma from her proudly emotional mom and Boyd as well as PPCSD Superintendent Brian Timm.
Addressing the class of ’23, Arent noted, “You are artists, engineers, volunteers,” and as she continued, lights went out on the assembled members onstage, as well as in the auditorium, when a standee at the back apparently leaned on a lightswitch. Arent handled it with aplomb and ended by urging students to “stand up for what you believe in, even if you are standing alone.”
In his remarks, Timm noted a recent New York state award given to PPCSD for its “scholar athletes,” those who maintained at least a 90% score in their academics. He urged all the graduates not to fear failure but to embrace it as a means of learning how to be better. Be great at what you pursue, he said, by first consistently being good.
Student essays by Sidney Neil Stracher and Autumn Rae Prezzano urged fellow graduates to keep the cohesiveness they have experienced as they venture out to the wider world, and to trust in themselves to achieve their dreams. “Your life is your life; know it while you have it” and live it to the fullest, both essayists urged.
The awareness of the preciousness of each life was echoed in salutatorian Gina Marie Kirk’s request for a moment of silence for the passing of Noah Thompson, felt by his Pine Plains friends though he was to have graduated from Webutuck High School last week. Valedictorian Amanda Dillinger praised her classmates’ robust response to the community service requirements that showed their awareness and empathy for those less fortunate.
Diploma presentations elicited hoots and shouts of joy and encouragement from friends and family members, and the recessional was marked with fist bumps, hip bumps, and other brief duos as each pair of graduates found novel ways to mark their coming separation from their 13-year cocoon.
As rain held off for a time, graduates, friends and family members gathered in the school’s front courtyard. The tossing of mortarboards had been forbidden, but many of those grad hats were collaged, painted and inscribed with wry or inspiring messages, each as unique as its graduate.
From left: Raegan Marie Smith and Arely Soria, both National Honor Society members and two of 14 graduates with the Seal of Biliteracy, with their personal caps at the Stissing Mountain High School graduation on Saturday, June 24. Soria’s cap translates to: ‘To my parents, who arrived with nothing and gave me everything.” Photo by Deborah Maier
“We had such a fun party for her,” said AMP founder and artistic director Ellen Griesedieck. “I am excited for what is next for Amy and grateful for every moment she has invested in her work at AMP.”
Wynn, who previously led the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council, said her decision to step down came after careful reflection.
“It’s time for me to shift into the next phase of my career, which will call upon my 40-plus years of nonprofit experience to do project work,” she said. “I’ve absolutely loved my time at AMP.”
Visitors to the American Mural Project.Sky Johnson
Under Wynn’s leadership, AMP expanded education programs, deepened community partnerships and oversaw key milestones in the creation of its monumental centerpiece — a three-dimensional mural stretching 120 feet long and five stories high — celebrating American ingenuity, industry and collaboration.
“Through all these years, Amy has worked with tireless enthusiasm for AMP, running day-to-day operations and guiding the overall direction of our mission,” Griesedieck said.
During Wynn’s tenure, AMP evolved from a concept into a dynamic cultural campus. She helped professionalize its structure, solidify its funding base and develop programs that drew visitors from across the state and beyond.
“The work she has accomplished, the hours of overtime she has logged, the mountains we have climbed together since that moment are many and miraculous,” Griesedieck said.
AMP also weathered challenging times, including the pandemic, which forced arts organizations to rethink audience engagement. Wynn guided the team during that uncertain period with a steady hand.
To ensure a smooth transition, AMP has brought on Renee Chatelain of RMCreative Solutions, LLC, an experienced consultant, attorney and arts administrator who previously worked with AMP on its capital expansion planning.
Chatelain will serve as interim executive director while a national search is conducted for AMP’s next leader.
“A longtime friend, Renee comes to us with a depth of knowledge on executive transition,” said Griesedieck. “As an attorney, a leader of several arts organizations and a classically trained dancer, she is particularly well-suited for this interim role.”
Though stepping down, Wynn said she will continue her work in the nonprofit field in a more flexible, project-based capacity.
“I’ll be seeking consulting projects with other nonprofits, assisting with grant work and strategic planning,” she said. “What I enjoy most is leading a collaborative effort and finding solutions to challenging problems.”
Sky Johnson
Even as AMP bids farewell to Wynn, its focus remains on the future. The next phase of development will focus on converting a second mill building into expanded programming and community space.
“The next step has got to happen,” Griesedieck said. “It’s absolutely what the Northwest Corner needs — a place for the community to congregate.”
The proposed expansion would create flexible areas for performances, workshops and public events, further establishing AMP as a cornerstone of the regional arts scene.
With community support and grants, AMP hopes to carry forward Wynn’s momentum into a new era.
“She is not leaving,” Griesedieck said. “Amy will always be here for us.”
Founded in 2001, the American Mural Project was conceived as a tribute to the American worker — a celebration of skill, creativity and perseverance. The mural, the largest indoor collaborative artwork in the world, was created with contributions from thousands of children, artists, teachers, tradespeople and volunteers nationwide.
Today, AMP offers tours, workshops, lectures and performances, all rooted in its mission: to inspire, invite collaboration and reveal the contributions people of all ages can make to American culture.
As Wynn turns the page, her legacy — from her calm, strategic leadership to the collaborative spirit she fostered — remains woven into the fabric of AMP’s story.
