Bensalem High Commencement Set For Friday

Valedictorian Bhumica Patel and Salutatorian Paige Connelly will be among the featured speakers at 's 87^th annual commencement ceremonies Friday.

The event will begin at 4 p.m. at Bensalem Memorial Stadium, behind the high school. In the event of rain, the event will be moved inside the high school auditorium.

Of this year's graduates close to 85 percent will be attending college.

Bhumica plans to attend Temple University and major in chemistry, with a minor in business.

She has been a principal’s list honor roll student throughout high school and has had perfect attendance for the past eight years. Bhumica is vice president of the Community Service Club and a member of the Multi-Cultural Club, Reading Olympics and the Dance Team.

Paige Connelly will be attending New York University in the fall, majoring in mathematics. She was a 2011 National Merit Finalist and has been a principal’s list honor roll student throughout high school. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Reading Olympics, Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science, Community Service Club, Multi-Cultural Club and Talent Show. Paige will be attending New York University in the fall, majoring in mathematics.

Other speakers at commencement will include Principal Francis Perry, who is retiring, and Superintendent Bill Gretzula, who recently announced his pending resignation to spend more time with his family. He will be a teacher in the district next year.

The class president for the BHS Senior Class is Alexia Ewing; the vice president is Taylor Couper; the treasurer is Stacy Pratt; and the secretary is Samantha Metz.

Close to 9 percent of the class will be entering the workforce and 3 percent will be going into the military.

District spokeswoman Susan Phy did not provide an estimate of the total number of graduates.

The high school is located at 4319 Hulmeville Road. The stadium is behind the school, off of Byberry Road.