Family, friends, and loved ones piled into the Wahconah gymnasium to celebrate and witness an extra special graduation ceremony. Senior Dominic Mastrogiovanni sang a beautiful rendition of our country’s national anthem, setting an immediate tone of inclusion and positivity on such a special occasion. Alex Rougeau, the senior class president, gave warm remarks that recognized her class’s last four years and the upcoming roads ahead. Our school’s salutatorian, Sophie Alsmaan, reminded everyone that our voice is important and can create a beautiful future. 

Sophie then welcomed our school’s pep band Blood Type Blue to perform On My Own by E.Bogart & R5, sung by junior Holland Slade. The valedictorian for the senior class, Haze Brown, then spoke about how things might happen that could knock you down, like falling on the bleachers on the first week of school, but that they shouldn’t keep you knocked down. Things will happen as they may, such as an exploded stress ball in the band room, but no matter what, perseverance is a gift.

The school superintendent then delivered a wonderful speech about remembering where you came from. He suggested that, later in life, when someone asks you where you came from, don’t just say Boston, because when you talk about yourself more, you understand all the things that this small community has done for you. Principal Shorter spoke to the class how being a new principal for a senior class is a daunting task, but she felt welcomed to the community. She awarded everyone sitting in those caps and gowns a diploma, having completed the high school curriculum, collecting the necessary credits along the way. With that, Mr. Murphy and Ms. Arroyo-Santos read out each name, and the seniors officially received their high school diplomas. Each person will go on to do great things and I feel extremely lucky to have shared a school with this graduating class.