Wahconah 2025 Graduates Reflect on Relationships
DALTON, Mass. — Wahconah Regional High School's class of 2025 reflected on the relationships they built during their time at the school during Sunday's graduation.
Families, friends, and faculty gathered in the high school gym to honor the 115 graduates to celebrate their accomplishments, and reflect on the moments they have created with each other and will continue to create later in life.
Principal Aaron Robb emphasized how he watched as the graduates built noticeable and meaningful positive relationships with one another.
"You worked at it in a day and age where far fewer people bothered. You worked to make yourselves better," he said.
"I want you to know that as we sit here today to honor you, we saw it, we felt it, and we thank you for it."
During her tenure, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis made it a tradition to share the graduates' hopes and dreams. She did this one last time before her retirement.
"Graduation is about all of you. What stood out to me this year was how much you valued relationships and giving to others. What an amazing foundation to leave with; in my opinion, you are already halfway there," she said.
She then shared some of their many hopes and dreams -- picking from students who want to become environmental police officers, lawyers, pediatricians, electricians, and more.
Daniel Sargent, class president, spoke about his and his fellow graduates' memories during their time at Wahconah.
"I'm thankful to have known each and every one of you. You can all do great things in life. You just have to be motivated. If you stay motivated, everything you could possibly want is yours. My final words to the graduates behind me is, go too far, then not far enough," he said.
Thomas Celentano gave the salutatory speech, also reflecting on his time with his classmates and friends and how much friendships have impacted him throughout his time in high school.
"During my time in high school, I have learned more about friendship than I have in the rest of my life," he said.
He looked back on his freshman year of high school and how helpful his classmates were.
"I would like to share with you one of the reasons that the friendships that I have made here mean so much to me. Like most of my fellow classmates, I recently read a letter that I wrote to myself in the first month of freshman year," he said.
"I wrote that I was constantly avoiding eye contact, terrified of everyone and everything, and that I dreaded leaving for school every morning. I want to thank my classmates because I don't feel that way now, and it is all because of my friends."
Jack DiCicco and Colby Robb performed "My Wish" by Jeffery Steele for their classmates and crowd.
Valedictorian Logan Kunde highlighted how their first year together was through the pandemic and the movement into the new school building.
"Since even before we began our journey down this winding stream, our high school experience has been riddled with surprises, and many things, especially early on, were very unexpected. I'm sure we all remember the excitement back in 7th grade when we were told we would get a few weeks off of school because of some new illness," he said.
"Fast forward a year or so, and all of us are now much better at using Zoom than we ever wanted to be. We were anticipated to be the first class to spend all four of our years in the new building. None of us expected to spend the first month in the old one because of building delays due to the same virus that kept us from meeting in person for over a year."
Kunde also expressed that their future is theirs alone no matter what they decide to do.
"But by no means is this the end. An endless amount of paths present themselves to us now. Whether our flow takes us to college, to vocational school, or straight out into the world, there’s one thing that’s true for all of us: our future is ours alone," he said.
"Sure, there will always be those that help us along the way; teachers, friends, family. But in the end, only we can choose our own trail, because trying to live someone else’s journey for them will only lead to you feeling lost along the way."
Robb presented the class of 2025 and acknowledged many staff and faculty members and Blake-Davis and her retirement, and congratulated the new incoming superintendent, Michael Henault.
He also recognized and thanked Vice Principal Stephen Messina for the last time as he is also retiring this year. The students and attendees rose to applaud Messina, moving him tears.
The graduates then applauded their families.
Robb ended with words of advice to the graduates.
"You are all about 18 years old. At the age of 18, there is no doubt you should live for the moment and live for today. But as of today, you are also going to start building a life for yourself," he said.
"A life you could one day share with a spouse, with your children, with your extended family, with your co-workers, with your old friends, and no doubt with your new ones. Because you sit here today, statistically speaking, you have about 90 percent of your life left to live. So given that, I am going to offer you a few pieces of advice …"
He told them to keep their family and friends close, reminded them they will face many challenges in life, to surround yourself in strength, be careful what you laugh at, and run toward joy.
Wahconah Regional High School Class of 2025
Tags: graduation 2025, WRHS,
