Monument Mountain Graduates Reminded to Keep Ecological Mindset
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The 105 graduates from Great Barrington were sent off to solve the world's problems, but not before hearing some words of wisdom from their teachers and classmates.
Valedictorian Sadie Honig-Briggs said the idea of giving them some wisdom made her deeply uncomfortable. What could she tell them that they had not already learned together?
"Instead, I am going to state the obvious," she said. "I am going to tell you about some things you might need after today as you go off into the world, and I'm going to tell you about the people who can help you get those things that you need."
Honig-Briggs had done some research on her peers' future aspirations and they were delighted and applauded as she called out who to go for medical care, child care, education, computers, automotive repair, therapy, legal and financial, energy and entertainment.
"You might catch the flu or break an arm, and when you get to the doctor's office or the hospital, you can look for nurses like Heidi or Ashley," she said. "You will need firefighters like Griffin Touponce, FBI agents like Dominic ... You might need people to help you with your finances, though. Let's hope you don't need that much help, but accountants Emily and David will be able to keep you on track."
And that was just a small fraction of the people in the class, Honig-Briggs said.
"All around you right now are people who will be able to help you with every possible thing you can imagine," she said. "Well, unless you need a dentist, I couldn't find any dentists."
Salutatorian Reese Duchesne had a pointed challenge for her classmates, imploring them to approach the world with an ecological mindset.
Originally from Rhode Island, she's seen the march of the rising tide and, now, the manganese contamination that has spoiled Housatonic's drinking water and "bore witness to the East Mountain wildfire that ravished local forests, threatened residences, and disrupted the region's ecology."
"Degrading land surfaces, polluting water resources, and emitting greenhouse gasses at an unprecedented rate, we severely damaged the environment of our local community," said Duchesne. "In my lifetime, I've witnessed a wonderful, a terrible decline. In yours, you could and should witness a wonderful recovery."
She challenged them to be stewards of the natural resources an environment, starting by eschewing fast fashion and thinking twice before using ChatGPT.
"Carry this environmental message of protection and communicate it to those who might be less aware or less motivated," she said. "To the class of 2026 families, friends, and faculty, we have the power to reverse the ecological harm we have caused. We must take action now. This will be my primary focus at Duke University."
The scholars were led into the Shed by marshals Clay Steven and Lennox Tournas-Hardt. The band played several selections and the chorus performed "Run to You."
Principal Christopher Barnes and School Committee Chairman Stephen Bannon presented the diplomas.
"You should take comfort knowing that whatever path you chose, you have earned a quality education. This education will be the foundation for the rest of your life," said Bannon, who noted he'd crossed the same stage with the class of 1976. "I urge you to continue to strive to learn as much as you can every day, no matter where the future takes you. Build on what you have learned in our district, you're only at the beginning of what you are capable of accomplishing."
Barnes told the class how public education fits into the broader conception of common good, and how it is more than just math and reading but also "fairness, caring, self-respect, family commitment, and civic duty."
"I've worked in more than a few schools, and in some, you can feel the sense of community, the value of the community, the care for others, the connection, and the care for the community as a whole," he said. "And I assure you that this is alive and well at Monument Mountain Regional High School."
Berkshire Hills Regional Superintendent Peter Dillon said they were an exceptional class, earning more than $700,000 in community-based scholarships, helping get the district a new high school, conducting research, holding protests, and pushing their elders to support their growth in challenging and uncertain times.
"The resilience and determination you've all shown will continue to serve well," he said. "Thank you for being you, for being good to each other, and for all you contributed to Monument. Please keep the magic going, visit, inspire us, do good works, and Godspeed."
The Graduating Class of 2026
Miles Allard Jordan Alston *
Estelle Baden * †
Kathryn Barquinero *
Gianna Beacco *
Caroline Becker * † ^
Francis Bilotta
Tatum Birnhak * †
Charles Bloom
Kamren Boino *
Mari Brennan
Thomas Brown
Mason Buffoni * †
Juan Cabrera * † ^
Dominic Calautti *
Juan Cambi *
Tyler Campbell
Lexi Carpenter *
Edward Castille *
Andrea Castillo
Jazmin Celis-Antonio *
Harshveer Chahal *
Berdy Cheramy ^
Lotus Cohen * †
Mabel Cooney * †
Grace Coughlin
Oliver Curtis * † ^^
Lily Davis
Aiden Decker
Brooke Decker * †
Sophia deLuca * †
Amelia Desilets * † ^
Reese Duchesne * †
Kestrel Duke * †
Mya Dupont * †
Harvey Ehrbar *
Emaily Eichstedt
Estelle Baden * †
Kathryn Barquinero *
Gianna Beacco *
Caroline Becker * † ^
Francis Bilotta
Tatum Birnhak * †
Charles Bloom
Kamren Boino *
Mari Brennan
Thomas Brown
Mason Buffoni * †
Juan Cabrera * † ^
Dominic Calautti *
Juan Cambi *
Tyler Campbell
Lexi Carpenter *
Edward Castille *
Andrea Castillo
Jazmin Celis-Antonio *
Harshveer Chahal *
Berdy Cheramy ^
Lotus Cohen * †
Mabel Cooney * †
Grace Coughlin
Oliver Curtis * † ^^
Lily Davis
Aiden Decker
Brooke Decker * †
Sophia deLuca * †
Amelia Desilets * † ^
Reese Duchesne * †
Kestrel Duke * †
Mya Dupont * †
Harvey Ehrbar *
Emaily Eichstedt
Cole Errichetto
Harmony Estrada * †
Avanti Fudge
Logan Hartzell
Isabella Havens *
Owen Heck * †
Yuliana Herrera Cortes *^
Autumn Higa * †
Sadie Honig-Briggs * † ^^
Larkin Howard
Brenden Hunt
Cole Kennedy *
Quest Kent-Limon
Lily Khalsa * †
Juliana Kisiel * †
Luka Kononenko * ^
Eleanor Konrad * †
Josephine Kozaka * †
Maya Lang
Alexandra Martinez Cruz *
Kyle McMahon *
Brady Merritt *
Mirabelle Meyers * † ^
Daniel Mullen
Avery Murray *
Jessica Navichoc Coche ^
Dylan Netzer
Marcos Ortiz
Everett Pacheco * † ^^
Thomas Palmer *
David Parker
Jeel Patel * †
Andrea Paul *
Gage Payer
Luisa Pazmino Pina
Logan Pease *
Harmony Estrada * †
Avanti Fudge
Logan Hartzell
Isabella Havens *
Owen Heck * †
Yuliana Herrera Cortes *^
Autumn Higa * †
Sadie Honig-Briggs * † ^^
Larkin Howard
Brenden Hunt
Cole Kennedy *
Quest Kent-Limon
Lily Khalsa * †
Juliana Kisiel * †
Luka Kononenko * ^
Eleanor Konrad * †
Josephine Kozaka * †
Maya Lang
Alexandra Martinez Cruz *
Kyle McMahon *
Brady Merritt *
Mirabelle Meyers * † ^
Daniel Mullen
Avery Murray *
Jessica Navichoc Coche ^
Dylan Netzer
Marcos Ortiz
Everett Pacheco * † ^^
Thomas Palmer *
David Parker
Jeel Patel * †
Andrea Paul *
Gage Payer
Luisa Pazmino Pina
Logan Pease *
Remi Perreault *
Valerie Perry
Wilber Petzey-Cruz ^
Willa Pohl
Dylan Possu Santamaria * ^
Ember Raifstanger * †
Luna Reynolds *
Santiago Riano
Daniela Rocche
Blaize Rowen
Leilana Salvini *
Jonah Salzmann *
Dana Sanchez ^
Heidi Saupe * †
Emma Seward
Peter Simonelli
Liam Smith * †
Ashley Sonsini *
Dakotah Soules
Griffin St. John
Francesca Stanmeyer * †
Sadie Suters * †
Thea Szymanski *
Griffin Touponce
Ian Tryon
Rocco Villano *
Dioniso Vivarelli
Noah Walker *
George Wallace *
Emmett Warren-Lane
Aaron Wilkinson
Rose Wilson *
Steven Woodard *
* Graduated with honors; † National Honor Society; ^ Seal of Biliteracy; ^^ Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction
Valerie Perry
Wilber Petzey-Cruz ^
Willa Pohl
Dylan Possu Santamaria * ^
Ember Raifstanger * †
Luna Reynolds *
Santiago Riano
Daniela Rocche
Blaize Rowen
Leilana Salvini *
Jonah Salzmann *
Dana Sanchez ^
Heidi Saupe * †
Emma Seward
Peter Simonelli
Liam Smith * †
Ashley Sonsini *
Dakotah Soules
Griffin St. John
Francesca Stanmeyer * †
Sadie Suters * †
Thea Szymanski *
Griffin Touponce
Ian Tryon
Rocco Villano *
Dioniso Vivarelli
Noah Walker *
George Wallace *
Emmett Warren-Lane
Aaron Wilkinson
Rose Wilson *
Steven Woodard *
* Graduated with honors; † National Honor Society; ^ Seal of Biliteracy; ^^ Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction
Tags: graduation 2026, Monument Mountain,
