Lebanon
Barber, who was diagnosed in 2016 with grade II astrocytoma, a cancerous tumor inside her spinal cord, was expected by many to graduate in a wheelchair. The disease caused Barber to lose control of her body from the stomach down, and doctors once told Barber’s family that she was unlikely to regain the use of her legs.
But as she approached school administrators waiting to shake hands, Barber’s trainer, Wayne Burwell, stopped the wheelchair, took out a walker and placed it in front of her.
Placing both hands on the walker, Barber picked herself up and then walked the next few steps to receive her diploma, as classmates and those watching from the packed seats and stands at Lebanon High School erupted into cheers.
“I feel really amazing. That was so much fun,” Barber said after the ceremony. “I worked so hard with Wayne to be able to do that and it just feels really good.”
Barber and Burwell have worked on her rehabilitation since last summer, but efforts to get the student lacrosse coach walking in time for graduation began last month, she said.
“We’ve been doing walking for a few weeks, but we’ve been doing standing for a few months,” said Barber, who lives in Cornish.
Along with Burwell, Barber also credited the Lebanon High School community for seeing her through graduation, calling the school “amazing.”
“I love Lebanon,” she said. “I have nothing bad to say about it. I love it here.”
Several students and speakers during Lebanon High’s graduation ceremony also praised the school community and its commitment to students.
Classmates’ support of Barber is just one example of how students and teachers share triumphs and defeats, said Sophia Miller, the Class of 2018’s valedictorian.
During her speech, Miller shared several examples of times she’ll always remember, from near accidents in science class to karaoke battles between classrooms.
While she looks back on those experiences with a smile, the class “also shared more moving experiences over the last four years at LHS,” she said.
Barber’s struggles brought the community together, as did power outages, when teachers and students opened their doors to those without electricity. The school’s walkout and counterprotest in reaction to school shootings also taught valuable lessons, Miller said.
“We talk about what we have done and what we about to do after this,” she said. “But as we celebrate, we should not forget that (our achievements) were not possible without the help of our community.”
Luke Sandmann, the graduation’s master of ceremonies, also told the crowd of the graduating class and its diversity.
As he was preparing to enter high school, Sandmann recalled finding a book of advice written by his sister. Two recommendations still stand out, he said.
The first was to keep your lunch in a brown paper bag, or else someone will steal it or shove you in a locker, he said. But that recommendation turned out to be untrue.
“After seeing exactly zero kids sticking out of lockers, I realized that neither my lunch nor myself were in mortal danger,” Sandmann said, adding his sister’s second piece of advice rings more loudly.
“Be your own person and make your own path. Otherwise, you’ll regret it in the end,” he read.
Looking out over a sea of faces conjures up a vast array of stories, experiences, and challenges, Sandmann said.
“Each of us has taken on a courageous and powerful voice,” he said, and it’s that voice that helped shape each student’s high school growth.
Graduates also were reminded of the responsibilities they’ll soon carry into their further studies or work by retiring teacher Les Lawrence.
“You’re going to find that life is not easy,” he cautioned the Class of 2018. “Life isn’t always going to be fair.”
But it’s people’s reaction to those unfair situations that matter, Lawrence said. He encouraged graduates to meet their challenges and overcome them instead of playing the victim.
“You’re going to have successes but you’re always going to have failures and fall down,” said Lawrence, a longtime football, golf and Nordic ski coach.
However, he said, the graduates shouldn’t be afraid to fail or recognize that things don’t always come to them the first time.
“It’s game time, guys. Life beckons you and awaits you,” Lawrence said.
Tim Camerato can be reached at tcamerato@vnews.com or 603-727-3223.
Lebanon High Class of 2018
Kainat Altaf, Simmons College; Lindsay K. Anikis, East Carolina University; Jaret W. Armstrong, University of New Hampshire; Cole E. As’sude; Belinda A. Auerhan; Julie G. Barber; Edward A. Bieszczad, Western New England University; Sydney R. Bish, University of Montana; Hunter P. Boutin, Endicott College; Samantha L. Brady, University of New Hampshire; Jonathan F. Brennan, Rochester Institute of Technology; Talynn Briggs; Caitlyn E. Brown; Clarisse P. Brown; Keelan Carey, University of New Haven; Kaitlin R. Chamley, Marist College; Meredith E. Cocklin, Endicott College; Makenzie C. Corbin, Eckerd College; Ethan M. Daly, Boston College; Amanda J. Davio, Keene State College; Madison J. Davis; Mackenzie A. Decato, Colby-Sawyer College; Victoria A.R. Decato; Kevin W. Dion, Unity College; Rebecca J. Dore, University of Maine; Connor C. Downs, Suffolk University; Halle A. Drew, New England College; Allison F. Duany, Ithaca College; Emilee A. Duplin, AmeriCorps; Matthew R. Eylander, Western New England University; Zoe P. Fernandez, Adelphi University; Arianna del Los Angeles Fernandez-Arce, Colby-Sawyer College; Anthony A. Ferraro, University of New Hampshire; Cody J. French, Johnson & Wales University; Logan D. French, University of New Hampshire; Grace A. Furlong, Notre Dame College of Ohio; Hunter J. Gallien, NH School of Mechanical Trades; Ian B. Garland, Queen’s University; Luc F. Gauvin, Norwich University; Matthew W. Gilligan, Vermont Technical College; Ian F. Gonzalez; Tyson A. Goracke, Creighton University; Fiona J. Greenough, University of Rhode Island; Derek J. Griffin, Colby-Sawyer College; Rachel Grohbrugge, SUNY Potsdam/Crane School of Music; Star T.L. Guzy, Plymouth State University; Samara R. Hagen; Cecilia M. Hampton, New College of Florida; Shelby M. Hanks, Wheaton College; Hannah E. Hastings; Josephine M. Hastings, Rivier University; Payton A. Hayes; Alexander F. Hill, Northeastern University; Wesley J. Hinesley; Emily C. Hunnewell; Madison Hunt, Concordia University; Owen P. Johnstone, Ithaca College; Elizabeth R. Jones, Colorado State University; Sachin G. Kamath, University of Massachusetts-Amherst; Emily G. Kebalka, Rivier University; Isabel M. Kenyon; Fatima Khan, Barnard College of Columbia University; Joseph R. Kibbie, Unity College; Kyle F. King, University of New Hampshire; Kyle J. Kopecky, Vermont Technical College; Sabrina Lawrence, New York University; Quinn LeCain, Coast Guard Academy; Selena R. Legacy, Keene State College; Austin B. Lemere; Zoe K. Liebold, Fordham University; Emily Lyons, Colby Sawyer College; Audrey J. Lytle, Brigham Young University-Idaho; Cameron P. Magari, Georgia Institute of Technology; Jaidlyn A. Maley; Peter L. Maslan, St. Lawrence University; Leah G. Mayes, St. Joseph’s College of Maine; Jared E. McEwan; Damen S. McGranaghan; Brodie S. McPherson, Bentley University; Solomon I. Mellish; Kathleen E. Merchant, St. Lawrence University; Kimberly M. Merchant, St. Lawrence University; Sophia A. Miller, Dartmouth College; Jack T. Molloy, Suffolk University; Avery M. Monica; LeighAnne C. Mora, University of Maine-Orono; Kelsey R. Mossell, University of Iowa; Alexandru Munteanu, University of Massachusetts-Amherst; Mary M. Murphy; Anna K. Nesto, Plymouth State University; Ryan S. Nicholson, Saint Michael’s College; Christopher J. Nulty, University of Vermont; Kolton R. O’Keefe; Tyler R. Olney; Molly E. Pelletier, Colby-Sawyer College; Zachary Petrin, Babson College; Danielle R. Pollard, Marymount Manhattan College; Faith M. Powell, Furman University; Mia J. Ribeiro; Anna R. Rice; Bryle Rivera, University of New Hampshire; Alexandra Roberts, Plymouth State University; Isabella H. Roebuck, Loughborough University-England; Anna B. Rogers, Keene State College; Marcus R. Roper, Plymouth State University; Joshua A. Rousseau; Luke M. Sandmann, Union College; Christian Sedero, Southern New Hampshire University; Matteo Serraglia; Ryan E. Shippa, Ithaca College; Sophia L. Silva; Saharuss Somphonlug, El Camino College; Erik T. Spaulding, Plymouth State University; Tyler M. Spaulding; Benjamin Stockett, Brigham Young University; Elizabeth P. Swift, Colby-Sawyer College; Ariana L. Taylor, Kingsborough Community College; Tyler T. Tewksbury, University Technical Institute; Meridith R. Theriault, River Valley Community College; Emma Thibodeau, University of New Hampshire; Julia E. Tibbits, Keene State College; Madison R. Tilton, Plymouth State University; Nathan J. Twarog, University of New Hampshire; Charles E. Van Cor III; Johnathan A. Van Cor; Natalie Y. VanderNoot, George Mason University; Raivyn N. Vieu; Chloe Wadlinger; Cecilia Webber, Boston University; Shiane C. Welch; Jordan P. Wentworth, Merrimack College; Erin E. White, Pace University; Miranda M. White, University of New England; D. Jacob Willeman, University of New Hampshire; Xandra Wishnefsky, University of Massachusetts-Boston; Elizabeth M. Wren, George Washington University; Paul Wu, Lesley University; Isabella R. Yager