Claremont
That was some of the advice speakers offered on Thursday evening during the Stevens High School graduation inside the Carr gymnasium.
As the ceremony began, the 103-student Class of 2018 marched down the gym’s main aisle to the sound of Pomp and Circumstance as family and friends took photos and videos.
The graduates will go in many different directions in the coming months, including to college, into the military or into employment, but that each should focus on his or her own ideas of success and greatness was the theme of the evening.
“Everybody defines greatness differently. You need to define your own greatness and strive for what is best in you,” School Board Vice Chairwoman Rebecca Zullo said.
Co-salutatorian Elyse Scott said the numerous accomplishments and talents demonstrated by her class leave her confident that each graduate will find a path to success at some point in their lives.
“We will all make our way in the world,” Scott said. “We have the ability to be successful.”
Scott, like others, also warned about pursuing a career simply for the money instead of seeking something that makes you happy.
“Don’t focus on the paycheck; focus on your happiness,” Scott said. “If what you are doing makes you feel fulfilled, then you are on the right path no matter what the paycheck says.”
Scott, who will attend Clarkson University, was preceded by class president and co-salutatorian Aidan Cahill, who praised his classmates for their hard work in getting to graduation and said he saw before him young men and women ready for the challenges ahead.
“We are moving on and now we become fully accountable for lives,” said Cahill, who also is headed to Clarkson. “I know for a fact that each and every graduate in front of me is capable of overcoming the struggles that will come from the path they choose.”
He, too, told the seniors not to let others define their expectations.
“Be your own person,” said Cahill, who received the Edgar L. Lord Faculty Award, given to a senior who best exemplifies the ideals of Stevens High School. “We get caught up in the opinions of everyone around us. Don’t let the noise of other opinions drown out your inner voice. Don’t be weighed down by what people might think.”
Valedictorian Drew Grenier, who will attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute, talked about the changes that have taken place over the last four years at Stevens and how seniors can expect more of the same in the years ahead, but said such change can help them to grow and bring something new to their lives.
“The most important thing about change is that it brings about opportunity,” Grenier said, “opportunities that will change your life in ways you never expected or did expect and put you on a new path.”
He also touched on the themes of fulfillment and happiness as worthy pursuits and said that even if graduates don’t know the path to those ideals, they should trust their decisions and keep looking.
“We all have a purpose in life, we just have to find it,” said Grenier who, like those who spoke before him, thanked his family and the faculty for helping him to reach his goals.
Claremont Police Chief Mark Chase, a 1986 Stevens graduate and the keynote speaker, told the graduates that graduation is the latest chapter in a book called You and now, armed with what they learned at Stevens, it is up to them to turn the page and begin the next chapter.
“Don’t let this be the best part of your life,” Chase said. “There is so much more.”
What is to come will unfold slowly over the years with tough pages and good pages, Chase said.
“Nothing is written. The good things you will have to work for, but you need to keep writing your book,” he said.
Outgoing Superintendent Middleton McGoodwin, who arrived in Claremont when the senior class was in sixth grade, also spoke.
He praised the graduates and said he has watched them become “an impressive group of young men and women.”
While they have had tremendous successes in academics, the arts and athletics and have taken pride in programs, community and themselves, McGoodwin said, there have been a few bumps and there will be a few more in the years ahead.
He advised that the graduates demonstrate respect and kindness in whatever they pursue.
“So to the Class of 2018, always remember to view those bumps in the road as opportunities and always, always, value respect and kindness,” which are “essential,” McGoodwin said. “Let us say goodbye together to the Claremont School District knowing that what we have both left is a personalized impression that will benefit many others in the future.”
The evening also included a classical musical presentation by senior Adelyn Nelson and a moment of silence for Zach Richards and Andrew Wheeler, two classmates who passed away.
Principal Patricia Barry ended the evening by urging graduates not to be silent on the issues they become passionate about, regardless of what those issues may be.
“Don’t be silent. Speak up, speak out and be loud about things you care about. Whatever you passion is, yell it from the rooftop,” Barry said. “We will be listening and we will be waiting to hear the roar that is the legacy of the Class of 2018.”
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
Stevens High Class of 2018
Jordan Adams, work; James Aiken, Jr., University of New Hampshire; Dakota Aldrich, U.S. Marine Corps; Mercedes Allain, Husson University; Arieanna Ambrose, work; Alexander Baker, New Hampshire Technical Institute; Morgan Barton-Stone, work; Angela Bator, Mount Wachusett Community College; Brendan Bean, Southern Maine Community College; Aarron Beane, work; Kelsey Belisle, Emmanuel College; Brendon Benoit, River Valley Community College; Desiree Boisvert, New Hampshire Institute of Art; Ryllie Brown, RVCC; Aidan Cahill, Clarkson University; Kimberly Carley, work; Spencer Chase, RVCC; Emma Chessman, work; Colby Clough, New England College; Frederick Clough lll, work; Luke Come, work; Michael Coombs, work; Christian Cotham, University of Central Florida; Zoe Curtis, work; Megan Cutler, work; Teagan Daignault, Franklin Pierce University; Rose Dansereau, work; Noah Davis, work; Natalie Deline (received an AED), work; Joseph Desilets, work; Alexander DeVre, Nichols College; Ambrose Donth, work; Nicholas Dubreuil, work; Hunter Durkee, work; Tanner Durkee, work; Alyssa Ellison, Norwich University; Alexis Ford, Dean College; Jacob Ford, Keene State College; Andrew Friend, NHTI; Courtney Gallow, Gordon College; Abigail Goyette, RVCC; Mariah Gregory, RVCC; Drew Grenier, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Lexie Grenier, Castleton University; Brett Hagerman, work; Adrian Harlow, work; Loren Howard, Keene State; Bradon Jarvis, New England College; Alyssa Jones, New England College-deferred 1 year; Grace Kennett, Keene State; Griffin LaBrie, work; Hunter LaClair, work; Rachel Lafoe, work; Mariah Lawrence, work; Lacey Lawson, work; Kayleigh Lee, Dean College; Dylan Lumbra, work; Raquel Madeja, Lyndon State College; Julia Maki, work; Darwin Marsh, Keene State; Cameron Marshall, work; James Mason, work; Chelsea Melna, Rivier University; Emily Menard, work; Parker Moote, work; Emily Mudge, University of Tampa; Rebecca Neil; Adelyn Nelson, University of New Hampshire; Chloe Neuser, Keene State; Charles Outten, work; Mitchell Paquette, Colby Sawyer College; Alexandria Parizo, Colby Sawyer College; Hillary Pellerin, Keene State; Mia Piccione, UNH; Kelsie Pomatto, Keene State; Cade Porter, work; Ericka Prasavath, work; Travis Pritchett, work; Sara Provencher, work; Donovan Putnam, work; Majestic Raymond, work; Brandon Remick, U.S. Army; Zachary Richards; Jacob Rider, UNH; Tre’ Robidoux, UNH; Tanira Roman, work; Kelsey Rzeczycki, work; Tyler Sawyer, Castleton University; Elyse Scott, Clarkson University; Elijah Severance, RVCC; Donna Sheppard, work; Taya Simmons, Colby Sawyer College; Brittany Stacy, work; Nicholas Stone, Castleton University; Chassidy Tejeda, RVCC; Austin Temple; Makayla Tucker; Ariel Vincent, work; Emilee Vivian, University of Rochester; Fatima Wain, work; Connor Whipple, U.S. Army; Tess Whitney, Keene State College; Meghan Wilson, Keene State; Chandler Zullo, work.
Correction
Stevens High School senior Lexie Grenier is featured in a pho tograph about the school’s graduation. She was misidentified in an earlier version of the caption.
