Bourne High School Graduates 89 Seniors
Drizzling rain and gray clouds did little to dampen the merry Saturday morning graduation ceremony at Jackson Field, as families and friends gathered to celebrate Bourne High School’s Class of 2023.
89 graduates received their diplomas this morning, each of them grinning and celebrating despite the rough elements of the uncharacteristically chilly June day. Attendees, many of whom were wrapped in blankets and sweaters, milled about and greeted one another with congratulations, excited to celebrate the milestone in the students’ lives.
As the tune of “Pomp and Circumstance” began, the crowd of family and friends waved to and cheered for their graduates as the processional to Jackson Field began just before 10 AM. A light rain fell as the music shifted to Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man,” courtesy of the BHS graduation band, and the graduates made their way down the center aisle to their seats.
“I have to say, this is the first time in 28 years that I’ve worn wool from head-to-toe at a BHS graduation ceremony,” joked Principal Amy Cetner in her opening remarks. “During practice yesterday our seniors were overwhelmingly expressing a desire to be on this field, rain or shine, regardless of wind or temperature. Trust me, I tried to convince them otherwise. They wanted their last event together as a class to be here, a place they consider home. So we decided this was a sacrifice we were willing to make for them.”
Shifting her attention to the graduates, Ms. Cetner commended the Class of 2023 on the impact they’ve made in spite of the “disrupted high school experience.”
“A freshman year where learning was remote, a sophomore year and a hybrid model, a junior year with masks and continued restrictions,” she said. “In fact, this year, your senior year, was the only traditional high school experience you've had. Despite these disruptions, you’ve had great accomplishments.”
Dozens of students were recognized for various accomplishments and accolades during the ceremony, including Valedictorian Vanessa Fleck, Class President Isabella Palumbo, and Nye Honor Essayist Moose Hoagland.
During her speech, Vanessa compared her class’s journey to the trips her family took while she was growing up. She did not like the long drives, she said, but as she got older she realized the journey was just as meaningful as the destination. This metaphor, she said, holds true for the senior class.
“Although we may have hit some roadblocks along the way, we have learned and grown from every experience we have had,” Vanessa said. “There's a reason why our rear view mirror is smaller than our windshield. Our past experience has helped shape us into who we are and will always be there for us to look back upon. But our future, much like our windshield, is so much bigger than our past. We are all capable of extraordinary things, and I could not be more excited to see where this new road takes all of you.”