BHS Grads Lauded For Vast Achievements And Perseverance
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.
Eighty-nine graduates received their diplomas at Saturday morning’s ceremony, 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 the notes 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 was falling 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 their impact 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.”
Ms. Cetner applauded the senior class for their achievements: 37 engaged in BHS’s new senior internship program; 46 students completed a total of 133 AP exams during their four years; 24 earned the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship; and many students were admitted to prestigious colleges and universities.
The senior class has been more than just students, Ms. Cetner said: they have been teachers.
“You’ve taught us and we listened,” she said. “You taught us, and we learned. Most importantly, you taught us and we’ve evolved. You have played a big role in helping us re-imagine Bourne High School over the past four years; you have helped us continue our progression from a traditional educational setting to one that reflects the needs of our students, of you, our community, and the ever-changing landscape of what it truly means to be college- and career-ready.”
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. In addition to the 89 graduates at the ceremony, two students from the high school’s transitional Level Up program received diplomas this year.
Vanessa’s speech started by honoring Ms. Cetner—whose 28-year career at BHS is coming to an end—by celebrating her Instagram skills—she “takes the best photos and posts them on Instagram—by taking a selfie with her and the senior class.
During her speech, Vanessa compared her class’s journey to the trips her family took 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.
On one trip when she was 12, Vanessa said she told her parents that she was going to be valedictorian when she graduated high school.
“I stand here today as a realization of my 12-year-old self,” she said. “My family has never doubted me and always taught me to finish what I started. This model holds true for us all today.”
Despite the twists and turns, Vanessa said she envisions the class’s journey through school as a road to success.
“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 rearview 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.”
Class Salutatorian Stefan Lumsden used his time at the lectern to address the future that awaits him and his classmates. There are so many amazing things to experience, he said, but it is ultimately up to each of them to decide what to do with their lives.
“I know that looking at the world and everything that has gone on in recent years, it’s hard to have an optimistic view about the future,” Stefan said, “but when you focus on the small things and discover what brings you your joy, I hope you realize that you are what can change the world. Choose to be the difference.”
He challenged each of his classmates to do something with their futures and make a difference in the world, even if it only changes one person’s day.
“Don’t wait for something to happen,” he said. “Don’t procrastinate your lives away. Grab on today and don’t let go. There’s no telling what the future holds.”
Following the BHS Chorus’ rendition of Stephen Schwartz’s “For Good,” from the musical “Wicked,” Nye Honor Essayist Moose Hoagland read a piece she wrote titled, “Why Bother?” Nye Honor Essayists are chosen by a selection committee, whose members read through name-redacted essays submitted by students for a $500 scholarship.
In the essay, Moose describes how she reacted to the prompt given, which asked students to consider the question “Why bother?”
“A classmate turned to me and asked me if I was going to enter the contest—my response was ‘why not?’” Moose said. Rather, the question she thought to be more appropriate was “why not bother?” When opportunities come your way, she said, what do you have to lose by taking advantage of it? “Bothering” to do something could be the difference-maker in life, as it once was for her.
Moose told the story of her last conversation with her father at age 11, the night before he died after battling an illness. She had just showered and wanted to dry her hair, she said, but he was asleep on the couch. Rather than startle and rudely awaken him with the sound of the blowdryer, Moose recalled gently waking him to ask permission, which he gave.
“That was my last interaction with my dad because he passed away the next morning,” she said, “and had I not ‘bothered’ to take that different approach, my last memories may have been different. Now, that normal conversation lives in my heart forever.”
Every time she “bothered” to take a risk, Moose told her classmates, it has paid off. She urged them to do the same in their lives and explained that, had she not “bothered,” she would not have been standing there in front of them.
“My advice to you is when you can take a different approach, do it,” she said. “When something seems too risky—like changing a major—do it. When an opportunity you want presents itself, take it. You never know if that moment will be the last, first of many, or one that will change your life.”
Class President Isabella Palumbo presented the Class of 2023’s gift to BHS: an outdoor dining table for students and a custommade cornhole set.
Before the presentation of diplomas, Ms. Cetner read off a lengthy list of students who had been awarded scholarships. In total, BHS’s Class of 2023 received $759,304 in scholarships; $108,576 of that money came from local scholarships.
After the BHS graduation band played “Highlights From Planes,” by Mark Mancina, Ms. Cetner and BHS Guidance Counselor Kimberly Ianucci presented the graduates with their diplomas. Families and friends cheered wildly for each of the 89 graduates as they were called by name. Their pride in the students seemed completely unfazed by the damp, chilly morning as attendees flanked the graduates to capture their final moments as high school seniors.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kerri Anne Quinlan-Zhou took to the lectern to present the graduating class.
“When I have you stand, please take a moment,” she said to the graduates. “Look at all your people, because they’re all here for you. And when you come back home after your many journeys, know that we’re all still here for you.”
As tassels were turned and caps sailed through the air, the crowd of attendees whooped and clapped. School spirit was in full effect as the band struck up once again, and the graduates, now proud alumni of Bourne High School, celebrated the end of their journey together.