Poignant day at Belmonte

SAUGUS – The Saugus High School auditorium was packed beyond capacity Thursday afternoon as it was standing room only for the 16th Annual Belmonte Middle School “Moving-On” Ceremony.Click here for a photo gallery.Middle School Principal Geoff Bruno took over at the Belmonte in 2009, the same year this current graduating class entered the sixth grade. Bruno told the soon-to-be-freshmen that they have achieved “amazing things together.””I feel honored to serve as your principal,” said Bruno. “As a whole class we are fortunate to have a group of students that are always willing to assist others, provide leadership and strengthen our community.”School Committee Vice-chairman Corinne Riley also spoke Thursday, as her daughter Olivia was one of many to move on.”You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself in any direction you choose,” said Riley, quoting Dr. Seuss.With hundreds of people squeezed into the room, countless green graduation programs could be seen throughout the crowd flapping back and forth as friends and family tried to stay cool in the stifling auditorium.Angelo Ciocco will be attending Northeast Metro Tech next year to study automotive repair and said it feels good to move on, even though he’s a “little bit nervous.””There’s going to be like nobody I know there,” said Ciocco after the ceremony.Courtney McCarthy will also be going to Northeast Metro Tech and will be studying cosmetology.”I’m really sad,” said McCarthy. “I’m going to really miss all my friends.”Alexandra Vasallo will be going to Saugus High School next year and said she’s “excited and scared at the same time.””I’m going into the classical academy so it’s harder and I also want to do a lot of extracurricular activities,” said Vasallo, who wants to play volleyball, and join chorus and the drama club. “I loved (the ceremony) but it was sad, though.”After the students were called up one-by-one to receive their diplomas, the Belmonte Middle School chorus sang a pair of songs including “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey, which was followed by a slideshow to close out the ceremony.Of the many ovations Thursday, long-time science teacher Jean Barbera received the biggest one, as she used the movie Star Wars to illustrate how the students should use the tools and skills they’ve learned at the Belmonte as they head to the high school in the fall.”Be mindful that good intentions without action are meaningless,” said Barbera, who referred to herself as ‘master elder.’ “Always strive to do your best and be your best in whatever you choose to do in life. I hope you too will find your niche and be able to say, as I have for all these years, ‘I love what I do.’ May the force always be with you, now and forever.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].