ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Liono Kou, the valedictorian at Lynn Vocational Technical Institute, reacts to a standing ovation he got from his classmates after delivering a rap song he wrote about his class.
BY BRIDGET TURCOTTE
LYNN — The Lynn Vocational Technical Institute class of 2016 graduated Thursday and celebrated with a song about Lynn.
Liono Kou, the class valedictorian, captured the crowd when he rapped his lyrics to the tune of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song. The lyrics described his high school experience and accomplishments.
Kou, who finished the year with a 4.34 GPA, will attend the University of Massachusetts Lowell next year. His sister, Christine, was Tech’s valedictorian in 2013.
Superintendent Catherine Latham reminded students that they have completed the first leg of their education, which is the most important step.
“For you, it’s not only about the academics,” Latham said. “By simply living in Lynn and going to school in our diverse neighborhood, you’ve learned to get along with everybody. You’ve learned everybody is different.”
Nicholas Westin, the class salutatorian, praised the class for its success in athletics, community service, and participation in SkillsUSA, a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce.
“When you visit someplace, you should always leave it better than when you came,” he said.
Principal Robert Buontempo gave the graduates three pieces of advice: treat others with respect and kindness, maintain a positive self image, and be willing to step out of their comfort zones.
“I hope you use lessons learned at Lynn Tech to fulfill your dreams,” he said.
Ben Therrien, a 1995 Lynn Tech graduate, was the commencement speaker. Therrien studied electricity in high school, but switched to work in public relations and marketing. He’s the creative director at Ketchum, a New-York based communications agency. Therrien has led creative planning for Amazon.com, Bounty Paper Towels, Charmin, Crest and Netflix.
Therrien explained to the class that he did not feel successful after graduation and chose not to pursue a career in his trade. He went on to work in public relations, which he hated. He then painted houses, which he loved, but was terrible at, he said.
“Real success is about the journey and what you learn along the way,” Therrien said. “As long as you keep moving forward, at some point, without realizing it you’ll find your own success.”
He concluded his speech by quoting his “Jerry Maguire,” his favorite movie: “Hey, I don’t have all the answers. In life, to be honest, I failed as much as I have succeeded. But I love my wife. I love my life. And I wish you my kind of success.”
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte
