LYNNFIELD — Lynnfield High School awarded diplomas to 157 graduates Friday night in an hour-long ceremony on the football field outside the school.
School Superintendent Jane Tremblay, addressing the graduates and their families and friends, noted that she began her tenure the same year (2014) the current class entered its freshman year.
“Class of 2018,” she said, “it looks like we did OK.”
The graduates heard from three of their classmates during the ceremony, which began under humid and showery skies but ended with a fresh breeze blowing over the field.
Student Council president Mia Ford acknowledged the contributions of teachers, parents and classmates in helping the students achieve their milestone.
“I thank Lynnfield High School for the many friends, and many lessons, that I will never forget.
Senior class president Alexandra Ross, who presented the class gift of new benches for the school’s foyer, talked of how on a day-to-day basis, the four years often seemed as if they would take forever.
“But,” she said, “forever wasn’t long enough.
“Among the things they don’t tell you,” she said, “is that saying goodbye is the hardest part. We will throw our caps in the air, walk out, and leave all this behind.”
Valedictorian Analeigha Colarusso said the best advice she ever got came from her late grandfather, who simply told her to “roll with the punches.
“Those words have given me courage, strength and resilience.”
She urged her classmates to “step out of your comfort zones. Don’t be afraid to take chances. Don’t be afraid to fail.
“We’re determined not to get knocked down,” she said, “but when we do, we get right back up. Embrace opportunity. Take the hits. Always be up for a challenge.”
Assistant principal Brian Bates (principal Robert Cleary was attending his own daughter’s high school graduation elsewhere) told the students that they represented one of the best classes in his tenure.
“No matter what the situation,” he said, “you have had each other’s backs. You are truly a class that reflected friendship and leadership.”
