MARBLEHEAD — The 242 graduates of Marblehead High School were encouraged on Sunday to follow their passions, step outside of their comfort zones and stay positive in order to find success.
Class President Edward Mayle said the accomplishments of the Class of 2018 are detailed in countless headlines, with some of the seniors even featured in National Geographic last summer, but it’s also important to remember the narratives of the unsung heroes graduating, who weren’t afraid to do thankless jobs and volunteer in the community.
Mayle characterized the Class of 2018 as one that cares and one full of passion.
“At the end of the day, it’s our passions that define us. It’s our passions that unite us,” Mayle said. “I think our class will really be defined by what we do in the future because my hope is that our passions just don’t stop at high school. It only begins because we’ve already established the foundation for who we can become.
“My hope is we don’t live to work. We live to fulfill our passions and that we do it with enthusiasm.
Valedictorian Thomas Albert Hubert said his biggest goal in life is to be happy. The happiest people around him, he said, are grateful for what they have and have a positive outlook on life.
Hubert spoke about how important it was for the graduates to do what they love — if they refuse to step outside of their comfort zones, they might never find their true calling or passion.
“Trying new things leads to new passions, self-discovery and living a life you love,” Hubert said. “If you aren’t constantly choosing to shape your life into what you want it to be, it won’t happen. Go out into the world with a heart full of gratitude, a mind full of positivity and a goal to do what you love. Success and happiness will follow.”
Salutatorian Nicole Schwartz said as a future math major, she tried to quantify how hard the Class of 2018 has worked, but came up with the already taken mathematical equation, E=MC2 — hers was E for effort = M for management of time x C for commitment to the task x C for consequences.
So, she enlisted teachers to help her quantify their accomplishments instead and learned that the Class of 2018 had earned 380 awards for academic achievements, devoted more than 20,000 hours to community service and tutoring, earned at least 21 accolades for music, produced 12 stage performances and received at least 33 awards for athletics.
Superintendent Maryann Perry also detailed the success of the Class of 2018 — she said the graduates have been awarded 197 scholarships totaling $368,450.
She advised the graduates to remember to stay true to their core values, be respectful and follow their dreams.
Principal Daniel Bauer advised the graduates to be positive; believe in themselves and not be afraid of failure, as life is about resilience and bouncing back; and to be nice.
If they follow those three pieces of advice, they’ll go far in life, he said.
One of the more poignant parts of the program was Macayla Brock reading her essay about her years-long struggle with anorexia, with her greatest desire during that time period to be beautiful.
The eating disorder led to her spending time in an outpatient program, residential program and hospitalization stints.
While she was sick, she said, she ignored and pushed away people who tried to love her and would blame others for what she had created for herself.
She pointed out a few people who supported her during her recovery and said things began to turn around when she was placed in a therapeutic learning center at the end of her junior year.
Over this time, she said her confidence grew and eventually, in the summer before her senior year, she was healthy enough to go to a three-week acting program at Yale University, and got the female lead in the high school play.
Brock said she still struggles with periods of insecurity, but reminds herself that there are going to be ups and downs in life, but it’s about how someone gets through those moments and moves forward that matters.
