LYNNFIELD — The gray skies and cool weather did little to dampen the spirits of the Lynnfield High School Class of 2022 at their commencement ceremony Thursday night, as the graduates, who wore blue and white robes, were all smiles.
The ceremony, which lasted just about an hour, was held on the high school’s football field, where the score on the scoreboard showed 20 for the home team and 22 for the away team. The scoreboard clock was set to 20 minutes and 22 seconds. Graduates sat in rows on either side of the stage, with faculty seated behind them. The majority of female graduates wore white caps and gowns while the majority of their male counterparts were clad in navy blue.
The ceremony began with remarks from the Student Council President, Lauren Grava, who reflected on the rapid speed at which it felt like the class’s high school experience went by.
“I wish I listened when people told me high school would fly by,” she said. “I never believed them until now. That distant dream of graduation has become a reality.”
“Today we close a chapter of our lives, one full of memories and experiences we will cherish forever. Yet, this is the beginning of the rest of our lives,” Grava told her classmates.
Grava also spoke of the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her class’s four years at Lynnfield high, their sophomore year suddenly interrupted and their junior year defined by masks and remote learning.
“No matter what we were faced with in high school we always persevered and made the best of our time … our experiences brought us together and we had to deal with so much more than we could’ve imagined,” she said. “Now that we’re back in school and everything is back to normal, we learn to appreciate what we have and never take anything for granted. … Through the years we became role models for the school, leading by example because of what we’ve been through.”
The school’s principal, Robert Cleary, encouraged graduates to use their experience navigating not just a pandemic but also the death of a classmate, Patrick Gary Moroney, who died suddenly before the start of the 2021-22 school year, to remember that time will always move forward.
“They have learned a valuable lesson of perseverance. They have also learned that time moves on, time really doesn’t care about pandemics or masks … or remote learning. Time just keeps winding on and you can either watch it go by or jump in and get to work,” he said. “Well, this class chose to jump in and get to work. And through it all, they have persevered and they have been successful. And because of that, I am confident they will continue to be successful in whatever they choose to do in the future.”
Cleary’s remarks were followed by Class Valedictorian Lauren Lim and Senior Class President Caitlin McCormack. Lim began her speech with an unattributed quote — “I raised my everlasting glory on the palms of my hands” — and she encouraged the rest of her class to do so.
“Write your everlasting words, whatever they may be, read the ones you already wrote and keep going. Write everlasting words … that care for the ones who have been discarded for so long,” she told her classmates. “Write something everlasting. I want to read the palms of my hands and see that the etchings of my life have created a beautiful piece of art. Pieces of art that I show to the world on concrete slabs, not to reach fame or renown but because I am proud of it.”
In her remarks, McCormack told her classmates to remember the highlights of their time together — pep rallies, concerts, proms, and at Friday evening’s commencement — and to not let the negative experiences define their four years at Lynnfield High.
“With a time defined by uncertainty and loss, it is easy to get caught up with a negative attitude towards this period in our lives, but it is up to us to change the narrative, and walk away from this time embracing its best moments,” she said. “As we move forward, always remember this place that we have come from, the kindness we showed it, and the kindness it has shown us.”
And just before graduates received their diplomas, Superintendent of Schools Kristen Vogel offered three wishes for the class.
“I wish that you believe in yourselves. Celebrate what makes you unique and special. And learn from and embrace the differences you have from others,” Vogel told graduates. “I wish that you all find joy, peace, and a sense of belonging wherever you go. I wish you knowledge and wisdom to guide you.”
Vogel’s final wish for graduates was that they strive to make a difference in the world.
“Together I wish that all the world has to offer. I wish that you, as you go out into the world, that you think of the greater common good instead of individual gratification.”
Then, finally, the graduates took their place in line and walked across the stage to claim their diplomas. When Moroney’s name was called, a faculty member accepted the diploma on his behalf, and one student stood up from his seat holding a picture of Moroney and crossed himself before pointing at the sky and sitting back down, in what was the only somber moment in an otherwise joyous celebration.
Charlie McKenna can be reached at [email protected].
