PEABODY — Twenty-four students from the Simon Youth Peabody Learning Academy (PLA), a program committed to helping students graduate despite any personal circumstance, graduated in a ceremony held at the Northshore Mall on Friday morning.
Academy Director Kevin Tanglis and Northshore Mall General Manager Scott DeCost kicked off the ceremony with their speeches. State Sen. Joan Lovely, state Rep. Tom Walsh, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Josh Vadala, Veterans Memorial High School Principal Brooke Randall, and Welch Elementary School Principal Michelle Massa also spoke at the graduation. This year’s keynote speaker was Mark Whiting, a former Northshore Mall general manager and one of the founders of the PLA.
Dr. Vadala acknowledged the difficulties some of the program’s students faced before graduating.
“Each one of you have had a much different path than those other people,” Dr. Vadala said. “And that’s why you’re special. Because sometimes it was dark, sometimes it was hard… but you persevered and you made it through.”
Randall commended the program for being available for students who need other options and a different path to graduate, even though she said some students in the Class of 2024 went through moments that caused them to consider quitting.
“Not all students take the same path,” Randall said. “I love the fact that in Peabody High School, we do have options, so when students are faced with different types of adversity, it’s not an option to just quit.”
Despite already being retired, Whiting came back to give the graduating class some advice on how to be successful in life through an emotional speech.
He also sympathized with the parents in the audience who might be feeling sad about their children moving on in their lives.
“As a parent of a high-school student, tomorrow, at 7 o’clock, I will be watching my son graduate,” Whiting said. “Coming to this crossroad is bittersweet.”
Tanglis awarded the diplomas to the students, each of whom had an opportunity to give a short speech. Tanglis praised student Hasan Alhumrani for his artwork, which is exhibited at the I Am More Mental Health Resource Center and Gallery at the Northshore Mall. Karalyn Arias Capellan took the opportunity to thank her single mother and grandmother. Mia Grizey took the time to tell the audience about how she didn’t think she would make it this far and how “it gets better.”
Tanglis also said that Ayden Negron was voted most likely to be president one day.
Angel Mejia was named the student of the year, while Caleigh McCarthy and Cora Medeiros each received $5,000 in scholarships.
The graduation also featured a performance by the Welch Elementary School Chorus.
The names of the other academy graduates are Julia Azevedo, Dayden Chhim, Parker Cormier, Jaiden Cruz, Anthony Dellagrotte, Matt Drinkwater, Carlos Franco, Monica Herrera Carrion, Matt Houvardas, Dylan Hunt, Ge’Niah Jean, Edward Lara Arroyo, Adrian Moreno, Cody Nolan, Angel Santana, Idaris Vittini, and Simon Wango.
