LYNN — St. Mary’s High School graduated 127 students during the school’s graduation ceremony on Thursday at Lynn Auditorium.
The heavy rains and the threat of a Nor’easter were no match for the energy of the proud parents who were eagerly waiting for the event to start outside the auditorium doors, as students in their graduation caps and gowns poured through the entrance of City Hall.
After the graduates marched down the center aisle of the auditorium for their procession, Senior Vocalists from the high school performed the National Anthem.
Rev. Brian L. Flynn, pastor for the high school, then read the invocation and opening to the audience.
Georgia Mary Allaire then rose to the mic to give the Salutatory Address.
“It’s surreal to think that we’re finally here. We’ve imagined this moment countless times; the days felt long, but four years passed in the blink of an eye… Each of us got here by our own unique paths, yet no matter how different our journeys were, we all share the same mix of excitement and fear as we get ready to walk across the stage for the last time,” Allaire said.
Allaire continued, “For so long, we’ve defined ourselves by what we did in high school, our sports — who will I be after this? Some won’t be athletes anymore or perform on stage… If you take anything from your time here, let it be the character you’ve shaped. The future’s uncertain, but it’s also wide open — be who we want to be.
The class Valedictorian, Chance Jaxon Bonfanti, read his Valedictory Speech to the audience.
“I have to admit, it feels rather surreal to be here. After years of working, learning and growing, I proudly stand before you as Valedictorian… Now that I’m here, I can say it’s opened the door to a lot of self-reflection.”
Bonfanti made the comparison of constantly pushing yourself to be the best feels a lot like “licking to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.”
“How many layers did I have to push through before I realized that chasing perfection distracts us from the imperfect beauty of the process?” Bonfanti said. “There is no golden ticket, but a platform with which I reflect upon the end of this chapter.. I can’t help but think about what’s next. And honestly, I have no clue. Forward is never straightforward, forward dares you to have faith that you’ll discover the wings you never knew you had.”
Head of Schools Dr. John F. Dolan then spoke to the audience.
“Welcome to the 2025 commencement exercises,” Dolan said. “It is important that we thank a number of groups… We’re blessed with great attendance from the teachers, staff, and faculty. We recognize them, the co-educators, along with the parents who have gathered in great numbers, and our trustees that propel us forward.”
Dolan continued, “It’s important to thank the St. Mary’s team that put this room together… Putting this together, no one person worked harder to make this event come to life than Jamie Gigliotti (Executive Director of External Affairs), her team continues to perform miracles on behalf of the school – the senior advisor, and the city of Lynn bent forward backwards to make this happen tonight.”
The Guest Speaker at Thursday’s ceremony was Stephan G. Dolan.
“I want you to remember three things: perseverance, balance, and a commitment to excellence — this was one of those days in the Midwest, a glorious spring day, one of celebration for my sister’s first year in college… But that feeling quickly ended when I went to get a ride for school, and my siblings found that my father had passed during the night.
“What do you do? The first thing I did was get mad at God,” he said. “How could God do this to me? What possible reason is there? … God was trying to put in me perseverance, balance, and the ability to commit to myself at a higher level for excellence.”
He then continued, “To make a long story short, I lost a game 1-0, and graduated with a renewed commitment to be better — but the real story is my siblings. They had every chance to throw in the towel but chose to persevere…one person in particular I’d like to recognize, my sister Kathleen, who gave up going to college to help out her siblings,” he said. “If there’s ever an epitome of the things I’ve talked about, here on campus or in his personal life, is my brother John Dolan. You have a hero with you.”
Mavis Guy was the next guest speaker for the “Parent Reflection” segment.
“I would like to proudly congratulate you all. Today, we celebrate your accomplishments. As a mother, I know this is a big year for you all… Take a moment to reflect on what you’ve accomplished. It wasn’t easy, but you did it.”
When my son, Tyler, decided to apply to Saint Mary’s, he filled out his application form, wrote a beautiful essay, and anxiously waited a few weeks,” Guy said. “Weeks went by, and it was not what we expected. We thought his journey ended before it even started. As parents, what do you say? You tell them it’s okay because everything happens for a reason, and when one door closes, another opens.”
Guy continued, “No matter how he felt, we needed to make a decision, that’s when I received a call from Doctor Dolan, I was surprised and confused … Fast forward, I called back, and he explained that it was because of a recommendation letter that influenced admission to make their decisions. Admissions had concerns whether he’s a good fit for Saint Mary’s, or vice versa.”
Then, Dolan asked to bring in Tyler for an interview. “The rest is history, because that was the beginning of his journey,” Guy said. The obstacles did not stop him; he worked hard, and it’s what brought him here today.”
Mark Doyle from the Board of Trustees introduced Paul Price, a graduate from the class of ‘75, where Doyle awarded Price with a Jubilarian pin, in recognition of the St. Mary’s Class of 1975 having reached the Golden Spartan 50 years Jubilarian. Price then spoke to the audience about overcoming obstacles.
The presentation of diplomas was handled by Associate Head of School David J. Angeramo, Assistant Head of School James Ridley, and Senior Advisor Katherine Willnet.
