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Harold Durgin Success Academy graduate Jeffry Monroy cheers after receiving his diploma. (Spenser Hasak) Purchase this photo

Harold Durgin Success Academy graduates 60

Olivia Haydar

by

LYNN — A tight-knit community of 60 seniors walked the stage at Lynn City Hall Thursday afternoon, making history as the first graduating class at Harold Durgin Success Academy. Principal Maura Durgin-Scully also noted that the Class of 2026 was the largest graduating class in the school’s history, including when it operated as Fecteau-Leary Junior/Senior High School.

Of the 60 seniors, 17 are first-generation high school graduates. To them, it means more than a piece of paper. 

“It’s kind of liberating. You’re the first person in the family to graduate,” graduate Gerson Reyes Vigil said with tears in his eyes. “The first person to push through the obstacles… You push on.” 

The theme of overcoming obstacles with resiliency was spread throughout all speakers. The principal of Harold Durgin thanked the seniors themselves for establishing a legacy for future students to follow. 

“Your accomplishments will always hold a special place in the history of this school, and today we celebrate not only what you have achieved, but also the path that you have helped create for those who come after you,” Durgin-Scully said. 

Lynn Mayor Jared C. Nicholson noted the significance of the graduation taking place at Lynn City Hall and said it illustrates the graduates’ importance to the city’s future, bringing new perspectives of success. 

“To know that you have taken an alternative path and succeeded because you have shown yourself and learned from hard work and resiliency that a) there are alternatives and b) that those alternatives lead to success like the success that you are experiencing today,” Mayor Nicholson said. 

City Hall was filled with emotion when Superintendent Molly Cohen took the stage to congratulate the students on their personal and collective growth, first in English and then in Spanish. 

“Graduates, you already have strength. Now hold onto curiosity, especially about something you care about because your future is not defined by your past. It is defined by what you choose to do next,” Cohen said. 

Harold Durgin Success Academy’s Assistant Principal Timothy Burt reflected on the struggles many graduates overcame to reach commencement. 

“Some of you were told directly or indirectly that success might not be in your future, but you proved otherwise,” he said. “You pushed through obstacles, you learned, you matured, you kept moving forward when it would be very easy to quit.” 

Student speaker Aidan Pleasant joined the stage to share the class gift the Class of 2026 is donating to the school. With help from the woodshop class, a new school sign with the updated school name was presented. 

“This sign is more than just a marker outside the building,” said Pleasant. “It represents our journey, our growth, and the pride we feel in being part of the school community. It stands for the challenges we overcame, the lessons we learned, and the accomplishments we celebrate today.” 

Three students were presented with scholarships; two were given the Dave Higan Memorial Scholarship, and one received the Dr. Frederick Cole Lynn Business Education Scholarship. 

Following the turn of the tassel from right to left, the graduates walked down the aisle outside City Hall. Flowers, tears, and photo flashes filled the space. 

One graduate, Angelie Ramirez, was at a loss for words when asked what graduating meant to her. 

Graduate Kelisyana Nash-Sandoval’s mother shared that the graduation meant more than just a ceremony. “It means everything. It was a long road here, but we made it,” Ashley Nash said. 

Some seniors feel more anxiety than relief after receiving their diplomas, like Nickolus Cameron. “I feel there’s a lot more pressure now, but I did this to prepare for my future,” he said. 

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