Sixty-six Lee High School students graduated on Saturday afternoon.

LENOX, Mass. — The message to embrace friendship and community was prevalent at Lee High School's graduation on Saturday afternoon.

 

"If there is anything in life that can make your day brighter or can keep you grounded, it is the kind words of a friend and this is the undefined fuel that burns at the heart of our town, nestled in the protective folds of the Berkshire Hills," said Valedictorian Moriah McKenna to her 65 fellow classmates, friends and families at the ceremony in the Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood.

 

McKenna recalled a surprise 15th birthday party as a moment in her life that defined friendship and hoped all her classmates enjoyed a similar feeling.

 

"I hope that you all are as sure as I am of yourselves as I am, knowing you have such a loving supportive community to return home to," she said.

 

Salutatorian Stephanie Young shared much of the same feelings and enjoyed the atmosphere during her years growing up at the school.

 

Valedictorian Moriah McKenna stressed the importance of community and friendship in her speech.

"I can't even begin to describe the sense of comfort and unity you feel when you enter the school, whether it be through the front entrance or a propped back door," Young said. "It was actually a pleasure to come to school every day and be within this tightly knit community.

 

School Committee Chairwoman Susan Harding told the class of 2013 to approach "new faces with an open mind and an open heart" to others as wherever they go in the world, regardless of their position or appearance.

 

"Here's our secret weapon," Harding said. "Here's what we can give you in a small place that maybe kids from bigger places don't always get. We're all people... People are all special."

 

Superintendent Jason P. McCandless, who will be leaving the school system after 11 years for a position in the Pittsfield School District, told students to be prepared for detours in life regardless of their plans.

 

"Where I went to college, what I studied, who I met, where we wound up living, working and raising our children were all deviations from the plan I had sitting on my high school graduation stage," McCandless said. "But in the end they were all tremendous blessings for me and my family and I hope to the places we've been as well."

 

 

The Graduates	Scholarships & Awards	Val & Sal	Photos
Angela Argio * Maximo Artioli  Jeremiah Babcock Kaitlin Berry Taylor Briggs Samantha Brown * Stone Burdick Dana Campagna Joseph Carlotto William Carroll Jamie Castegnaro Shirley Castillo Cameron Collins * Tyler Collins Hadley Cook * George Cox Lisa Curley	Asia Curtin Zachary DeSantis * Tanner DeVarennes * Eileen Dooley * Marcus Drake Brian Drumm Jacob Fanham Nicholas Fillio Lauren Gagnon Lara Gallant Austin Gaudette Megan Gaul * Andrew Goodfellow III Sara Groves Michael Haywood Megan Heppleston * Travern Jerome	Abigal Jones * Rebekah Kelley * Sean Kelly Jared Kirchner Katherine Larkin Jacob LePrevost * Timothy LePrevost Michelle Light Moriah McKenna +* Maria Melendez Sara Middleton * Victoria Murphy * Ryan Nalepa Amber Newton * Edward Perry Joshua Pressley Kenneth Retzel	Lauren Richardson * Amanda Robertson Rebecca Robertson Madelyn Salice * Michelle Scapin Nicholaus Sitzer William Stewart Kenn Suarez Jack Tallboy * Tabitha Thomas Kurt Warner * Preston Webb Joseph Winston James Wood Chuanqi Xiong Stephanie Young ++* Jessica Zerbato
+ valedictorian, ++ salutatorian, * National Honor Society