Some families stopped for a quick photo as the assembly fled the light rain that started as soon as the graduation.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — McCann Technical School graduated 110 seniors on Wednesday night on the football field with the dramatic background of the mountains and a sea of umbrellas before them.
The gray skies let loose a steady rain that had the graduates eager to move things along — they applauded Superintendent James Brosnan for clipping his address and let go their party poppers a whole speech too early.
But Principal Justin Kratz said he understood what a tough year it had been.
"Don't get me wrong, the class of 2020 had it rough as well. But the class is 2021, and we're going to use COVID terms, they're the long haulers," he said. "They had a lot of stuff thrown at them."
Salutatorian Ciarra Kruzel said the four years seemed like a blur now but one event in her first CAD classes stood out when teacher Joshua Meczywor made a comment.
"It was something along the lines of the smartest person is the one who admits they know nothing, which I later found out with something Socrates said," she said. "From then on, I took that mindset and ran with it. And from this way of thinking, I grew. So not only did I learn lessons, academic lessons, you may or may not use in the future, but it also taught us about personal growth. We were taught how to change and become a better person."
She thanked all the teachers who helped them over the years and through the pandemic, even if they probably were upset with them.
"We greatly appreciate everything you've done to get us into school, even though it was just for two weeks, and any extra trouble or if you went through to educate us through the pandemic," Kruzel said.
Valedictorian Stephen Perrault asked what they wanted to achieve in life — but not as the start of a "long, drawn out" speech about how you can do anything if you try harder. But rather, he said, to consider what what success really meant to them.
"I had been reaching for the stars but doing so had made me less happy than before," he said. "Then one day when I was talking about the future with my dad, he told me do what makes you happy, enjoy life ... perhaps instead of expecting myself to change the world I should just do whatever I'm capable of doing in order to make a life for myself."
Perrault said he didn't want his classmates not too aim high. Instead, he encouraged them to take that motivation and funnel it in a direction that will be fulfilling.
"Aiming for what we really want to do so we're not spending our days and months and years in a job we hate so we can consider ourselves successful or getter a bigger paycheck," he said. "The point of life isn't to obtain wealth but rather to find true happiness."
Before handing out diplomas with Brosnan, School Committee Chairman Gary Rivers took the "dreaded word" COVID and found something positive in it. Taking the letters he found courage, optimism, viable, inspiration and dream — as in dream big.
Courage is the foundation to success, he said, and this pandemic provided an opportunity for students to endure, develop skills and maybe even find inspiration in new career paths.
"Dream big. If the world is going to get better, it's going to be up to you," he told the graduates. "With everything feeling like it's up for grabs, this is your time to seize the initiative.
"No one can tell you to wait your turn ... no one can tell you that this is how it's always been done. More than ever, this is your moment."
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Clarksburg Holds Information Session CPA Warrant Article
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — An informational meeting on the Community Preservation Act will be held on Wednesday, May 1, at 6 p.m. at the Clarksburg Elementary School.
Voters at the annual town meeting on May 29 will be asked to approve adoption of the state law which will allow the town to collect a 3 percent surcharge on property taxes for use for affordable housing, open space and recreation, and historic preservation. A percentage of the funds collected by the town are matched by the state.
The Historical Commission requested the question be placed on the town meeting warrant. Passage at town meeting would put the CPA on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.
The slide presentation by commissioners will cover what the act is and what adopting it would mean to residents and the community. This will be followed by Q&A.
The initiative was sparked by the Police Department's acquisition of bike helmets as part of a Municipal Road Safety Grant, according to Police Chief Mark Bailey.
click for more
President Jamie Birge told the board of trustees on Thursday that the college has been in discussions for the last couple years with a donor who wishes at this point to remain anonymous.
click for more
John Magnarelli served his country in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division and the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Vietnam from May 4, 1969, to April 10, 1970, as a sergeant. click for more
One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly.
click for more