DALTON, Mass. — During the Wahconah Regional High School commencement on Sunday, graduates were advised to embrace the future, reflect on their past, and apply the lessons learned to navigate the path forward. 

 

Families, friends, and faculty gathered in the high school gym to honor 124 graduates and celebrate their accomplishments. 

 

During his speech, Valedictorian Aidan Garcia reflected on his last day of school during which Principal Aaron Robb announced that the "high school seniors are now dismissed from school forever."

 

He said it was at that moment the reality of their high school journey being over became real. Upon this realization, seniors felt a range of emotions. Some felt sad that they were leaving behind a place that had brought them many friendships and successes.

 

He said others were excited about never having to take a test again, and many felt relieved to finally receive their diploma and be able to pursue their plans.

 

With this famous dismissal came good news, a heavy medal, and a unique task for Garcia: the valedictorian speech. 

 

At that time, Robb explained to Garcia that the speech is about the future. With this in mind, Garcia wondered how he could speak about something that "we can all anticipate but also have no clue about?" 

 

Garcia said the beauty of this is that "it is all up to us," and there is time to figure out their future, "make new friendships and explore the world." 

 

"Whether it's work, the military, college, trade school, or any other avenue after graduation, we all are in charge of our futures," he said. "We decide how we find success, and we decide what we do with the time in between."

 

Recalling the words of Steve Jobs, the former CEO of Apple, Garcia quoted: "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So, you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future."

 

Garcia reminded his peers to look to their high school experiences to understand their future. 

 

"We must look backward and see that things worked out. Our teachers served as beacons along the way, we thought critically about getting to this point, and we spent time with our amazing families," Garcia said, thanking his mom and dad.

 

"Since we are all here graduating today with some idea of our future, then we all must be doing something right and I know that the same will be true in the future."

 

Everyone's future and experience will be unique, he said. He said when looking back on his time at Wahconah, he won't remember the "writing and grinding Calculus that got him to this podium."

 

"I will remember the ski races, late-night trips to get Ayelada, the pasta dinners, concerts, and the friendships that grew in between the dots," he said. "Make sure that you always have time to enjoy it."

 

Salutatorian Sarah Thornton highlighted the circumstances that made her class' time at Wahconah unique, including life during the pandemic and the delay of the new building's opening. 

 

Thornton initially did not want to include the pandemic in her speech because it had been mentioned in salutatorian speeches for the last four years. However, she felt compelled to do so because it has been a significant part of their lives.

 

Due to these circumstances, these graduates were only able to spend two years in the new building. 

 

Thornton said that not only did they have to adjust to online learning their freshman year, but they also had to spend their sophomore year in the old building. They then had to adapt for a third time in their Junior year when transitioning to the new building. 

 

Despite this, these graduates learned a lot during their time in high school, she said.

 

"It's shown us the love of friendship but also the hate. The power of dedication but also the toll and the joy of taking risks but also the sting of disappointment," she said. 

 

She said when asked to write a speech about the class of 2023's years at Wahconah, she struggled because everyone graduating today had different feelings and experiences.

 

"In the end, each of us was shaped differently by our time at Wahconah. Some people found lifelong friends, and some may never talk to anyone here again. Some found their passion in life–what they want to do or who they want to be, and others are still deciding," Thornton said. 

 

"We are all going in our own direction, and it would be impossible to capture or explain what Wahconah has been to each of us in the time that I have for this speech."

 

Whether their experiences at Wahconah were painful or joyful, we are all moving on, she said. 

 

"Looking at this graduating class, I don't see an athlete, or a musician, or an artist, or an academically driven person. I don't see our graduating class for what we were in high school. I see a group of people ready to start the next part of their lives with a blank slate. Our lives are just beginning," Thornton said. 

 

"Even though our reflections are all different, one thing bonds us together: we are the Wahconah Regional High School class of 2024. And although our years at Wahconah were anything but ordinary, we survived them together."

 

Class President Elliot Fletcher left his class with advice–to cherish their last four years but look to the future rather than the past. 

 

"We need to be able to look towards the future, and we can't do that if we are still looking over our shoulders at the past," Fletcher said. "That doesn't mean for a second that you shouldn't cherish your time spent here, but don't let it consume you." 

 

Robb spoke and reminded the class that the graduates are not only graduating from Wahconah but also from Central Berkshire Regional School District. 

 

He thanked the district officials and school staff for the work they have done for the graduates and thanked the guidance department, highlighting how the work that the guidance department does gets more complicated every year. 

 

Robb had the graduates give a round of applause to their parents or guardians who cared for them,  provided for them, and were there for them throughout their journey. 

 

Robb told the parents and the graduates to close their eyes and "think about a moment over the course of the last 18 years or so where your graduate simply made you proud. It doesn't have to be a specific accomplishment."

 

He gave the graduates and families one last assignment to do upon the ceremony's completion. 

 

"When you rejoin one another, I challenge you to say out loud to one another what you were just thinking about with your eyes closed. Say it out loud to each other right away when you are reunited with one another," Robb said. 

 

"Don't wait until later tonight. Don't wait until tomorrow or next week, and for God's sake, don't text it. Say it right away. Don't waste that moment. Promise yourselves that you will do that.

 

Robb reminded the students that they still have 90 percent of their lives to live and urged them to fill it with hope and wonderful moments. 

 

Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said she has fond memories of some of the graduates from when she was principal at Becket Washington Elementary School.

 

She said these graduates have defined themselves as "as eager to learn and experience life through your learning journey and more importantly your desire to help others. And quite honestly time flies."

 

Quoting American guitarist and singer-songwriter B.B. King, she reminded students that the beauty of learning is that nobody can take it away from them. 

 

"You have put your trust in us as educators, and throughout your journey, you have remained our North Star," she said. 

 

Awards & Scholarships here.

 

The 2024 graduates of Wahconah Regional High School 

 

*National Honor Society

+National Business Honor Society

 

Robert Albano

Brayden Astore

Daniella Barry*

Ryan Beaulieau

Hanna Becker

Jacob Belanger+

Abriana Bernier

Alexandra Bills*+

Brady Breitmaier

Garrett Brockway

Hannah Burrows

Aiden Bush

Kayla Chabot

Colby Chapin

Jacob Cooper

Eliza Crow

Noah Desrochers

Julianna Diver+

Emily Doyle*

Jason Drosehn

Joshua Emerson

Benjamin Englyshe

Daniel Epe

Emmett Esko

Norah Esko

Owen Farley

Kaya Farrington

Alorah Fenn-Zelinsky

Zachary Flaherty*

Elliot Fletcher

Christopher Fones

Xander Forward

Damian Francis

Lilah Frissell-Filiault

Adelyn Furlong*

Liam Furlong*

Sasha Fyfe

Isabelle Gale

Olivia Gamberoni*

Aidan Garcia*

Maia Gilbert

Bumblebee Gillespie

Riley Gladu*

Mia Goddeau

Sebastian Goodrich

Gabrielle Goonan

Jack Gray

Sawyer Hayes

Avia Heflin

Lily Hinton*

Jonathan Howard

Elena Iovieno*

Eva Jacinto

Israela Journette

Sean Kays

Isabelle Keegan*

Landon Kiernan

Riley Kilmer

Bella Knowlton

Rumi Kuklewicz

Olivia LaCombe

Vincent Lanphear

Kaedyn Lavalle

Bridget Long

Tristan Longdyke

Jaxyn Lyman

Ryan Marauszwski*

Olivia Mason*

Taylor Mason*

Ava Massaro

Gianna McCasland

Katelyn McCormack*

Evan McLaughlin

Patrick McLaughlin*

Alexis McNally

Braedyn Melle*

Olivia Mikaniewicz

Nathan Miller

Kailynn Moriarty

Syndney Moriarty*+

Jacob Musko

Thea Nhim*

Eliana Norton

Marshall Noyes

Zachary Nyhan

Aiden O'Connor*

Sara-Louise Oakes*

Ryan Padelford*

Amber Passetto

Emily Perrone

Noah Poirier*

Madison Radhs

Dorian Ramirez+

Julia Renderer*

Alivia Rickert

Nickolas Rimbold-

Ellinger

Olivia Roberts*

Skylar Rosier

Tyler Rougeau

Kqwan'nell Roy

Amaya Rusher

Isabella Santos

Mitchell Scalise*

Vincent Scalise*

Zackary Sefchick+

Payton Shippee

Cindy Slade

Bryce Smith*

Lily Stasiowski

Claire Steinman*

Alex Sternerup

Cody Sullivan

Hannah Talora

Sarah Thornton*+

Jacob Thomas

Rachel Torrey

Kyle Valenti

Marc Vincelette

Beau Walton*

Logan Warden

Theo Wildrick*

Braylon Willey

Marissa Wilson