Lenox Graduates Mark Another Milestone in Their Life
LENOX, Mass. — The 57 graduates of Lenox Memorial High School passed a major milestone as they crossed the Tanglewood stage on Sunday.
Superintendent Williams Collins, welcomed families and graduates and spoke about how these students and parents are marking another major milestone in their life.
"Today, we mark a major milestone in your journey. Your journey began at milestone zero. You were born. Others actually get to take credit for that. Other major milestones were your first words, your first steps, losing your baby teeth, graduating out of diapers, which was also a major milestone for your parents, your first day of school, completing elementary school, passing your driver's license exam, maybe your first kiss. And now here we are."
He told the graduates his seven Cs of advice; be caring, considerate, committed, conscientious, curious, coachable, and courageous.
Salutatorian Stefan Zygawski gave thanks to the teachers and families and spoke to his fellow graduates about being together and their plans for after.
"To my fellow classmates, what do I even say you are some of the funniest, smartest, most unapologetically unique people I've ever met your artists, athletes, musicians, scientists, performers, and people can do all of the above while still making it to Duncan before school. We've shared inside jokes in the hallways, last minute cramming in the library, and the kinds of memories that I honestly hope I would ever forget. Some of you are heading off to college. Some are taking gap years. Some of you are still deciding, and that's OK, life doesn't follow a new path," he said.
"What matters most is that we showed up for each other, for ourselves. We kept pushing forward, even when things got tough, yeah, especially when things got tough, and that counts for something that counts for a lot."
Valedictorian Samuel Geller wished the class of 2025 the best and talked about the future to come as well as what he learned in the past, gaining lots of laughs from the crowd, but he also thanked his teachers and commended them for what they do.
"I have found a lot of validation for my teachers, almost enough to compensate for my massive insecurities. So yes, school has forced me to learn so much, but even more remarkable, my teachers made me want to learn and come to school. So thank you, even for the moments you weren't really teaching, they have become known home as well."
Students Kaeleigh Heath told her fellow graduates to not forget what they shared together, and to enjoy every moment you have.
"I was told to cherish every moment, because I would never get to do anything like that again. Performing with all my friends. To me, today is almost like our last performance. As all of you sit behind me, I know this is probably the last time we will all be together in the same place. For some of us, it might even be the last time we see each other," she said.
"But even as the clock begins to count down to the last minutes, don't forget the incredible teachers who helped you through every step of every grade, those who taught you how to write a paper, those who helped you apply to college. Those were just there for you when you needed someone to talk to. Don't forget your parents and how much they loved and supported you through these last 13 years. Don't forget your classmates who have walked every step alongside you, in a way, the people sitting here with you today will understand you better than anyone ever will, because we have all shared a chapter of our lives that can never be erased."
Class President Madison DiGrigoli said the class was like a puzzle and that no two pieces are identical.
"That's the beauty of this puzzle. Every person doesn't have to be amazing at the same things. A puzzle with every piece the same when put together wouldn't make sense. The puzzle relies on the differences in every piece to form the cohesive image when completed. Amid our individual growth journey, we've experienced growth as a group. We've experienced highs together, but we've also grown from lows together."
Joseph Shaffer Kropke gave the senior farewell and talked about how much they've changed.
"I'd like to take a look back at 2018, our first year here. That year, Drake was in a high-profile rap beef, Donald Trump was in the White House, and the Philadelphia Eagles were Super Bowl champions. Now, at first glance, it would seem like not much has changed since then. I would disagree. I think the class of 2025, has changed significantly," he said.
"We've explored new hobbies, sports, arts and clubs. This class has learned how to graph equations, write research papers and complete science experiments. Many of us have learned about things we've never thought about before, like chat GPT and AI with Mr. Tolan, or how to cast spells in witchcraft with Dr. Starenko, or even about Mr. Pugh's love for making bagels. Some of us have even gotten proficient in new languages."
Principal Jeremiah C. Ames told the class to do things their future self would be thankful for.
"My hope for you, each and every one of you, is that in retrospect, you are proud of who you were, what you said and did, or what you didn't say or didn't do. I hope you're grateful for who you were kind to and proud of what you chose to stand up for," he said.
"Your lives are so loud, there's so much going on around us every moment of every day, it's hard to know who's telling the truth, what's really happening, who our friends are and who cannot be trusted. With so much chaos surrounding us, who could blame you for not seeing clearly? Yes, things seem unclear now. They almost always do in the moment in retrospect. However, as you look back on what was happening around you, you'll know what's what, you'll know who was speaking truth. It'll be clear who your friends were, and in most cases, you'll know what you should have said and what you should have done."
Vice president of the class, Kelsey Kirchner did the salute to the flag and Kaeleigh Heath sang "The Star-Spangled Banner."
School Committee Chair Orem M. Cass presented the diplomas to the class of 2025.
Scholarships and awards can be found here.
Tags: graduation 2025, Lenox Memorial,
