Blue Hills Regional holds commencement exercises for class of 2012

Although 200 members of the class of 2012 at Blue Hills Regional Technical School in Canton were the stars of last Tuesday’s graduation exercises, it was a member of the class who graduated almost 30 years ago who nearly stole the show.

Canton's John Curran (right), quarterback of the Super Bowl champion Warriors, follows classmate Jonathan Cronin of Norwood as they go up to receive their diplomas.

Randolph native Scott D. Tingle ’83, a commander in the U.S. Navy, returned to his alma mater to give the keynote address. In November 2011, Tingle achieved his lifelong dream of becoming a NASA astronaut after months of grueling training and preparation.

Tingle’s speech to the audience combined reminiscences of his own experiences at Blue Hills, hearty congratulations to various staff and students for their achievements during the school year, and exhortations to the young men and women in the audience to “dream big!”

“We need you to excel,” Tingle told the graduates. “We need you to travel your incredible journey by setting goals that will guide you through your toughest challenges and lead you to your own personal successes. Judging by the successes we’ve already seen, just keep doing what you are doing, and the sky will never be a limit.”

Other speakers included Blue Hills Regional District School Committee Chairman Joseph A. Pascarella and Superintendent-Director James P. Quaglia, who introduced Tingle by saying, “His illustrious career is proof that with a Blue Hills education, the sky is truly the limit.”

Assistant Superintendent/Principal Michael J. Barrett was the master of ceremonies.

Valedictorian Keny German of Randolph immigrated to the United States in 2004 from Colombia not even knowing how to speak English. An engineering technology major at Blue Hills, German plans to attend Boston University in the fall. His advice to the graduating class was to “find that one thing that you enjoy doing the most and just do it … Work hard and make a difference in this world, just like you have made a difference here at Blue Hills. We have definitely left a legacy that will never be matched by any other class.”

“We know what it means to be part of a team and how to lead,” said class president Brandon Phillips of Randolph, citing the many outstanding sports victories notched by Blue Hills’ athletic squads over the course of the past year, including the school’s very first Super Bowl win in December 2011.

“Today is the day we’ve been waiting for,” Phillips said. “A day that we are proud of, not only thanks to our own efforts, but because of the efforts of our parents, teachers, administrators and friends.”

The class gift was presented to Quaglia by class treasurer Ashley Gordon of Randolph. The remaining balance of the money left over from the graduating class’s fundraising activities will be divided between the classes of 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.

The following Canton residents were among the 200 Blue Hills graduates: Briana Barboza, Kennie Belmer, Sean Braxton, Sam Burke, John Curran, Shannon Green, Kathleen Keegan, Hans Lamy, Stephen McCarthy Jr., Angela Montello, Tiara Rankins-Alvarado, Kynesha Roland, Marie Saint Andre, Victoria Smalls, Patrick Waite, and Olivia Walker.

Submitted by Judy Bass

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Posted by Canton Citizen on Jun 21 2012. Filed under News, Schools. Both comments and pings are currently closed.