CHS graduates Class of ’14 in historic new venue

CHS graduates celebrate after receiving their diplomas. (Tanya Willow photo)

See this week’s Canton Citizen for complete coverage of Canton High’s 2014 commencement, including then and now photos, future plans, and more.

They evoked images of superheroes and of Disney heroines. They amazed and astounded and made unforgettable memories together, and in their final act as Canton High School students, the 213 members of the Class of 2014 left their lasting imprint, becoming the first in school history to graduate on the turf at Veterans Memorial Field.

To Class President Sarojini Schutt, Friday night’s commencement ceremony was perfect for a class like hers — a special group that genuinely liked one another and defied many of the stereotypes associated with teenagers.

“We are open to change, accepting of others’ differences, and anyone from this class will go out of their way to make sure everyone is included,” Schutt said in her remarks. “Our personalities spread across a wide spectrum, but we have all shared with each other over the past four years pieces of our personality.”

Schutt said the memories she has shared with her classmates have filled her with happiness, which she described as the “most vital” emotion of all.

“Take the happiness each of you has shared with each other and move forward with it,” she advised the graduates. “The world always needs more joy and spirit.”

Class valedictorian Megan Tse and salutatorian Felicia Lee also emphasized the special qualities of the graduates in their speeches, with Tse opting for a superhero theme and Lee drawing comparisons to the “best movie ever,” Frozen.

“We have lived our lives tackling any villain that came our way,” said Tse. “We have lived through these four treacherous years of high school defeating villains by battling standardized tests, school policies, social standards, bullying, and even our own identities.”

Tse said one of the most important things that even a superhero can do is to “make connections,” and she urged her classmates to never forget the connections they made while at CHS.

“These connections — these people — could be your ticket to a job or a higher institution,” she said. “These people are the closest friends you’ll ever make.”

“Continue to connect to your professors, your coworkers, your peers, and whomever you encounter in the future because these people will help you become real superheroes,” added Tse. “Continue making connections because those connections, those friends, will take you to far places. [They] will help you defeat those villains, aid others, conquer your own problems, and fill your future with endless opportunities.”

Lee, meanwhile, turned to Disney for inspiration, recalling fond memories of watching High School Musical and comparing her classmates to the versatile Princess Anna from Frozen.

“We are all uniquely different,” said Lee, “but over the years, with the support of our peers, our gifts have blossomed in ways that made us unconquerable and gave us the same power that enabled Anna to climb Elsa’s Northern Mountain with a big smile.”

Lee celebrated the Class of 2014 for its athleticism, intelligence, outgoing spirit, and creativity. “And now,” she said, “as the individuals we have been shaped into by our classmates, there is no doubt in my mind that success awaits us in the next stage of our lives.”

The commencement also featured remarks by various school and community leaders, including CHS Principal Derek Folan, who continued a tradition by asking the parents to close their eyes and picture their children on the first day of kindergarten, and School Committee Chairman Cindy Thomas, who marveled at the strong partnership that exists between the Canton Public Schools and the community.

Thomas shared a story of a graduate who was undecided about his future before ultimately landing a full-time job thanks to the support of some committed faculty and staff and a local business “stepping up in a way that is life changing.”

School Committee Chairman Cindy Thomas hugs her daughter, Katie. (Mike Barucci photo)

“Our students all take different paths as they move forward,” said Thomas, whose youngest child, Katie, was among the graduates in the audience, “but what they all have in common is a cadre of people, whether family, friends, teachers, or other caring and influential adults, who have supported and guided them along the way.”

Folan, like Thomas, shared two quick stories in his speech to the graduates — and both were about the power of listening.

“I hope on this day of celebration — when our world is changing and moving so fast — that you stop and slow down,” he said. “Take the time to listen to the people around you. This great virtue will separate you from your peers more than any grade or award.

“I hope that you find listening as a key to showing compassion and empathy — as a way to solve problems and come up with ideas, as a way to understand.”

Superintendent of Schools Jeff Granatino took the opportunity in his speech to say “thank you” to the graduates.

“I do not want to take for granted all of the wonderful things they have done in their time at Canton High School,” he said, “and for my few minutes up on stage, I would like nothing more than to thank our children, our students, our graduates.”

Granatino thanked them for their leadership, their hard work, and their passion, among numerous other reasons. “And in the end, thank you for being you,” he said. “Thank you for being a class of [213] individuals who came together as a cohesive unit for six hours a day, five days a week, over the past four years. Through blood, sweat and tears, you have successfully reached the end of one leg in life’s journey and stand ready to take on whatever challenges that may lay ahead for you.”

Selectmen Chairman Victor Del Vecchio also addressed the graduates, offering up a list of ten “Graduation Pearls of Wisdom.” The list featured quotations from literary, political and cultural figures — everyone from Benjamin Franklin and Oscar Wilde to Thomas Edison and his personal favorite, the Rolling Stones, who famously taught an entire generation of young people that “You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need.”

In addition to the speeches, the commencement featured performances by the CHS chorus, which sang “You’ll Never Walk Alone” under the direction of Darrel Whidden, and the CHS band, which played “Crescent Meadow” under the direction of Brian Thomas. The ceremony also included the sixth annual presentation of the Paul Matthews Senior Cup, which went to seniors Chris Sullivan and Jacki Merrigan.

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Posted by Jay Turner on Jun 12 2014. Filed under News, Schools. Both comments and pings are currently closed.