‘Game-changing’ CHS Class of ’17 completes high school journey

Valedictorian Dasol Lee addresses the CHS Class of 2017. (Mike Barucci photo)

This story appears in the Canton Citizen’s annual graduation issue, available now on newsstands.

The rains stayed away and the skies above were bold and dream-like as the 217 members of the Canton High School Class of 2017 marked the end of their high school journeys in an emotional and reflective commencement ceremony on the CHS turf field.

Held outdoors for the fourth year in a row, Friday’s graduation was almost picture-perfect and filled with special moments — from the thoughtful student speeches to the recognition of faculty members undergoing cancer treatment, to Alaina Goodwin’s inspirational walk across the stage to receive her diploma (see related story).

This year’s ceremony was also the first for new Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Fischer-Mueller, who celebrated the graduates as a “beautiful visual reminder of why we do this work.”

“It is for you,” she told them, “and for the promise your futures hold.”

Pointing to a recent University of Oxford study that predicted 40 percent of today’s jobs will be lost to technological advances, Fischer-Mueller urged the graduates to not be intimidated and instead to be excited about the new opportunities that the future holds.

“Our world is changing,” she said. “These changes will create currently unknown opportunities. Be prepared — know your skills, your interests, and your passions. My wish for you is that your preparation will meet with the world’s opportunities.”

To CHS Principal Derek Folan, this year’s class was a special one — a class of “game changers” who spearheaded new programs and initiatives, such as the Canton Character Crew and the musical phenomenon of Hairspray.

“You are so poised to be the creative spark that drives the new thinking, the new experience, the new app, the new approach, the new innovation, the new discovery,” Folan said.

In addition to their “passion to lead and create,” Folan said the 2017 graduates also demonstrated a personal approach — an innate ability to empathize with others — that will serve them well in the years to come.

“Your ability to connect with your family, your friends, and your careers in a personal way, with a personal touch, will once again make you game changers who inspire your peers and model empathy, encouragement and love,” said Folan.

That personal touch was also evident in all three of the student speeches, culminating with a heartfelt confessional by class valedictorian Dasol Lee.

Lee, who is headed to Williams College in the fall to study philosophy, spoke about her fears and insecurities throughout her four years of high school, noting how she “struggled to get over mistakes because [she] wanted desperately to be perceived as perfect both academically and socially.”

Lee said graduation is an ideal time to reflect on one’s mistakes and to learn as much as he or she can from them. It is also a time to forgive, or to seek forgiveness from others, she said.

“Over the years, we have all been hurt in different ways,” said Lee. “Let’s be a class that is unafraid to start conversations with the schoolmates who have wounded us or to reach out to those we ourselves may have caused to struggle in high school.”

Lee stressed that there is value in each of the mistakes and struggles that she and her peers experienced throughout high school. “Each of us must take the simple but extremely difficult steps of reflecting and forgiving,” she said, “so that when we go forth into the world, we can go with healed hearts.”

Salutatorian Daniel Hathaway also reflected on lessons learned in his speech, emphasizing two in particular — that success is primarily a product of effort and that enjoyment comes from pursuing one’s true passions.

Hathaway said it was only recently, through an examination of his own shortcomings, that he learned the second lesson. “I’ve been forced to reevaluate what I place importance on and I’ve realized that, before all else, we should always make sure we enjoy the task to which we devote our time,” he said.

Class President Donyka Dumornay was similarly reflective in her remarks, which celebrated the graduates’ collective journey from “energetic little freshmen” to mature and confident young adults. Along the way, she said, there were plenty of surprises and “expectations weren’t always met.” But they persisted, she said, aided by the support of friends, family, and teachers.

“From 2013 to 2017, we have all matured into people who are adept in certain things and who comfortably struggle in others,” noted Dumornay. “We have accepted who we are and what we believe in, because we have chosen to find comfort in our self image and potential. Because of this, we are prepared for an ever-changing future.”

In addition to the student speakers, Friday’s commencement also featured remarks by School Committee Chairman Michael Loughran and Selectmen Vice Chairman Mark Porter.

Loughran, himself an alumnus of Canton High School, said it was quite a surreal experience to be back on that stage addressing a new generation of graduates — one that included his daughter Molly.

While he did not expect them to remember his speech or be able to recall which School Committee chairman spoke at their graduation, Loughran hoped that they would always cherish their time in the Canton school system.

“You learned how to make friends, how to step out of your comfort zone, how to collaborate on projects, and how to set a goal and accomplish it,” he said. “As you look back on your time in the Canton Public Schools, you should feel confident that you have a solid foundation to build upon as you venture into college, the military, or the workforce.”

Porter encouraged the graduates to reflect on their experiences over the past four years and urged them to never stop growing as people.

“Challenge yourself with new experiences,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to take an ‘L.’ Make it a point to make new friends, especially those with world-views which differ from your own.”

In addition to the speeches, the commencement featured performances by the CHS chamber singers and chorus, who sang “The Star Spangled Banner” and “If You’re Out There” by John Legend, and the CHS symphony orchestra, which played “Torch of Liberty,” “Pomp and Circumstance,” and Dvorak’s Largo from Symphony No. 9. Dr. John Tamilio III of the Congregational Church of Canton delivered the invocation, and School Committee member John Bonnanzio presented the ninth annual Paul Matthews Cup to 2017 winners Kehla Minkin and Cam McManus.

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Posted by Jay Turner on Jun 9 2017. Filed under News, Schools. Both comments and pings are currently closed.