Stoneham High graduates 202 seniors at exercise
Published on June 8th, 2005
The weather cooperated fully late Friday afternoon as another Stoneham High School class of seniors officially moved on from the small pond of SHS to the larger ocean of possibilities awaiting them in the "real world."
The Spartan Chorale sang the Star-Spangled Banner to open the commencement exercise, and SHS Principal Thomas Ryan, who did a fine job of moving the program of events along, took a moment to recognize a host of names that had great influence on the graduates. The names represented the members of the Stoneham school system retiring this year, and they included: Lois Barry, Donna Secondini, Nancy Smith, Kathleen Trider, Maureen Welch, Kathy Windisch, and Jim Andreottola.
SHS senior Class President Mark Trant then made the welcoming address and talked about the high esteem with which he holds his cherished classmates.
"I hate to leave this place," said Trant. "More importantly, I hate to leave this class. Looking back on my time here, I am proud to say they have been the four happiest years of my life and I owe it all to this senior class."
"Thanks to the students in this class, I am a lot more outgoing today than I used to be," added Trant, who ended his speech with quote from Dr. Brown in Back to the Future. "I have witnessed the group of seniors grow closer over the last four years, and hopefully many of this friendships will last as we embark into our path to adulthood."
The Spartan Chorale then performed "Like An Eagle and Stoneham High Senior Jessica Jackson followed that by performing an original song called "Away."
SHS senior Joelle Kross then followed with the Honors Address
"Today is a day that will plant itself in the minds of everyone here," said Kross. "How will I remember these places and how will I be remembered?"
"No matter we repressed that horrific class or reveled in that glorious moment on the soccer field, our unremembered past is still our past," added Kross. "I'm sure there are many of our classmates that would like to forget all about Stoneham, but how can you ignore this place without ignoring vital parts of yourself: your family, your childhood and your education. You will have the memory of an incredible spirit who brushed many lives before she passed on. Take a minute to reflect on the memory you will leave with someone in your class, someone will remember you always."
Patricia Nolan and Danielle Catalano then presented the McDonald's Medals to Ali Landers and Jonathan Pallazzollo in honor of 19th Century Stoneham Principal James Wallace McDonald, an award that was first bestowed upon graduates in 1915 for "excellent in scholarship, possessing of high character, and outstanding in their good service to their school."
"Through illness, exhaustion and tech weeks, she was always on her game," said Nolan, who recounted difficult French work that Ali Landers eased her way through. "What I will remember most about this student is her face, because it was full always full of life...life, love and intelligence. Her integrity runs very deep and it always shows up in her writing."
"As a lover of learning, he understands the challenge of learning more, digging deeper, challenging oneself," said Catalano of Pallazollo. "If you've been to any of our 12 productions of the Stoneham Drama Club, you've witnessed his artistic skill in set pieces and in stage pictures. His educational quest in the visual arts is just as impressive as his scholarly pursuits.
Kross then sang the "Rainbow Connection" made famous By Kermit the Frog in the Muppet Movie.
Dr. Joseph Connelly and Joseph Casey then announced the senior awards and scholarships captured by Stoneham High School seniors headed off to college in the fall.
Landers then presented a senior class gift of a $1000 donation to the Kelly Conlon Memorial Scholarship, and presented the gift to School Committee member Marie Christie.
"As you matured you developed into critical thinkers, and both inside and outside the classrooms you were risk-takers," said Christie. "Today we are ready to set you free to practice what you have learned and lead our country into the 21st Century. You are the movers and the shakers, the mothers and fathers of tomorrow's generation, but don't ever forget that wherever you go Stoneham schools have given you roots and wings."
William Nadeau and Wendell Horton prizes were awarded to Amanda Buckley and Mark Trant for "character, citizenship and active involvement in their community."
Ryan then asked for a moment of silence to commemorate SHS graduate Kelly Conlon, who passed away during her senior year after a courageous battle with health problems.
"Kelly Conlon had hoped her transplant would allow her to be here for graduation and therefore lead a normal life, but it was not to be," said Ryan, who then summoned Kelly's sister Katelynn and Kelsey to received her diploma in a moving tribute to their sister.
With that the graduates were called to the stage to received their diplomas, and another generation of SHS seniors ushered their way into beckoning worlds of college, work, family and - somewhere in there - adulthood.
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