WAKEFIELD — As school officials had hoped, rain stayed away just long enough Saturday morning so the Class of 2025 could get their diplomas outdoors at Landrigan Field during Wakefield Memorial High’s annual commencement exercise.
From Colin Toby Ala to Zachaeus Khachatahn Zivan, 211 students received their high school marching papers.
Now it’s on to the future.
The Class of 2025 entered Landrigan Field around 9 a.m. to “Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1” performed by the WMHS Band directed by Thomas Bankert and Phil Cataldo.
Class Treasurer Henry Brown was the master of ceremonies.
Laila Atoui, president of the Student Council, led classmates and others in saluting the flag.
“The Star Spangled Banner” was sung by the Chamber Singers and Treble Choir under Ana Morel’s direction.
Class of 2025 President Abigail Myette said in the welcome address, “Today we come together not just to celebrate the academic achievements but also the journey, resilience, and growth that each graduating student has shown. This chapter of our lives, marked by both challenges and triumphs, has led each of us to this day. Thank you everyone for coming to support this celebration of success and the bright future that awaits the class of 2025.”
She continued, “The future rarely follows a straight path, but growth comes from venturing into the unfamiliar. As Martin Luther King once said, ‘Keep pushing forward, even when the path is uncertain, for greatness awaits those who persist.’ That’s our story – starting high school in a pandemic, navigating uncertainty, and continuing forward. As we reach the end of this chapter and begin to look toward the future, we step into a world of uncertainty – but also full of possibility. Today we celebrate not just where we have been, but where we are going. To the Class of 2025: I have no doubt that each of us is ready for what comes next. Congratulations!”
Class Essayist Konstandina Deleidi spoke of the need for self-reliance and self-reflection, but also said, “Life in its entirety is not a solitary experience. Bonds we form with friends, family, and communities are crucial for success and happiness and well-being. Therefore, value those around you, but instead of looking to others for validation and direction at every step, look inward. Trust that you know what to do. Doing so will give you the space to create a purpose, a moral code, and a passion for yourself. Have the confidence to do what you know is right and what will help you create meaning in your future. Find what matters to you, and commit to it. It is in this way, through self reflection, that we become better people- better people make better communities and ultimately a better world. Appreciate your friends and family, for they are who you do life with. These people, the ones in the red sitting next to you, the ones cheering for you from the bleachers, and the ones thinking about you from home, they’re so proud of you. However, I want you to be proud of you and all you’ve accomplished. Your efforts and your talents have carried you through the last thirteen years. If that’s not a sign of remarkable independence and capability, I don’t know what is.
“Class of 2025, celebrate yourself. Don’t wait for anyone else to do it for you. Carpe Diem.”
Class Valedictorian Marc Gagne said, in part, “Although each and every one of us can now say that our high school careers are a thing of the past, now that we have reached this specific crossroads in our lives, we deserve to celebrate. Taking advantage of the present and making the most of our time is a theme that pervades many works of literature that I have read in high school. In the words of Henry David Thoreau, who terrorized the summer leading into junior year for many students with his magnum opus Walden, ‘You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.’ For us, the purpose of this moment, of graduation, is to celebrate. We have accomplished a lot as a class. The community that we have built together is one that we should be proud of, and when I look back on my high school years, although I may wish to relive them, they will always be happy memories.
“As we close out our final year of high school, it is important that we bring the lessons that we have learned from the past, through the present and into the future. How will we use the lessons that we have learned from each of our unique experiences? It is impossible to predict what the future will hold for us. Our parents who graduated years ago never expected to be able to walk down the street while participating in a video call with a friend who lives halfway around the globe. My mom, in particular, still struggles to keep up with new technology. I think she has reset my password for my college application portals at least once a week since I sent in my applications.
“How could the graduating seniors from 35 years ago have known that I would be sitting in my room typing up this speech on a computer that can fit on my lap and that is not even plugged into anything? The world is constantly changing, and, as we start to shape our futures, we have to be confident that we can adapt to these changes.
“Thirty-five years from now, the world could be, rather, it will be, nothing like it is today. Our backyards might end up looking like a Phineas and Ferb episode, overflowing with new technological contraptions. Perhaps we will have solved issues of climate change, or, contrastingly, watch coral reefs disappear entirely. We could have a universal world language, or we may experience another world-altering pandemic. Whatever the future holds for us, whether good or bad, it is essential that we use the lessons that we have learned from high school to create a path towards success. Whether it was Mr. Drinkwater hating on Domino’s pizza or Mr. Rozzi explaining why artificial turf is the best choice for a lawn for your house, the teachers at Wakefield High have provided us with this kind of critical information to carry with us for the rest of our lives. In all seriousness, though, every teacher I have had at Wakefield has reinforced my main takeaways from high school by encouraging new problem-solving skills, allowing me to develop my role in a team, and contributing to the overall community of Wakefield High School. As we venture into the world beyond high school, I know that we all have something that we have learned from our time here that will help us prepare for the uncertainty of the future.
“Before I close out my speech, I want to thank the people that have made it possible for me to be standing here today. Thank you to my family for providing me with all the necessities for a successful high school experience while encouraging me to stay motivated with my schoolwork. Thank you to my friends who never fail at putting a smile on my face. Thank you to my teachers, who have all had an impact on my educational experience and have made me a better student. And, finally, thank you to the class of 2025 for allowing me to be part of this special community.”
Salutatorian Charles Gagne, the valedictorian’s twin brother, spoke next. “ NFL star Shannon Sharpe said during his Hall of Fame induction speech, ‘I’m the only pro football player in the Hall of Fame who is the second best player in my own family.’ I thought this quote was particularly relevant to me and my personal experience in high school, considering the fact that, as many of you know, my own twin brother is the valedictorian of the class of 2025 here at Wakefield, or in other words, the only person in our grade who holds a GPA higher than mine. Now I’m sure it’s happened before, but similar to Shannon’s situation, I think it’s safe to say that it’s pretty rare for a salutatorian to not even be the smartest kid in his own family. While I will admit that dealing with this unusual circumstance has been a little annoying at certain times, specifically when my friends choose to make sure I’m aware of the fact that my brother is ‘much, much’ smarter than I am, I also think that it has genuinely been a blessing in disguise. You see, my brother and I are both extremely competitive people, each playing multiple organized sports ever since we were a few years old and always going head to head in whatever new game we were invested in at our household: wiffle ball, ping pong, pool, etcetera. Sometimes these interactions were friendly and all for good fun, and other times not so much. As a result, it would have been very easy to let our neck-and-neck race in class rank become yet another competitive rivalry, one that surely could have leaned towards the not-so-friendly side, pulling our tight relationship further and further apart. But in reality, the opposite occurred….
“I bring this personal and very unique experience of mine to the table as a way to showcase what I believe is the most vital lesson that high school has taught me. My time at Wakefield High School has made it clear to me that seeking out and forming bonds with those who bring out the best in you is truly the most important thing that a student can do. In order to set yourself up for success in life, it is crucial that you surround yourself with people who push you to be stronger academically, athletically, physically, mentally, emotionally, and in so many other ways. I have been lucky enough to find numerous communities, mentors, friends, and teachers who I know for a fact have my back and would do anything to push me to succeed in whatever endeavor I strive for. Whether it’s my boys from the soccer, basketball, or baseball teams, my best friends since middle school, or the kids I have become great friends with in just the past year, Wakefield has connected me to so many incredible people who I know would show up for me whenever I need them. From my experience as a transfer student, I have gathered that while Wakefield High School may not presently have the nicest facilities or the latest in technology, it is certainly full of sincere people who are ready and willing to make an impact on your life and inspire you to reach for your goals whatever they may be. I encourage each and every one of my classmates, no matter what course their life takes from here onward, to surround themselves with people who bring out their best, people who care, people like my twin brother.”
In passing the school key to juniors, Class of 2025 Vice President Wisely Chea said, “This isn’t an ending, and it’s not a beginning. It’s a continuation. The Class of 2025 has left its mark on this key. Now let’s go leave our mark on the world. And with that, it is my great pleasure to pass this key to Cara Carangelo, the Class of 2026 President.”
Cara Carangelo said, “This key carries weight. It symbolizes trust, responsibility, and the expectation that we will continue to build on what you’ve started. It’s a reminder that, in some ways, the future of Wakefield Memorial High School is now in our hands, and it is our job to continue to lead and set examples for the future graduating classes.”
Aliza Margolis, secretary of the Class of 2025, presented the class banner, which was created by Brianna Cribbie. Margolis noted that it includes the class motto, written by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
Margolis continued, “That message is especially fitting for us, because as a class, we’ve done more than just follow along. We’ve carved out space for fun, creativity, and tradition in ways that are uniquely ours. We revived the Senior show and filled it with new energy. We started things no one expected —like the Cheese Club—which might sound bizarre at first, but was really about bringing people together over something simple and shared. And we literally left our mark on the school by signing the I-beam that will be a part of the new building, a symbol that even as the walls change, part of our class is built into its foundation.”
Brianna Cribbie created the Class of 2025 banner. She said, “I hope when you look at this banner, you see more than colors and symbols. I hope you see yourself in it. Your memories. Your milestones. Your mark.
“This is more than a class banner—it’s a thank you, a tribute, and a promise that no matter where we go next, we’ll take the courage and creativity we found here and leave a trail worth remembering.”
“I Lived” was performed by Samantha Bordonaro, Owen Kelley, Brendan Leane, Siobhan Lombardi, Alex Morton, Jhalak Patel, Elizabeth Police, Amber Smith, Scott Davis, Grant Jefferson, Zachaeus Sivan and Caeden Pothier, under the director of Ana Morel.
Principal Amy McLeod, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Doug Lyons, School
Committeeman Kevin Fontanella, Class of 2025 President Abigail Myette and Class of 2025 Vice President Wisely Chea then handed out diplomas.
The Class of 2025 left Landrigan Field to “Fanfare and Recessional” performed by the WMHS Band directed by Thomas Bankert and Phil Cataldo.