By Kathleen McAleese and Kai-Lou Yue
Managing Editor and Business Manager
On Friday June 6, in a ceremony held at the Alumni Stadium at Westford Academy, the class of 2014 graduated high school. A class of about 410 students, they all received their diplomas and walked across the stage, signifying the beginning of the rest of their lives.
After faculty and students marched to their seats to the tune of Pomp and Circumstance performed live by the WA Band, Principal Jim Antonelli began the ceremony by addressing the graduating class, and gave special thanks to this year’s retiring faculty, who, combined, served 155 years of service for WA.
Those acknowledged included Barbara Kutner, Susan Beers, Elaine Pietras, Jeff Haight, and Antonelli’s former teacher, Sandy Whittemore, of whom he said, “You made me love to learn. Your commitment to the school that you have loved is unparalleled.”
A special member of the graduating class, Genevieve Johnson walked up to the stage hand in hand with her “dream team” composed of graduating seniors Grace Gosselin, Christina Caviston, and Caroline Eliopoulos, to finally receive her high school diploma at the age of 94. After completing her remaining credits that she was unable to complete while she attended WA in 1936, she finally was able to fulfill her lifelong dream of completing her high school education.
Antonelli welcomed Johnson to the stage with a speech, and said, “You have accomplished your mission and all along, your message has been to our students: education is so important and critical to your success. Stay in school. Genevieve, you have made our school a better place.”
Her great-great-grandson Reuben was welcomed onto the stage and handed her a well-deserved high school diploma. After which, the entire student body graced her with a standing ovation.
Renee Craig, Kayla Flanagan, Alex Clark, Jayne Pilachowski, Georgia McAlister, Emily Valante, Kathryn Leeber, and Ally Noble, each read lines from the poem, “When Great Trees Fall,” by Maya Angelou in remembrance of their friend Katie Enos whose life was taken in June of 2010, the summer before the graduating class’s freshman year. After the reading, three white balloons were released into the sky and Enos’s parents, Marian and Ed, with their son Max, were welcomed to the stage to receive an honorary diploma on behalf of their daughter.
Following Antonelli was guidance counselor Wendy Pechacek speaking of Valedictorian Kate Whitney and, on behalf of Kutner, about Salutatorian Sally Lee. Both Kutner and Pechacek hailed the two young women’s difficult schedule and unparalleled love of learning.
Class officers of the graduating class, Akshay Bhardwaj, Ben Woodward, Kelsey Anderson, and Henry Jiang, then said kind words of the administration and class advisors, Jennifer Conti and Julie Bostrom. Gifts of spa and restaurant gift cards were given to them on behalf of their class.
Olivia Peterson followed the officers as the class speaker, and in her speech, referred to the future as a marathon that the class would have to complete, but each member at their own pace. Her positive words lightened the crowd, and she ended with the three simple words, “Ready, set, go.”
True to tradition, “Most Worthy Representatives” were chosen from all grades selected by the WA faculty and invited on the stage to be recognized for involvement and outstanding character. Those chosen included freshmen Noah Barnes and Caroline Hurley, sophomores Gio Pierre-Louis and Meghan Bramanti, juniors Brandon Jurewicz and Hannah Jung, and seniors Nick Nudler and Olivia Peterson. All were thanked by Pechacek, as she showed gratitude for them “making the school a better place.”
Several seniors were then called upon the stage for academic excellence awards in all subject areas. Then, students received their high school diplomas from members of the Westford School Committee. One at a time, more than 400 students walked across the stage and shook the hands of administrators, committee members, and class officers.
Having acquired their ticket to the next chapter in their lives, members of the class, lead by Nudler and Alex Markoski, sang and danced to “Good Life” by One Republic and “September” by Earth, Wind, and Fire. Many graduates were up and out of their designated seats and danced in the aisle while propelling blow-up animals and beach balls into the air.
Following the songs, Class President Bhardwaj left his class with closing remarks. He recalled earlier occurrences in their four years that unified their class and left them with the family name of the Class of 2014 instead of just the label.
With all the speeches finished, and diplomas received, the class tossed their caps into the air and officially transformed from seniors to the most recent graduated class.
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