Prior to receiving their diplomas, the 91 members of the Belmont High School Class of 2017 had plenty to hand out as they walked around the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion on Saturday afternoon.
Students spent time giving flowers and numerous hugs to those who were most important in their lives. In the background, a slideshow displayed images of the graduates as babies and in elementary, middle and high school.
This show of appreciation for their loved ones and teachers embodied the one word principal David Williams used to best describe the class – “impressive.”
“I’ve been impressed with them since day one,” he said. “I’ve been impressed with their work ethic, I’ve been impressed with their motivation and drive, I’ve been impressed with your musical and artistic achievements (and) I’ve been impressed with your athletic achievements.”
It is perhaps fitting that the advice Williams gave to the class, in a venue normally reserved for concerts, came from Bruce Springsteen.
“Talk about a dream and try to make it real,” he said, quoting the Boss. “Never give up on your dreams, because your future depends on them.”
Salutatorian Jasmine Syed similarly encouraged students to chase their dreams and follow their instincts. It is through this determination to follow their gut, she said, that the class has succeeded.
“Individually, we have been through the toughest of challenges and yet here we are,” she said.
Syed, who remembers her shy days at the beginning of her freshman year, said this success has been helped by taking risks. Syed said her own personal growth, and the growth of her classmates, could be attributed to this ability to step outside their comfort zone.
“We are the generation of risk takers and fearless leaders,” she said. “Individually, we can contribute positively to the world and together we can change it.”
Syed said while this adventurous spirit may pose challenges, she and her classmates must never shy away from new challenges.
“Take whatever may come your way as an opportunity and never a burden,” she said. “Our goals and partnerships do not end here, nor do our imagination, creativity and knowledge.”
Valedictorian and class president Sarah Chase said her classmates drive came through years of shaping by both teachers and parents.
“We get our foundation from our parents and build from that,” she said. “Each grade and every teacher has something new for us to learn, something that will aid us in the final test, that test being our lives.”
This preparation, Chase said, helps students throughout their journeys in facing both visible and hidden challenges.
“Each of us is trying to develop a voice for ourselves,” she said. “We are learning the details about what we want, we are learning the ins and outs of the obstacle course.”
Chase said these instilled values have prepared the graduates of Belmont High School for the future.
“We all have our own ideas and dreams, we all are unique individuals with extremely bright futures ahead of us,” she said.