They were there to celebrate Bow High School’s Class of 2017, but to come up with the perfect soundtrack, English teacher Heidi Pauer and history teacher Derek Deangelis went old-school – as in back to the early ’80s.
The mixtape, they said, was carefully selected to provide meaning and inspiration to the 133 graduating seniors.
“The songs you are about to hear have meant something to us over the last 20 years and have deeper meanings for you,” Pauer said.
Among the songs Pauer and Deangelis played was Men Without Hats’ 1982 hit, “The Safety Dance,” a song they said would encourage students to step outside their comfort zone and do what they wanted no matter what others thought.
Senior Class President Olivia Krause continued to hit that note when she addressed her fellow students.
Krause said their best experiences would happen when they challenged themselves to go beyond what they know.
“By our senior year, much of what was unfamiliar and uncomfortable had become familiar, comfortable and part of our every day lives,” she said.
Krause said one of her best experiences at Bow High School came when she tried a new sport during her first semester, a leap she never expected she would take.
“I did something really scary at the beginning of freshman year – I joined girls cross country” she said. “Was I confident in my decision to leave soccer for cross country? Absolutely not … (but) the discipline and stamina I developed during my seasons made me a stronger person, both mentally and physically.”
Another of the songs Pauer and Deangelis played for students was Chumbawumba’s “Tubthumbing,” a song about rebounding from adversity. Student speaker Sohani Demian said being kind was one of the keys to overcoming difficulties and creating a better community out of it.
“Over the past year, tensions have risen around the world more than I’ve ever seen in my life,” she said. “However, our community hasn’t succumbed to this trend and we have … chosen kindness.”
Demian urged students to be kind in every aspect of their lives.
“Genuine kindness is the one way we can open doors for ourselves and for others … but to choose kindness will not always be easy,” she said.
Among the more unexpected songs on the mixtape was the iconic theme from Star Wars. Pauer said this classic represents the journey that each student is on and the unexpected challenges they will face.
“Some of us will go to college and university, some of us will be serving our nation,” senior Eliorah Finkelson told her classmates, “Wherever you go, you’ll have a first day. That may be the scariest day of your life, but you will find your new people, your new tribe,” she said.
Finkelson said these new journeys will not be filled merely with firsts, but also with many lasts.
“There will always be endings, and yet with every ending comes a new beginning, so do not regret these lasts,” she said. “There is good in every last you endure because each one paves the way to a new first.”
With the collective wisdom of the mixtape having been passed on, Pauer and Deangelis gave one last parting word of advice to the seniors.
“Now go and create your own mixtape with your life,” Pauer said. “… though it may sound off key, sing loudly to your theme song.”