One step at a time, the seniors of Pembroke Academy’s graduating class of 2019 marched through the grassy outfield of their school’s softball field, perfectly in tune with the occasion’s stock song, “Pomp and Circumstance.” On the school’s bicentennial graduation Saturday morning, the soon to be graduates had much to celebrate.
“A class this good only comes around once every two hundred years,” said Avery Gamache, class president.
Facing the stage, the men of the class of 2019, wearing green caps and gowns, sat on the right. On the left were the women of the class, who wore white caps and gowns.
Gamache, the first to speak, welcomed the family and friends gathered for the day.
“The people around you truly love you,” said Gamache, whose grandmother had flown up from Florida and whose aunt had driven from Virginia to be at graduation.
Gamache pointed out how far Pembroke has come since her grandmother graduated from the school in 1956. Since then, Gamache said, the number of sports available to women has jumped from two to 15, the norm of men asking women to prom has been replaced by an understanding that “love is love,” and the assumptions for what is possible in life for a woman have been broken.
“That’s progress,” Gamache said.
Salutatorian Levi Putman, who helped lead the school’s robotics team to the world championships this year, reminded the class of what it means to be a Spartan. A Spartan is confident, will never surrender and adapts to changes in their environment, he said.
“Above all else, a Spartan is kind,” added Putman.
Valedictorian Alysse Cleasby offered lessons from Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame in her speech. Among them: character, not ability, defines a person, sacrifice is often necessary, anyone can be a hero and no one is strong enough to get through life alone.
“If demigods and superhuman needs a support, so do us mortals,” Cleasby said.
After receiving gifts from the seniors, class advisors Matthew Dion and Nichole Ficken spoke to the seniors they guided through high school.
“What do you call a math teacher who vacations on the beach?” asked Dion, renown among the seniors for his dad jokes. “A tan-gent,” he answered to laughs.
In her speech, Ficken, an English teacher, cited Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. “Now is your time to pursue your personal legend,” Ficken said.
Next, Putman and class treasurer Nolan Sykes presented the class gift: eight museum prints documenting the two-century history of the school and a scholarship for future classes. After the school band played a rendition of “Welcome to the Jungle” that involved more flutes and clarinets than the original, headmaster Paul Famulari began his remarks with praise for the cover.
“We cannot have a bicentennial graduation celebration without Guns N’ Roses, so thank you,” said the headmaster.
Famulari honored all the seniors planning to serve in the armed forces after graduation. He singled out Laurel Klawes, who received an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy, Pembroke’s first service academy appointment in 28 years. Dozens of shout-outs followed.
“Miriam, Avery, Katherine, you embody what it means to be community servants, and you’ve made it your commitment to better your communities. Luc – not all biker boys are bad boys,” said the headmaster.
Then, Famulari reflected on the class’s time together.
“We laughed, we cried, we reminded sophomores of our expectations at assemblies, we celebrated championships, we held one another in times of loss, and yet we laughed a little bit more,” he said.
Finally, 168 students walked across the stage to receive a diploma and a handful of handshakes and hugs. Then, they moved their tassels to the left and it began to rain white and green caps.
As the newly graduated found their friends and family in the outfield, Bonnie Blazon held a bouquet of flowers for her granddaughter, Elisabeth Valley.
“I’m proud… and I’m sad,” said Blazon, whose granddaughter Elisabeth plans to attend Plymouth State and someday become a teacher.
Christopher Dion, whose green cap was adorned with drawings of colorful, dancing figures and a quote from Keith Haring, was optimistic.
“I’m feeling really food, and really excited,” said Dion, who plans to pursue bachelors and masters degrees in Theatre at Plymouth State. “It’s the end of one set of four years and the beginning of another step in life.”