THE CLASS OF 2024 experiences the joy of graduating last Friday night at Fred Green Memorial Field. (Photo by Raj Das, edphtotos.com)
MELROSE — From Adam Michael Abdow and Leena Salma Abraou to Jack Christian Wright and Qing Ting Zhu, nearly 240 seniors graduated from Melrose High School Friday night, May 31 at Fred Green Memorial Field.
On a perfect evening for a commencement ceremony, the Class of 2024 entered to “Pomp and Circumstance” played by the Melrose High School Band.
Kristi Berry sang the National Anthem to kick off the nearly two hours of festivities. Kathleen Bentley and Piper Murray also performed, singing “Somewhere Only We Know.”
This year’s Welcome Address was delivered by Adrisela Forero, who has overcome a lot of obstacles in her young life.
She said, “I came from an abusive household that consisted of 2 mentally unstable parents. I raised myself and day by day, I aimed only for survival, rather than appreciating and living life. I built myself to be the woman I am today, and I took back the ability to control my story and build a world worth living in. Although I suffered severe child abuse, I was dedicated to being a better parent and protecting my daughter with everything in my body. I had the ambition to defeat any battle that comes with getting an education and being the head of the household, a provider. Child abuse is all about people trying to silence you, and I was silenced for many years. Eventually, I found my voice and overcame my struggles, and now I’m working to be a voice for other survivors. So my first lesson is, despite how your life started in childhood, you can persevere and create the ending that you want.
“Growing up with people who I called ‘family’ never actually showed me what unconditional love was. I was not able to experience this until I became a mother, a role model, and had the opportunity to have control over my life once and for all. I am open to learning new things and sharing what I’ve learned in life. I’ve learned that people who are labeled as family can’t always show you the support and love that you need. My heart pours out to Megan Caprenzi, who opened her own family and heart to me and my sisters. Whenever we needed anything, she was there. She is an honorable human being who has really shaped my life in a better direction. So, my second lesson to you is that you have the power to choose and create your own family made up of people who want to see you grow and succeed. Hold onto those people who gave you that second chance in life.
“People know of me because I have a child, but a select few looked over assumptions to get to know who I am as an individual. After years of trauma, I forged my own path by building courage, independence, and endless resiliency. The odds were against me, but I am proud to stand here and say that I am not only graduating high school, but I will also be attending Endicott College this fall to study Psychology. I plan to become a child psychologist to help children who suffer with PTSD and abuse. Which brings me to my last lesson: be who you are despite anything, and never cease to make your dreams and goals come true.
“Life can connect you with people that help give you strength to keep going. People that inspired me and helped keep me going were the Melrose guidance team, especially Ms. Pizzotti. She was the driving force in my life, she helped me not only academically but personally. She is my inspiration. She helped me build character, she was dedicated to helping me do better for myself. I really appreciate these people for putting their time into helping me and my daughter. I’ve lived in a shelter since I was 14, and the team helping to manage the home have practically raised me throughout high school. They believed in me, and pushed me through all the struggles that came my way. So, I’m so thankful to Tara Bentley, for being my backbone when I needed it.
“Life seems like it passes slowly, but it goes by quickly. I bet you can’t remember the last time you were in gym class with your friends, sitting in a parachute bubble, or the last time you got out those colorful rolling scooters and played fish in the gymnasium. So what I’m trying to say is, embrace every stage of life.”
Jaya Karamcheti was the valedictorian in the Class of 2024.
“As I was writing this speech, I spent a lot of time reflecting on that feeling, and I eventually came to this conclusion. Yes, I was happy. Yes, I was proud of myself. But this one moment wasn’t the moment that changed my life and made my time in Melrose so special. It was the “little things,” the present moments that defined and continue to define my high school experience.
“And this doesn’t appear to be a perspective that only I share. I asked my fellow students about their favorite high school moments, and I’d like to read some of them to you.
“Dunkin’ runs before school, a quintessential MHS experience. Long runs with the cross-country team. Morning meet-ups in Ms. Edsall’s room. Getting dismissed (valid). Randomly seeing Tinker in the hallways. Getting yelled at for laughing too loudly during class (I second this one). Temporarily becoming best friends with your group for a group project. Sitting at the high-top tables in the Learning Commons with friends. Competing with people for the best spot at the Knoll.
“None of these moments are big achievements, even though we’ve all had those. But they are what has made our time at MHS what it is. Think of a novel, oftentimes described by only its biggest plot points. You could read the Spark Notes, as I know we’ve all done countless times, but then you’d miss out on the beauty of every little chapter, every little paragraph, every little sentence, every little word.
“As graduating seniors, we are frequently asked the question, ‘Where do you see yourself in 10 years?’ In 10 years, I don’t know where I’ll be, or what I’ll be doing, and to put it quite frankly, that’s terrifying. But I do know this. In ten years, I won’t remember my GPA down to the thousandth of a decimal point. I won’t be able to recite all of my AP Econ test grades in chronological order. I won’t have my morning meeting schedule memorized or know exactly how many times I stayed up until two in the morning reading a book for AP Lit (although I will know it was a lot). But I will remember all the conversations I had in the hallways, the inside jokes I shared with my classmates, the friendships, big and small, that brought joy to my days. I’ll remember eating lunch outside when the weather was warm, Blooket and Jeopardy! games, and sunrise runs. These moments – not any achievement – are what I’ll miss most, and I only wish I had a little more time to soak them up.
“I’d like to end with a quote from someone who has arguably shaped our high school experience the most – Taylor Swift. ‘For there were pages turned, with the bridges burned, everything you lose is a step you take. So, make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it, you’ve got no reason to be afraid.’
“As we enter this next chapter of our lives, I urge you to be kind, treasure every moment, and never lose sight of your dreams. Who knows – they might just come true. Thank you for everything, MHS; I would not be me without you. Congratulations to the Class of 2024!”
Just before the students received their diplomas, Patrick Stratford delivered the Farewell Address.
In his speech, Stratford said, “Each of us will be lucky if we find a community like Melrose High in the next chapter of our lives. Whether it be at our University of choice or a workplace next fall. The sense of community we have had has been something extraordinary. For me, no matter where my next chapter takes me, Melrose will always be home.
“Now even as all of our lives take us all on different paths with new people and perspectives that have an impact on who we are and who we will become, we all will have one thing in common. Every one of us was fortunate enough to call Melrose home for these four years.
“But that is the thing about the next steps we will take. They are up to us. We can take every lesson and bit of wisdom our parents, teachers, and coaches have taught us as they have guided us through our last 18 years however it is now in our hands. It is time for each of us to forge our own path and take hold of our own story.
“So during this time of self discovery let us not forget that we cannot embark on a journey full of successes without failures. Each one being an opportunity to learn who we are. As the great Robert F. Kennedy once said ‘Only those who dare to fail greatly can achieve greatly.’
“Finally as I conclude my speech I want to take a moment for us all to remember there should be one more student among us. Grace Zinck. For those of you that weren’t fortunate enough to know her, she was a classmate of ours that beat the odds and lived a beautiful 17 years.
“Now a few weeks from now, not many of you will remember this speech, and in a few years most of our memories from graduation week will seem a little fuzzy. But I do ask if you remember one thing, remember Grace because if we all strive to be like her with a positive attitude and a smile simply there to lift others, your lives will be better for it.
“I remember my first class with Grace, Ms.Jerz 6th grade Art Class. Sitting at my table she always brought a level of kindness and a smile along with it. I was touched when my mother informed me that Mrs.Zinck had mentioned that Grace brought me up at their home. It is something I not only am glad to remember but something I have learned from, that those are the memories that stick with us – the ones of spreading kindness and joy. The ones where a smile is infectious be it somebody else’s or our own. This is a value that Grace embodied. As Mr. Merrill has mentioned once or twice before, there is value in the story involving that old corn farmer…by helping others ultimately we are helping ourselves.
“Thank you again for allowing me to speak tonight. It’s truly an honor and I am grateful that I got to stand here before so many of the people who have made my time at Melrose High School not only possible, but special. And to my fellow graduates – congratulations once again. We’ve come a long way and I wish all of you success in whatever you do next.”
