Published June 6, 2019
By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING —Commencement exercises for the 62nd graduating class of North Reading High School will be held on Friday, June 7 at 6:15 p.m.
The Class of 2019 is only the second class to complete four years of high school in the state-of-the-art facility.
The soon-to-be graduates will receive their diplomas at outdoor ceremonies at the Arthur J. Kenney Field, to which all are invited. In the case of inclement weather commencement exercises will be moved indoors to the high school’s gymnasium with remote viewing available from the air conditioned Daniel H. Shay Performing Arts Center. Admittance to the indoor ceremony is by ticket only. A limited number of tickets were distributed to class members in advance.
The graduates will enter the field while the NRHS Concert Band plays the traditional processional “Pomp and Circumstance,” under the direction of Ben Owens. The “Star-Spangled Banner” will also be performed by the NRHS Concert Band, which will be joined by the NRHS Chorus directed by Allison Kane.
Principal Anthony J. Loprete will deliver the welcome address and opening remarks, followed by an address to the graduates from Superintendent of Schools Jon C. Bernard.
The school’s a cappella group, NOTEorious, and the Chorus will then sing “Legends/Just Like Fire” by The Score/Pink! Soloists are Samuel Giunta and Katie Leach.
The Honor Essays will be delivered by Michael Tyrrell, Molly Feffer and Samantha Martel. A performance by the NRHS Concert Band, “Among the Clouds,” will follow.
Abigail Griffin, whose essay was selected in a competition judged by the school’s faculty, will then deliver the Class Essay.
The announcement of scholarship awards will be made by Principal Loprete, to be followed by the conferring of diplomas by North Reading School Committee Chairman Scott Buckley and Assistant Principal Joseph Hehn. The announcement of the senior class gift will be made by the senior class officers, President Michael Mikula, Vice President James Schille, Secretary Kaitlyn Shevlin and Treasurer Trevor R. Wilson.
No graduation ceremony would be complete without the simultaneous tossing of mortarboards into the air by the newly minted graduates, to be followed by the traditional strains of James Ployhar’s “Fanfare and Recessional” by the NRHS Concert Band. Friends and family will then be welcome to join the graduates on the track and turf field for photos.
Next week, the Transcript will publish its traditional keepsake graduation supplement, including senior class portraits, extensive photo coverage of senior events, text by the essayists and scholarship awards.
