DANFORTH, Maine — The Class of 2017 at East Grand High School will likely never forget their commencement exercises. After all, it is not everyday that a person gets to hop a ride on a monster truck to be chauffeured to their graduation.
A small class of 14 students in Danforth did precisely that Thursday, June 8, arriving at the school on the back of the “Moose Mania” monster truck as they gathered to receive their diplomas.
Salutatorian Hannah Crone welcomed those in attendance and took her peers on a brief trip down memory lane.
“We have made many memories over the years, some we wish we will never forget, and some we wish we really could; but that’s what makes this class who we are,” she said. “After this day, we will all go our separate ways, but we will always have the memories we share together.”
East Grand senior Samuel Plummer dances his way down the aisle at the conclusion of the school’s graduation ceremony Thursday, June 8. (Joseph Cyr)
Crone said the class had made unexpected new friendships while other longtime friendships may have faded.
“We have faced obstacles that threatened to crush us,” she said. “We’ve laughed, and cried, and, of course, become professional procrastinators. We’ve overslept, under slept, and then stayed up all night just to do it all over again. By being here today, it is clear that all of our hard work and stress has paid off.
“Our class is like one huge family; we have known each other our whole lives, or a majority of it. We have grown and experienced things together, made mistakes and achievements, and have learned. So, it was a little hard to adjust when we hit our junior year and began to go our separate ways. Some of us attended region two every other day, some of us spent their days with their nose in a thick college textbook, and others attended Bridge Year every day.”
Due to a visual impairment, valedictorian Paige Young called upon senior class president Wyatt Oliver to speak before those gathered in attendance.
“I could stand here and ramble on and on about the past 12 years, but I have chosen to talk about the next four,” Oliver said. “We have come this far together and it is now time for us to continue on our own paths. Whether we are joining the workforce, or heading to college to further our learning in accounting, radiology, welding, or liberal studies, we are all working to find ourselves.”
Oliver added that the next four years truly would be the times in their lives when lifetime impressions would be made.
“It is up to us to have people say honorable things about us, and leave the impression that we never gave up on ourselves,” he said. “Society is counting on us. Excellence is never an accident. It is the result of hard work.”
Following the ceremony, the class departed for a Project Graduation event in Old Town.
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- East Grand seniors Philip Farley Jr., left, and Sarah Stoddard pose for a photo opp at Thursday’s graduation ceremony. (Joseph Cyr)
