HOULTON, Maine — It was anything but a traditional commencement for the Class of 2020 at Houlton Middle-High School, but that only made it all the more memorable for the 86 graduates.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which essentially shut down in-person education and socialization in March, Thursday night’s graduation ceremony was held in the hangar of the Houlton International Airport.
The evening began with a large motorcade of seniors and their families, complete with police and fire escorts, starting at the high school and traversing through town before ending at the airport.
Houlton Middle-High School’s commencement ceremony was held at the Houlton International Airport for the first time in school history. Staff Photo/Joseph Cyr
And while there was not the traditional shower of confetti and Silly String at the end of the ceremony, there were plenty of car horns and noisemakers to celebrate the graduates.
“This is a new and unique way to celebrate a commencent,” said Principal Tim Tweedie in his welcoming remarks to students and their families. “We ask that you maintain social distancing in all scenarios. Please be respectful of others and let’s do our part to make this an enjoyable ceremony for all involved.”
Houlton Middle-High School Principal Tim Tweedie, right, gives directions to a senior on where they need to go for the senior motorcade prior to Houlton’s graduation ceremony June 4. Staff Photo/Joseph Cyr
Featuring a drive-in style graduation, students and their families were required to remain inside their vehicles, except when it was time to receive their diplomas on the makeshift stage erected inside the airport hangar.
While no outside spectators were allowed to attend the event, the ceremony was broadcast live courtesy of WHOU-FM.
Joseph Spencer, left, receives a hug from his mother Fran Sabbatis prior to the start of Houlton’s graduation ceremony June 4 at the Houlton International Airport. Staff Photo/Joseph Cyr
Class president Grace Johnson welcomed those in attendance and thanked the staff and administration for pulling off such a unique ceremony.
“A special thank you to [RSU 29 superintendent Ellen] Halliday and Mr. Tweedie for working so tirelessly to provide us with an in-person graduation ceremony,” Johnson said. “Their hard work and perseverance has not been lost on us.”
Marty Bouchard, former principal of Houlton Middle-High School, was the guest speaker at this year’s graduation ceremony. Staff Photo/Joseph Cyr
Marty Bouchard, Houlton’s former high school principal, was invited back to the Shiretown to serve as the guest speaker. Bouchard was the school’s principal from 2004 to 2018 before relocating to southern Maine.
“I want to extend a sincere thank you and congratulations to the Houlton High School Class of 2020,” Bouchard said. “It truly is a pleasure to be back to the place that I called home for 50 years.”
Bouchard encouraged the group to continue the learning process, regardless of what their future holds and to continue being hard workers throughout their lives.
Valedictorian Nathaniel DeLucca gives his address during Houlton’s graduation ceremony June 4. Staff Photo/Joseph Cyr
Valedictorian Nathaniel DeLucca injected a bit of humor and thoughtfulness into his remarks to the class.
“Today is a day of honor and celebration for the Class of 2020,” he said. “I have had countless community members express their sympathy and disbelief that such a large chapter of our lives would end this way, but my fellow classmates and I are accustomed to these types of disappointments. We have gotten the short end of the stick since middle school days.”
DeLucca then took his classmates on a comical trip down memory lane recapping how the boys, as fifth-graders, were required to use just one bathroom because of pranks pulled. He then noted how as sixth-graders, the class got lost on the school’s annual trip to Bar Harbor and missed out on shopping for “stink bombs,” or when the class lost out in the Battle of the Grades contest.
“At the time, these issues are what consumed and influenced our daily lives,” DeLucca said. “Now, these once-momentous misfortunes seem trivial. Now, we can look back on these memories with appreciation, not bitterness. In simple ways, they taught us that life is not always fair and prepared us for the larger trials of adult life. As we are learning right now, the trials only become grander and more challenging. So, as we literally drive off into the sunset, let’s look back with satisfaction and appreciation because we know our yesterdays have prepared us to manage tomorrow’s surprises, setbacks and stumbling blocks.”
Houlton Salutatorian Nolan Jacobs speaks to the audience during the school’s June 4 commencement ceremony. Staff Photo/Joseph Cyr
Salutatorian Nolan Jacobs referenced Loren Eiseley’s novel, “The Star Thrower” in which a young boy tosses starfish back into the ocean one at a time.
“I cherish this story because it reveals to us a fundamental truth about human nature. It tells us that despite all of our flaws, and despite all of our limitations as individuals, we can make a difference,” Jacobs said. “We might not be able to change the entire world, but the true intrinsic reward comes from helping at least one person and changing his or her world.”
Houlton senior Leighanna Martin pops out of the sunroof of her vehicle as she waits for the start of Houlton’s graduation ceremony June 4 at the Houlton International Airport. Staff Photo/Joseph Cyr
