By Polly Mikula
Killington Mountain School kicked off local graduation ceremonies on June 2; other area schools followed shortly after with Rutland High School celebrating at Spartan Arena on June 13 and Woodstock Union High School at Union Arena, June 14.
Inherent in most all graduation speeches is the send-off of a new generation of students into a world offering promise and hopes for success, but also certain obstacles and failure, grief and setbacks. The challenge in the journey is to persevere with grace, humility and goodwill toward others.
Those words of encouragement are said each spring to millions of graduates in thousands of ways, this year with two particular bookends — the beginning of the pandemic when today’s graduates in high school and college were entering their freshmen year that culminated with a full lunar eclipse four years later. Appropriately, expansion was a common theme in speeches across the region.
– Woodstock High School seniors Clara Shortle, William Obbard, and Kamron Yuengling performed this year’s speakchorus honoring each graduate.
“Your world is as big as you make it,” advised Woodstock Principal Gavin Small to the crowd of about 400 people.
Rutland Senior Class Honor Speaker Annabelle Mahar told her classmates: “Rutland High School is in your roots, so push limits, climb barriers and raise the bar.”
Rutland’s graduation speaker was meteorologist Kerrin Jeromin, a communication strategist with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado (also an alum of RHS, Class of 2004). She shared, “There are beautiful and bright times ahead if you make the choice to see the bright spot — or, better yet, be the bright spot. From here on out, you can create whatever weather and atmosphere you want for your life.”
A longstanding Woodstock tradition, begun by former theater teacher Harriet Worrell, is to perform a “speakchorus” which celebrates each member of the senior class by acknowledging the unique traits. For example someone’s athletic prowess, outdoor enthusiasm, kindness, humor, or ability to huck a 360 on skis.
Seniors Clara Shortle, William Obbard, and Kamron Yuengling performed this year’s speakchorus highlighting their 2024 class community.
“I have realized that there is nothing small about the sort of community that we have in this place,” Valedictorian Leah Kuhnert, who will attend Cornell University in the fall, told her classmates. “Remember to lead with a desire to understand rather than to judge.”
Senior class president Maggie Mello, who will attend Providence College in the fall, advised her classmates to: “Follow your passion, find your people, and visit your happy places,” adding, “Happiness is not something that some people can have and other people can’t. It builds through a series of decisions we make every day.”
Class of 2024 Senior Plans
Maxwell Eric Abrams, University of Vermont, Computer Science
Phoebe Marley Anderson, Hobart and William Smith, Undecided
Catherine D Austin, Clarkson University, Mechanical Engineering
Lindsey Elizabeth, No Information Available
Brendan R Barbour, Sales/Entrepreneur
Douglas Bard, Work/Armed Forces
Jaedon Ridere Skye Beardsley, Defer from St. Lawrence University, PG year at Killington Mountain
School, Business
Mary Lila Beckwith, George Washington University, Business & Environmental Studies
Celeste Royce Lily Belisle, Tulane University, Communications
Ilya D Bochkov, No Information Available
Meridian Eve Bremel, Alfred University, Equine Business Management
Anna Magdalena Brown, No Information Available
Sage Marie Campisi, Vermont Technical School, Veterinary Technician
Charley Mae Crowley, First Impressions Hair Stylist
Skye Emma Cully, University of Vermont , Environmental Engineering
Harper Gabriel Davidson, No Information Available
Brexton Riley Eckler, No Information Available
Amelie May Mair Fabre, University of Vermont, Global Studies and International Studies
Django Treash Farinas, No Information Available
Cormac Clinton Farrell, No Information Available
Eli Fielder, Work and School
Giuseppe Vincent Franza, No Information Available
Genevieve Anna Gnodde, College in the Netherlands, Biology/English
Joseph Goes, No Information Available
Phoebe Grace Goldberg, University of California San Diego, Biomedical Science
Kiera Jayden Grillo-Chope, Community College of Vermont, Career Exploration
Hannah Elizabeth Gubbins, St. Lawrence University, Psychology
Sam G Hambsch, No Information Available
Kianny Fernanda Harrington, Travel and Gap Year
Ethan Paul Havill, Southeast Lineman Training Center
Brooke Ryan Hecker, Providence College, Elementary and Special Education
Laura Analeis Hendee, University of Vermont, Psychology
Joshua M Hough, Work
Benjamin Roy Johnsen, No Information Available
Andrea Stalla Gracinda Journet, Catholic University of Lyon, France, Undecided
Logan Maurine Knox, No Information Available
Owen Jeffrey Kross, No Information Available
Leah Mae Kuhnert, Cornell University, Earth and Atmosphere Sciences
Jazmine Elizabeth Lantz, Marine Corp
Gracelyn Mary Laperle, Suffolk University, Biology
Ezra William Lockhart, Gordon College, Undecided
Brooke Nikole Longley, No Information Available
Remy Ruth Malik, Brown University, Classics
Zach Tsien Li Martsolf-Tan, San Diego State University, Undecided
Kuba Marzec, Bard College, Photography
Chloe Beach Masillo, Northeastern University, Biology
Tori Leah McNamara, United States Air Force Academy, Geospatial Science
Class of 2024 Senior Plans, Public Use
Margaret Ella Mello, Providence College, Business Management
Grace H Modarai, Franklin and Marshall College, Biology
Delia Jean Morgan, University of Vermont, Studio Art
Lucas Morgan, No Information Available
Mikayla Ann Myers, Providence College, Nursing
Cassandra Marilyn Edgar Naife, No Information Available
Sophia Doris Nisimblat, Boston College, Marketing and/or Management
Charlotte Elizabeth Nunan, University of Vermont, Art Education
William George Obbard, Aberystwyth University, Wales, Computer Science
Jordan William O’Neal, Johnson and Wales University, Culinary Arts
Keller Pauly, Keene State University, Undecided
Griffin Nichols Piconi, Ohio University, Engineering
Seamus M Powers, Saint Joseph’s University, Neuroscience and Philosophy
Charles S Rice, Trade School in Halifax, Welding
Jacob Sidney Roth, University of Utah, Mechanical Engineering
Gavyn Hugh Sammel, U of Southern ME, Anthropology
Ryan Seiple, No Information Available
Claudia Louise Shoemaker, Wheaton College, Marketing
Clara Joan Shortle, Anglo-American University, Prague, Journalism and Media Studies
Richard Edward Siems, T & R’s Junk Removal
Ella Robin Stainton, University of Richmond, Biology and Business
Farren Elsbeth Stainton, Middlebury College, Neuroscience and Biology
Quinn Lavin Stickney, Jacksonville University, Psychology
Jacob Keith Stone, No Information Available
Heikke-Maverick Pomeroy Tans, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Architecture
Allie Ray Tarleton, No Information Available
Georgia Reid Tarleton, No Information Available
Tanner James Tarleton, No Information Available
Iosif Alexander Tsouknakis, No Information Available
Cole Kathleen Waters, No Information Available
Hannah Mae Watson, American International College, Undecided
Vera Marae Windish, Johnson and Wales University, Baking and Pastry Art
Bode Webbster Wood, Providence College, Health Science
Jonas T Wysocki, No Information Available
Zev A Wysocki, No Information Available
Kamron Kristina Yuengling, Montclair State University, Film and Media Production
