Above: Highlights from recent ceremonies celebrating the Class of 2026. (images clockwise by Beth Melo, from Facebook, and from St. Mark’s website)
This past Saturday, Algonquin Regional High School and Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School held their graduation ceremonies. Close to two weeks earlier, St. Mark’s School celebrated its Prize Day. Here are some highlights from the events.
ARHS Graduation
On June 6th, on a much milder morning than was forecast, Algonquin held its ceremony for 274 graduating seniors in the GonkPlex stadium.
In his opening remarks, Superintendent Gregory Martineau spoke about the shoes students wore over the years as a metaphor for the importance of having empathy for others and the unknown lived experiences that shaped them. Class President, Southborough’s Brandon Truong, focused on encouraging classmates to embrace their authentic selves, rather than trying to be what they believe others want them to be.
Class Essayist Danny Schanzer (also from Southborough) thanked teachers for their impact over the years:
You all were behind so many of the moments that shaped us, even when you were not the ones standing in the spotlight.
To his classmates, he followed:
we did it. Not just through assignments, tests, sand projects, but through all these moments that really shaped these years. We grew up together. We experienced first days, last days, stressful nights, friendships, changes, successes, failures. And even though we all shared different versions of high school, we shared this place.
The final speech by Principal Sean Bevan recalled the delight that he and colleagues experienced this spring, seeing students suddenly embrace an activity from his youth — kicking around hacky sacks with each other. He used it as an example of something he encourages students to find time for and appreciate — moments where they are “fully present” with those around them.
You can view the video of the full ceremony below, and read more highlights (and some great photos) in the Community Advocate’s coverage. And you can read the list of graduates here.
For The Harbinger’s Senior Issue, the school paper published 11 “Reflections” essays by seniors. You can read most of them on the website here.1
The printed issue also reported on students’ plans for next year, but with far fewer details than past years. There is no info specified about students who aren’t going to college. For those that are, they shared a list of the “most popular colleges” but without details on how many will attend them. (Although, many of the seniors posted their college plans with photos to Instagram here.) The popular college list was:
- UMass Amherst
- UConn
- Boston College
- Boston University
- Stonehill College
- Quinnipiac University
- Indiana University
- Endicott College
- Providence College
AVRTHS Graduation
As usual, Assabet’s graduation was held at the DCU Center in Worcester. In her address, Gabrielli Vitoria Mariano Costa Dos Santos noted the diverse plans of their graduating class: entering straight into the workforce, heading to trade schools, moving on to college, and even serving in the U.S. Military. She told the crowd:
Our paths are divided, and we don’t know exactly what its [going] to be in the end. The beauty of our Assabet educations is that we didn’t force us into a single mold. It gave us the tools to choose our own adventure.
Valedictorian Casey Knott spoke about her impactful decision to transfer from Leicester High School as a sophomore. She recalled how welcoming the school was. Looking ahead, she advocated for graduates to give themselves “grace for the mistakes that are bound to happen, some of which may lead you through doors you never thought would open in the first place.”
Below are photos from the ceremony posted by AVRTHS to Facebook:
And here is the video:
St. Mark’s School Prize Day
On May 25th, the school held the ceremony for graduating students. On their website, the school’s recap included highlights, like:
Using a LEGO cherry blossom set as a visual prop, [valedictorian, Elijah Abraham] reflected on how a simple moment during his junior year transformed his view of time and purpose. Walking across campus one spring day, he noticed the School’s cherry blossom trees in bloom for what felt like the first time.
“I stopped in my tracks, in awe,” he said. “I wondered, ‘How could I have never noticed these trees before?’” After learning that cherry blossoms bloom for only about 10 days, Abraham became captivated by them, spending as much time as possible beneath the trees during their brief flowering season.
“The meaning didn’t lie in a future job or a tangible benefit,” Abraham told his classmates. “It came from a feeling in my soul.” He challenged the audience to think beyond achievement and external success, asking them to consider what truly gives their actions meaning.
You can read more about the event and view a video highlight reel here. And you can check out all of their photos from the event here.
