Boisterous Class of 2012 Bids Farewell to Melrose High School

A brisk and overcast June evening didn't deter a boisterous Class of 2012—and equally raucous crowd of family and friends— from celebrating their graduation from on Friday night.

As the sun set, temperatures dropped and lips shivered, this year's graduating seniors kept warm by embracing a spirit of camaraderie, whether through loudly cheering on their classmates or through their speeches.

Family and friends loudly hooted and hollered throughout the ceremony, with the occassional air horn going off. The graduates themselves broke into cheers throughout the ceremony, especially as their classmates received their diplomas.

And when Ashani Logan mentioned during his METCO address that after a journey that took him from Jamaican public schools, to Boston and finally to Melrose, he was one of just 1,000 students this year to be awarded a Gates Millennium Scholarship—a full college scholarship through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—that he's using to attend the School of Architecture at Syracuse University, everyone present, led by Logan's classmates, rose in a deafening standing ovation.

There were moments of jocular ribbing as well—a diploma dropped on stage followed by a big smile; a gust of wind blowing a mortarboard off a diploma recipient; and similarly a breeze carrying a page of Class President Jared Gardiner's address to the ground, as he stated a matter-of-factly, "That's a page of my speech." He walked around to the front of the stage and picked it up, to cheers and applause.

Flame of Fellowship

The camaraderie was evident in the speeches and off-the-cuff remarks of the students. After being introduced by master of ceremonies Lucy Naslas, Gardiner name-dropped several of his classmates and their unique talents: from Cole O’Brien's painting skills, to Thomas Fanikos' adeptness at Twitter, to Katie Laqualia's art skills, which apparently can be used for good or evil.

"Ladies, stay on Katie Laqualia’s good side," Gardiner cautioned. "Her portraits can make the shading on your upper lip a lot clearer than it was in the morning when you checked the mirror."

Valedictorian Emily Conn, who began her speech off script with acknowledging her friend Gardiner, said that the Class of 2012 was one that could not "be easily forgotten," with strength, energy and a willingness to fight for their beliefs.

"We have united to raise money for the Jimmy Fund, completed 30,563 hours of community service, and gained admittance to some of the top colleges in the nation," Conn said. "We are a class that has had an impact on Melrose High School and will continue on to have a lasting impact on the world."

Logan spoke in personal terms about his journey and becoming part of the Melrose community and larger American community.

"As one of the top graduating METCO seniors at Melrose High, I now recognize that I’m part of a completely different society than Jamaica," he said. "Even though I’m still a young man who was an immigrant, I’m no longer a stranger to America and its diverse melting pot of cultures."

And if language is a cultural identifier, then Melrose has a culture all its own, as Jill Slabacheski covered in her farewell address, wondering if when the seniors leave Melrose others will look at them funny when "MHS slang words slip out in the middle of a conversation."

"Since when is describing someone as a meal or type of food socially acceptable?" she asked rhetorically. "Oh well, I’m hip to use them, cause they’re bomb and make sense, so sbuk to those kids who don’t understand them, ya feel me?  But in all seriousness, if you think about it, these are the kinds of things that make us students of Melrose High.  This, along with other things such as our Red Raider pride helps define our character as a true Melrosian."

An Appreciation for Educators

The Class of 2012 also showed their appreciation for the teachers and faculty at Melrose High School, running across the stage for hugs after getting their diplomas, and through their words.

"Here at Melrose, I owe much of my academic success to the many people who had my educational endeavors in mind," Logan said.

Gardiner spoke of two teachers in particular: Mr. Celli, who Gardiner said "changed how I view life and I will always use you as a model for my future and I hope to one day know as much about sports as you do." Also, he spoke said Ms. Gintner impacted his life "in the most significant way possible" and without her support, he wouldn't be standing on the stage giving his address.

"You kept me in line but you also always kept me laughing and I will never forget the hard work you put in to making my high school career the most it could ever be," he said. "I will miss escorting you down the hallway to make sure no one messes with you or stealing all your food in your stash. LG, thank you."

Where can you find a teacher who'll stay at school until 7:30 pm to help a student master a tricky calculus problem, come in on a Saturday to help a kid prepare for an AP exam, or devote a summer to helping a student stay in shape? According to Conn, it's at Melrose High School.

The faculty and staff here are so much more than school employees. They are advisors, coaches, and mentors," she said. "They have helped to mold, not merely our minds, but our personalities. I would like to take a moment to thank each and every one of them. Their guidance throughout our time at Melrose High School has meant more to us than they can possibly imagine. They have become a permanent part of each of us, and I suspect that we have left a mark on them as well."

As the 256 graduates move on to the next phase of their lives, Slabacheski said they'll "practice the morals" they learned at Melrose High School.

"Here, we have learned that high school is a time to make mistakes, easily find our interests, laugh with yourself and others, have and be a role model, experience some of those oh-my-gosh moments, and exit with confidence," she said, as eight of her fellow students held signs spelling out "MELROSE," with an MHS logo on the last sign. On behalf of the Melrose High School Class of 2012, we thank you with the utmost sincerity, and we bid you a fond and long-lasting ..."

And with that, the students turned their signs around with one final message—"FAREWELL."