‘Never forget what got us here’

173 students graduate as part of Johnston High School’s class of 2019

Posted

Johnston High School will always be home for the class of 2019.

Class advisor Margaret Guilmette made sure to emphasize that point during her speech at commencement on Wednesday, June 5, at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Providence.

Guilmette, speaking to the 173 graduating seniors, said she enjoyed the time she spent with the students and thanked them for sharing their experience with her. No matter what, she said, they will always be tethered to the halls of JHS.

“We want you to feel connected to a place, a center, somewhere where you feel love and accepted for who you are, despite your faults and through hard times,” said Guilmette, whose daughter Brenna was among the night’s graduates. “You need to have a place to return to in times of need. You also need the ability to go where you will and make your own mistakes.”

Guilmette joined a litany of local officials in issuing prepared remarks during the ceremony. Principal Dennis Morrell, Superintendent of Johnston Schools Dr. Bernard DiLullo, School Committee Chairman Robert LaFazia and Mayor Joseph Polisena all congratulated the outgoing Panthers on their past successes and future adventures.

It was those same Panthers who shined throughout the night. The chorus sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Bright Morning Stars,” while the band played a medley from “The Lion King.” Every performance received raucous applause.

Student Council president Emily Raposo led the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance to formally kick off the evening, and class president Zachary Zambarano gave his speech shortly after.

Zambarano told his fellow classmates that they have worked toward a single goal for the past decade, spanning from their time in kindergarten until they processed down the aisles at the Vets. Graduation, though, marked the end of that journey and the start of an entirely new one.

“Though this seems overwhelming, unbearable and downright terrifying, it is the lessons that we have learned both in and out of the classroom that will sustain us,” Zambarano said. “Our educational experience has truly prepared us for whatever life throws our way, and for that we’ll be forever thankful. To the current and future students of Johnston High here tonight, you are lucky – lucky to be part of the same school and same community that we have called family for the past four years.”

Salutatorian Kelly Sigui told the class that, for better of for worse, they will never forget 2019. She said the past four years have been consumed by late nights of homework, extracurricular activities and nights spent making memories with friends.

Now, she and her fellow graduates look toward the future. What lies ahead is waiting to be discovered, and she made it known that every student has control over their destiny.

“In our book of life, today is a big one,” Sigui said. “To quote C.S. Lewis, ‘You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.’ The past is what it is … Tomorrow, the next day and every day after that is whatever we want it to be, regardless of our previous decisions.”

She noted that every student has a unique path ahead, even if their next move is unclear. Regardless, she encouraged every Panther listening to seize the opportunity to “take the goodness within us and transplant [it] into those around us.”

“I would say to everyone listening now, plan or no plan, let’s make something of ourselves,” Sigui said. “Wherever we find ourselves in the next few years, let us never forget what got us there. It will likely be the same thing that got us here tonight.”

Valedictorian Sophia DaCosta took to the internet to craft her speech. She said she tends to overthink tasks, so she searched for valedictorian speech tips and found six helpful points that she ran down. One of them was to keep her speech “short and sweet,” which she accomplished in keeping it under five minutes.

The first step was to thank people, and she offered her appreciation to members of the town, administration, faculty, staff and class of 2019. She also mentioned some of her friends who “threatened me by saying, ‘I’d better be in your speech.’”

She would keep getting laughs out of the crowd, too. Another point was to make a few jokes, which she crowdsourced to a few of her close friends.

Then, DaCosta said she had to get a bit more serious to close out her speech. She discussed what she learned at JHS, both in the classroom and on the courts and fields.

“Our teachers pushed us to be better than our self-perceived limits,” DaCosta said. “They inspired our confidence and promoted individuality. Finally, our friends were there to grow with us. We shared experiences, both good and bad. We were support mechanisms and life coaches and were integral to each other’s success over the past four years. High school is more than a textbook and notes. It was the beginning of our adult lives.”

She merged the last two recommendations into her final remarks – inspiring fellow classmates and making her most important point. She echoed Zambarano and Sigui in saying that a new chapter of their lives is about to begin. She said that, while there may be uncertainty abound, everyone will make their mark on the world.

“Make it count,” DaCosta said. “Regardless of how you decide or what you choose as your next step, where your story began will always be the same. A coach of mine once told me that years from now you won’t remember the wins and losses, but the people you won and lost with. Remember the people that made your time at Johnston Senior High School special.”

Students crossed the stage one at a time, with Guilmette reading their future plans as they received their degrees and took pictures with Morrell.

Guilmette encouraged them to “show up and be ready” for their next stage in life. The Panthers looked ready for any challenge in their way.

“Don’t make excuses,” Guilmette said. “Take responsibility for your actions. Make choices that show that you respect yourselves. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but also learn from them. Honor your obligations, show respect to others, be kind.”

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here