Graduation with gratitude, South Burlington seniors say goodbye to a tough year
Graduates in powder-blue robes and cars covered in cheerful blue-and-white paint gathered in South Burlington High School’s parking lot June 12, preparing to travel to the school’s 2021 graduation ceremony at the Champlain Valley Expo, all preceded by the second-ever parade of graduates.
Before the cars left for the Expo, the high school parking lot was full of excited graduates, gathering in clusters to talk or pose for photos with family and friends.
Becky Mills and Samantha Little were among the excited graduates.
“I’m ecstatic,” said Mills, who will be attending Coe College in the fall. “I know my parents are also appreciative that we can have a real ceremony this year.”
“It’s definitely not the normal graduation that we normally have at St. Mikes, but it’s better than nothing,” said Little, referring to the pre-pandemic St. Michael’s College graduation tradition. Little plans to attend the University of Vermont in the fall. “I’m just glad we get to be out here with everyone.”
A bit further down the procession, graduates Cindy Yang, Gwenyth Willard and Kaleigh Plumeau echoed the same sense of gratitude.
“It’s really nice to have a semi-normal graduation … I’m really glad that this year the conditions are a lot better and we’re able to do this safely and celebrate an end to a pretty rough past year and a half,” said Yang, who will be attending the University of Pennsylvania in the fall.
“We’re very grateful for everything we’ve been given this year, considering the circumstances,” added Plumeau.
Yang continued, “We kind of went into all of this blindly because no one has ever been in the position we are in right now so we are all figuring it out together. But we stuck through it together and figured it out as a group.”
Senior Liam Collins was taking pictures with his family beside their car. The ceremony is especially meaningful to his family, as Collins’ grandfather was in the first graduating class at South Burlington High School.
“It’s exciting. I think it’s well-deserved also. We went through a lot the last two years so it’s nice to get a big send-off,” said Collins, who will be attending the University of Vermont.
Stephen Rizner, a science teacher at South Burlington High School, was among the volunteers directing cars into orderly lines. He spoke to the general attitude of the senior class during the graduation and the importance of the parade.
“Especially after how things ended for the students last year, this class really appreciates how things are going right now. The fact they were able to get spring sports, have their prom, and get all of those rites of passage,” said Rizner. “For them to see that we are out here supporting them, I thought was really important.”
The parade tradition began last year, when COVID-related restrictions around large gatherings and social distancing were stricter. Though Rizner says logistically the parade was “a little tougher this year” as there was no police escort, he acknowledged that the community and students both really enjoyed the event.
After the parade of graduates, led by a local school bus and surrounded with cheers and honks from community members, the outdoor graduation ceremony began.
Graduates processed to their seats before the ceremony opened with the national anthem, performed by the high school chamber singers.
Gratitude all around
Bridget Burkhardt, chair of the South Burlington school board, gave a greeting to the community, and spoke on the idea of happiness.
“I hope that you slow down enough at least for a little while, to savor one of the truly unabashedly happy moments in your life, your high school graduation. You did it. Despite the interruption of a global pandemic, despite missed sports seasons and canceled clubs, despite budget cuts that limited your academic and co-curricular choices, despite challenges and disappointments big and small, you carried on. In doing so, you are an example for the whole community,” she said.
Cindy Yang gave the senior scholar welcome, addressing the crowd of graduating seniors with humor as she reflected on the past four years.
“It is a bittersweet feeling, but I think the emotion felt more than anything, more than sadness and perhaps even more than excitement, is pride,” said Yang.
Holly Margulius followed with the senior scholar message, speaking about how pandemic-related challenges limited some aspects of senior year but also taught lifelong skills.
“We might not have had a track season or talent night, but we learned a whole lot about kindness, compassion and taking care of others,” said Margulius. “Isolation forces us to discover new parts of ourselves and be creative to overcome our challenges. We learned how to get resourceful and be resilient.”
Following a choral performance of “Sing Your Way Home” by the chamber singers, class president Mollie Allen introduced faculty member Joyce Sheehey for the commencement address.
“You’ll always be the class remembered for your gratitude. Every one of us observed this about you, that when you left the classroom or came off the field, you said thank you, to your teachers, your coaches and so often to one another. It was truly noteworthy,” said Sheehy. “Unlike any graduating class before, you share a bond with one another that no one in the adult world can understand.”
The ceremony progressed with recognition of Big Picture South Burlington graduates, Seal of Biliteracy recipients and Service and Leadership Award recipients. After award and scholarship presentations, each graduate began their procession across the stage, shaking hands with high school principal Patrick Burke and receiving their diplomas from superintendent David Young.
Graduating senior Mary Olteanu closed the ceremony by bidding farewell to her fellow graduates and speaking to the resiliency and capability of the entire graduating class.
“What a day, what a year, what an accomplishment. Congratulations to the Class of 2021, we did it,” Olteanu exclaimed as many graduates in the crowd tossed their caps into the air.
A livestream of the ceremony is available to view online.
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