Burrillville High honors 138 graduates
BURRILLVILLE – The 138 Burrillville High School seniors who earned diplomas at Friday’s 116th Commencement celebrated achievements, overcame obstacles and adapted to change on their four-year high school journey.
The Class of 2017 may also have been Burrillville High School’s most diverse class.
“The Class of 2017 is nothing short of amazing,” said Senior Class President Jillian P. Cash, who noted the graduating class’s unique membership. “We are a versatile group with so many skills and passion and we have united over the past four years. Always let your gifts shine.”
“The key to success is to surround yourselves with the right people and you,” she said pointing to graduates’ family members in the audience “are those people.”
There was loud applause as family members and friends filled the June Rockwell Levy Community Rink to watch the graduates, wearing robes in the tradititional Broncos colors of blue and white, file into the rink to the Burrillville High School Band’s rendition of “Pomp and Circumstance.”
“Embrace your strengths and value all you have learned,” School Superintenent Frank Pallotta said in his speech to the graduates. “Become leaders and create your own roadmap to success.”
Quoting J.K. Rowling, Pallotta said, “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default.”
“Chase your career and never let obstacles consumer your life,” he added
Burrillville School Committee Chairman Mark Brizard called the commencement a celebration marking a new chapter in the lives of the graduates
“This night is our community’s greatest event,” Brizard told the graduates. “Enter this next phase of your life with an open mind. Do not let criticism from others inhibit your ambitions.You are the future and we believe in you. May truth, peace and love be on your side.”
In her speech, Class of 2017 Valedictorian Paige D. Desjardin noted the Class of 2017’s many accomplishments and how it rose to the occasion when faced with challenges and setbacks.
“We have grown together for many years, some of us even from diapers,” she said. “It has been an honor to be surrounded by such a great group of people. Our class has accomplished so many great things, including winning robotics championships, DECA competitions, sports championships, Science Olympiad competitions, band and choir concerts, our very first musical this year, and so much more. We have survived leaky roofs, early morning traffic, the freshmen, and seemingly too many advisory fire and lockdown drills.”
“There have been many occasions when our class has had setbacks, things that would have wrecked other people, but we were able to bounce back from it, whether its a bad call, a foul play, or standardized testing,” she said. “My peers that sit before you are such an amazing, intelligent, and gracious group of people with bright futures ahead of them.”
Desjardin urged her fellow classmates to spend their lives doing something they love and are passionate about.
“No matter what you do after you leave this rink tonight, whether its college, the military, or entering the workforce, do something that you love,” she said. “If you do something that you are passionate about, you will never work a single day in your life. Follow your passion, experience the world, and never let things such as age and rules limit you.”
Desjardin said if every person did something that they love every day for the rest of their lives, eventually the world will change.
“Do not let life pass you by. Seize every opportunity that comes your way even if at first it seems like it is not what you want. Perhaps it is exactly what you need and will lead you directly where you want to go,” she said.
Desjardin reminded everyone in the rink that you are never too old or too young to do exactly what you want.
“Today is the first day of your life, but so was yesterday, and so will be tomorrow,” she said. “Everyday you get a new chance to start all over again. If you are not doing what you love, start all over again.”
“You are going to live a good and long life filled with great and terrible things that you cannot even imagine yet,” she added. “Do not fear the future. Embrace it. No one has ever died because they switched careers. Be a lawyer, or open your own ice cream shop. Perform surgeries or weave baskets. Just do whatever makes you happy.”
Desjardin told the graduates to always look ahead, but never forget how far they have come.
“Remember the people who have helped you get to this point, and thank them,” she said. “Help the people around you.”
“Life is a series of bumps and always a climb,” she added. “Enjoy every moment you are gifted with. Follow your passions no matter the cost. The benefit in happiness will always outweigh the money.”
In his speech, Class of 2017 Salutatorian Jacob R. Losardo said growing up with his classmates has meant that the Class of 2017 has become one big competitive family.
“Going to school, playing sports, and hanging out with each other has allowed us to get to know one another on a personal level,” he said. “Each of us in this class has more or less created an iden- tity for ourselves. Everyone is something different and unique. But there is one thing that connects and unites this class, and it is the single most important part of our identity individually and as a group. That one thing is our character.”
Losardo described the Class of 2017 as an “extremely hard-working group.”
“All of us had something that we were passionate about and wore ourselves out for the sake of doing well,” he said. My point here is that 99 percent of the time, hard work is what determines success, not talent or luck.”
“So, to the class of 2017, and to everyone here tonight, continue to work hard, because it’s a habit, not something you can just choose to do one day,” he added. “You need to consistently put in effort if you want to see any payoff. Begin with the small things. Put your best foot forward at your job, work out your hardest at the gym, take your next card game a little more seriously. Get used to being your best.”