Don’t trade in who you are to keep people comfortable
LINWOOD — Thunderstorm warnings prompted Mainland Regional High School to move its graduation ceremony up an hour June 19, saving everybody from a brief but robust downpour.
Families, friends, teachers and administrators gathered to celebrate the 305 graduates at the Mustang Corral amid 90 degree heat. A steady breeze was blowing Old Glory to the west atop its flagpole as Class President Charlotte Weaver led the students onto the field.
The seniors walked past a line of faculty, outfitted in black robes and mortar boards, to their seats as the band, led by Derek Rohaly, played “Pomp and Circumstance.” Senior choir members led by vocal director Jennifer Camillo sang the national anthem.
Senior Isabela Perez spoke to graduates about the growth she and her classmates have experienced along their high school journey.
“Four years ago, I didn’t know where S-hall was,” she said. “I didn’t know who I wanted to be. I had zero clue what I wanted to do when I grew up … and I knew I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. And somehow, now I’m here. Moreover, we are here, at the end of something that at times felt like it would never end — and then ended too quickly.”
Perez said when chosen to deliver a speech, she wanted to say something worthwhile: “Most of us won’t be in the same place ever again; not like this, anyway.”
“So here it is, the things I want to leave behind if these are the last things I ever say to you. Let people be who they are but don’t let them make you forget who you are,” she said. “It’s easy to go quiet and sometimes easier to trade in parts of who you are just to keep people comfortable. Don’t. You can care for people and keep the best parts of yourself intact.”
Perez advised her classmates not to be so desperate to hold onto the past that they miss what’s next.
“Not everyone who started this journey with you is meant to finish it with you. Maybe you’re not at the place that you thought you would be four years ago. Maybe you’re worried about leaving Mainland. That’s not something to be bitter about or something to be upset about. That’s growth. As difficult as it may be, find peace in that,” she said.
Perez said Mainland was never just a building.
“It has given us tools and experiences that aren’t readily available to all high school students,” she said. “It gave us teachers who saw more in us than we saw in ourselves. It gave us many states championship-winning teams. And if you were lucky, it granted you the opportunity to visit places like New York City for a day trip or Disney World for a week.”
She said the graduates are “leaving here equipped for anything.”
Vice Principal Kristen Lavery recognized honors students, award winners, members of clubs and championship-winning teams, then told the whole class to stand up and be noted.
Senior Avery Notaro spoke of the emotions running through her classmates’ minds.
“As we leave this chapter of our life, we carry a sense of mixed feelings, eager to see what our future holds but upset to leave the place we call home,” she said. “Looking back, it’s important to appreciate the journey that brought us here.”
Notaro said the students could not have achieved success without help from many corners.
“Today we celebrate a huge accomplishment, but we couldn’t get here alone. I want to thank everyone that is here today to celebrate us. Although today is supposed to be about the graduates, it is also about you guys who are not wearing caps and gowns. All of you teachers, parents, family, friends, mentors and coaches are the reason we can all flip our tassels from left to right today,” she said. “You are the reasons we got to this point. You guided us through the adversity and led us to push on the gas even when our foot was stuck on the brakes.”
Notaro said despite the hard work needed to get to graduation, “now we look back, wishing for these days back.”
“These four years were all about growing and adapting. We’ve spent them learning who we are, what we stand for and what we are capable of,” she said.
Notaro said the school provided students the opportunity to navigate their future through experiences not offered in other schools.
“We have a plethora of unique electives, providing hands-on experiences, and many clubs and sports. We are guaranteed a purpose at Mainland and are given the materials to make our mark on the world,” she said.
Notaro used the Unified Sports Club as an example.
“Connecting with this club as a sophomore meant helping others. Little did I know that joining this group went far beyond that and helped me learn more about friendship, relationships and what it truly means to win,” she said. “In this club, we cheered on everyone, not just your team. I got to watch all the athletes grow and learn new skills, whether it was shooting a basketball, learning new words or songs and meeting new friends. We cheered for wins, cheered louder for our opponents and cheered the loudest for every small milestone on the way.”
Notaro said the club was about creating bonds with everyone, looking past labels and seeing what people truly can accomplish.
“Being a partner in this club not only helped me find my passion but it taught me how to be a better friend, a more supportive peer and, most importantly, to look at the good in every little moment,” she said. “So wherever life takes you, don’t forget where you came from. Build on the opportunities Mainland gave you and embrace them. Step outside of your comfort zone, meet new people, explore the world and be fearless in trying new things.”
– STORY by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
– PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
