By Chris Paul
The Londonderry School District held its June Commencement of the Adult Education Program, graduating 41 students, at the Londonderry High School gymnasium.
Forty of the forty-one graduates attended the ceremony, which was held on Wednesday, May 31, and was one of the largest Spring classes ever conducted at the school. A number of those receiving diplomas that evening were also from the neighboring community of Litchfield through Campbell High School Assistant Principal and Adult Education Director, Crystal Rich, was the main presenter at the event.
High School Principal, Jason Parent, led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance to start the event, followed by Superintendent, Dan Black, and School Board Chairman, Bob Slater, both giving congratulatory remarks at the beginning of the service.
Rich thanked all those involved in the Adult Education Program, as well as school administrators and family members of the graduates, noting that many of the students persevered through the issues created during the pandemic.
Mackenzie Belisle was introduced as the LHS Adult Education Student speaker and was asked to address the class during the ceremony.
She said, “Our diplomas will be a passport to higher learning and protection against economic times.”
She talked about her achievements, saying that she appreciated the Adult Ed Program and the help from the community. She also thanked Crystal Rich for her support through the program and for being a “second mom to all of us.” She also praised a number of the teachers involved in helping her through the program as well as thanks to friends and family members.
Molly Dwyer, the Campbell High School Student Speaker, also shared a few thought.
Dwyer made a very brief statement, “I owe my gratitude to a lot of people. Thank you for believing in me.”
Graduate, Christopher Kegley, will be entering the Navy after he graduates. He was brought to the stage and presented with a gift from two members of the LHS “Blue Star Lancers.”
Adult Education teacher, Amy Cohen, then took the stage as the Staff Speaker.
She started by congratulating the graduates then shared a story of when she first started at the high school in the special education department. She told those attending that during that time, she met a young man that she knew was really struggling and was told, “He just needs more time,” and thought, “He needs more than just time.” But after a year, the students excelled beyond her expectations.
From there, she applied what she had seen to her own goals in life and began her “next step” to higher learning by entering college.
Cohan told the graduates, “When you struggle, just remember, maybe you just need more time.”
The Class Song was sung by Adult Ed student, Kayleigh Feener, and was accompanied on piano by music teacher, Danielle Loschiavo. She performed a beautiful rendition of Billy Joel’s, “Vienna.”
After the performance, a number of scholarships were presented, then the 40 students marched across the stage, one by one, to received their diplomas and were congratulated by staff members as they exited the stage.
Each student was also presented the book, “You’re Here for a Reason,” by Nancy Tillman. This book presentation has become a tradition of the Adult Ed Program.”
The commencement ended with the graduates being presented to the audience as the “Class of 2023.”