The Londonderry High School Class of 2024 had a very busy week of activities scheduled for last week, ending with the Graduation Ceremony held at the Southern NH University Arena in Manchester on Friday night, June 14.
Just over 291 graduates were listed on this year’s program, with over 110 of them with honors for their efforts. There were also nearly 250 scholarships listed on the program that were given to the class.
After the procession was lead onto the floor of the arena by Marshals Elizabeth Juster and Mike Miller, Principal Richard Barnes welcomed the group and those in attendance after a performance of the Star Spangled Banner by Jasmyn Johnson.
He recognized the family Morgynne Sevigny that attended the ceremony. Morgynne lost her battle with mental health and tragically did not make it to her graduation. Her mother, Julie, and sister, Anna, were brought to the stage to receive Morgynne’s diploma.
Barnes then gave Academic Recognition to the Class of 2024. He referred to the graduates as a Class of Champions, saying that the word “champion” described the group well. He listed a number of team and individual athletic championships that took part throughout the past school year. He mentioned that 26 students will be joining the three percent of their peers nationally to be college athletes.
Barnes also added that a number of clubs at LHS have displayed “Championship Pedigree”, mentioning the Dance Team, the Lancer Spirit, Lancer Marching Band, the Drama Club, Robotics, and numerous academic awards.
Barnes said the Class of 2024 has nearly tripled the national average of students committed to active duty upon graduation.
He also took time to mention those champions at school that struggled through adversity to get through the four years of high school.
He ended by saying, “Class of 2024, your work is done here, as champions of every sense of the word, ready to head out into the world and do all that you are meant to do. Congratulations. We will miss you.”
The Top Ten students were also listed, in ascending order: William Buckley, Emma Nerden, Rachel Hutchinson, Sean O’Donnell, Amara Williams, Jacob Vogal, Ty Parsons, Meisee Chau, Caitlyn Bailey, Salutatorian, and Matt Doyle, Valedictorian.
Doyle was then brought to the stage to address the class, he started by thanking his mom, dad, and sister for their support throughout his academic and athletic career.
Doyle explained his struggles to produce his speech to his fellow students, adding that procrastination will have its place after graduation.
He told graduates that he felt that given the extreme deadline of being faced with the end of the world, most people would choose spending time with their loved ones. Saying, “These are the people who have helped to create the person you are today. Embrace them. Stay connected with who you are, who you’ve become and the person you will become, but never forget where you came from.”
Following the Valedictorian, the Class President, Xander Cogan, was then introduced to give his Presidential Address to his classmate.
Cogan started by saying that being a Lancer is someone who is “proud, hardworking, and loyal to their community,” adding, “That’s what being a Lancer of the Class of 2024 means to me.”
He mentioned that this class’ journey into high school began with the pandemic, and because of that, each of those graduates have learned to adapt, persevere, and come together as a class. He also added that the class has had more than their share of tough times, and noted that not everyone made it to the graduation that should have.
“As a class, we have lost a lot of people close to us, both personally and in the community. They are deeply missed, not forgotten and woven just as tightly into the fabric of our class as all of us here,” Cogan said.
He finished by quoting Winston Churchill, saying, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts.”
After his speech, Cogan was accompanied on the stage by his Class Officers for the Presentation of the Class Gift. The class presented the high school with two podiums for use at the school during assemblies, award ceremonies, and graduations.
Before the class was presented with their diplomas, Joey Cain, Kelly Egan, and Killian Daron performed a breath-taking redition of “I Lived”, “Home”, “The Climb”, and “We Are Young.”
With that, the class was presented with their diplomas and filed out of the arena.