The Londonderry High School Class of 2026 crossed the stage last week at SNHU Arena, marking the end of their four-year journey, that Principal Rich Barnes described as nothing short of extraordinary. Speaking before thousands of family members, friends, and faculty, Barnes said the class stood out not only for its achievements, but for the sense of optimism it brought to a world that often feels heavy.
“This graduating class is one of those special classes that only comes around every so often,” Barnes said, opening his commencement address. “And in a world that’s increasingly stressful, where all of us are seeking hope for our future, this class is one that heartens and uplifts us.”
Barnes said he chose hope as the theme of his remarks, explaining that the word carries layers of meaning. Sometimes, he joked, hope is as simple as wishing a principal’s speech won’t go on too long. Other times, it’s the kind of hope that anchors people during life’s biggest milestones; births, weddings, graduations; or the kind that helps them endure difficult moments.
He told graduates that the idea of hope had been on his mind since attending a conference last fall, where a speaker reflected on the late conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall. Barnes shared one of Goodall’s observations that resonated with him.
“Hope is often misunderstood,” he said. “People tend to think that it is simply passive and wishful thinking, ‘I hope something will happen, but I’m not going to do anything about it.’ This is the opposite of hope, which requires action and engagement.”
Goodall’s life, he said, proved that point. Before becoming a world renowned scientist, she worked as a waitress and secretary. With no formal scientific training, she traveled to East Africa and began her chimpanzee research that would change the field forever.
As the ceremony continued, Valedictorian Ella DiBuono took the stage to deliver her address, offering heartfelt thanks to the people who shaped her high school experience.
“I want to start by giving a sincere thank you to everyone who has been a part of my life these last four years,” she said. She thanked her teachers for their patience and knowledge, her parents for their unwavering support, her older brother for teaching her kindness, and her twin brother, Jack, for always offering a different perspective and thoughtful advice.
DiBuono reflected on the lessons learned beyond textbooks and test scores. “The bad grade on a physics test taught us more about ourselves than it did about physics,” she said. “I didn’t think, ‘Wow, I really need to learn more about kinematics.’ Instead, I learned that cramming isn’t effective and procrastinating is never the right option, even if it didn’t always stop me from doing it again.”
She recalled receiving an AP U.S. History test and realizing that all her original answers, the ones she erased, had been correct.
“I wasn’t thinking about how I needed to study unit three more,” she said. “I was thinking about how I needed to trust my instincts rather than second guessing myself to the point of being completely wrong.”
“Whether it’s the person you sit next to in class, the people you walk with in the hallway, or the teammates you see every day at practice, we learned how to be there for someone whenever they needed it,” DiBuono said.