Scarborough High School graduation - by Amanda Estes
By Amanda Estes
Staff Writer
"Do not loose sight of your passion, for without it we would only wilt and fade away."
Those were the parting words from Jonathan Russell, co-salutatorian, in an address to his fellow Scarborough High School classmates seated on the stage during commencement exercises at Merrill Auditorium. Russell, who will study biology at Yale University, said, “We are not so different from plants.” As plants use the energy from sunlight, he urged his classmates to "harness the pure energy of inspiration."
Earlier in his speech, Russell elicited laughs from the audience when he spoke of an attempt last month to convince his advanced placement biology class that photosynthesis is cool. As he watched their eyes glaze over, he said he employed puns and extravagant gestures to spark some excitement for the subject.
Last Sunday, all eyes were on the 2007 senior class of 220 students as they marched into the packed auditorium at 7 p.m. Their steps were accompanied by "Pomp and Circumstance," played by municipal organist for the City of Portland, Ray Cornils.
The Scarborough High School Senior Choir also performed with polished renditions of The Star Spangled Banner and Season of Love from the Broadway musical Rent.
In her opening remarks, Principal Patricia Conant said although the students would all be going their separate ways, that night they were celebrating the one accomplishment they all had in common: a high school diploma.
Leah Hachey, co-salutatorian, said as she looks forward to college and beyond, she has received some not so encouraging advice. During a recent doctor's appointment she said her doctor inquired about how school was going. When she said she would soon be graduating, her doctor said, "Enjoy these last few months, these are the best days of your life." Hachey said she didn't have a response for her doctor, but prefers to look to the future with a more optimistic attitude.
"If you spend the rest of your life certain high school was the best days of your life, what will you have to look forward to?" She urged her classmates not to live in the past. Hachey will pursue a degree in math education at the University of Southern Maine.
Valedictorian Arianna Bratt, who plans to study biochemistry, math and medicine at Rice University, also offered advice to her fellow graduates.
"Never listen to naysayers," she said. "You have it in your power to do absolutely anything." Bratt, who was captain of the debate team, a member of the National Honor Society and a contributor to the school newspaper, garnered that advice from her own experiences as she said she had a learning disability.
She said because she was slower than her classmates in reading and writing, she was called stupid. Bratt said she had to advocate for herself in order to take the classes she knew she could handle, even if others thought differently. At the age of 12, she said she was attending English classes at the high school.
Thomas McKeon, a math teacher at Scarborough High, was chosen to give the faculty address. When introducing McKeon, Class President Bryant Shannon said although he has only been at Scarborough for two years, it is McKeon’s unique teaching style that has endeared him to the students so quickly. Shannon, who will study engineering and math at the University of Florida, referred to classes in which students measured the height of the water tower on school grounds to learn trigonometry or played craps to learn about probability.
“If you can’t be a good teacher, at least be a strange teacher,” McKeon said when he took the stage.
McKeon drew the most laughs from the audience as he joked that the purpose of a liberal arts education is for students to “defend human civilization against fascism.”
He elaborated to say that wisdom is strength.
“You don’t go through life wishing you’d learned less in school,” he said. “You only wish you had learned more.”
Before stepping away from the podium, McKeon told the graduates to “get out there, fight fascism, defend civilization and learn to weld.” Earlier in his speech he said welding was one of those subjects he wished he had learned in school.
Following McKeon’s address, Superintendent David Doyle and School Board Chair Annalee Rosenblatt presented the diplomas. After each student crossed the stage, Conant shook their hand, offered some hugs and moved the tassels on their caps from right to left, a symbol of their successful graduation from high school.
Scholarships were awarded during the Baccalaureate Ceremony, held last Thursday night, June 6, at the high school.
At the close of the ceremony, the graduates marched together for the last time and spilled out into the lobby and eventually the street, where family and friends navigated the sea of red and white caps to congratulate their graduate.
Staff Writer
"Do not loose sight of your passion, for without it we would only wilt and fade away."
Those were the parting words from Jonathan Russell, co-salutatorian, in an address to his fellow Scarborough High School classmates seated on the stage during commencement exercises at Merrill Auditorium. Russell, who will study biology at Yale University, said, “We are not so different from plants.” As plants use the energy from sunlight, he urged his classmates to "harness the pure energy of inspiration."
Earlier in his speech, Russell elicited laughs from the audience when he spoke of an attempt last month to convince his advanced placement biology class that photosynthesis is cool. As he watched their eyes glaze over, he said he employed puns and extravagant gestures to spark some excitement for the subject.
Last Sunday, all eyes were on the 2007 senior class of 220 students as they marched into the packed auditorium at 7 p.m. Their steps were accompanied by "Pomp and Circumstance," played by municipal organist for the City of Portland, Ray Cornils.
The Scarborough High School Senior Choir also performed with polished renditions of The Star Spangled Banner and Season of Love from the Broadway musical Rent.
In her opening remarks, Principal Patricia Conant said although the students would all be going their separate ways, that night they were celebrating the one accomplishment they all had in common: a high school diploma.
Leah Hachey, co-salutatorian, said as she looks forward to college and beyond, she has received some not so encouraging advice. During a recent doctor's appointment she said her doctor inquired about how school was going. When she said she would soon be graduating, her doctor said, "Enjoy these last few months, these are the best days of your life." Hachey said she didn't have a response for her doctor, but prefers to look to the future with a more optimistic attitude.
"If you spend the rest of your life certain high school was the best days of your life, what will you have to look forward to?" She urged her classmates not to live in the past. Hachey will pursue a degree in math education at the University of Southern Maine.
Valedictorian Arianna Bratt, who plans to study biochemistry, math and medicine at Rice University, also offered advice to her fellow graduates.
"Never listen to naysayers," she said. "You have it in your power to do absolutely anything." Bratt, who was captain of the debate team, a member of the National Honor Society and a contributor to the school newspaper, garnered that advice from her own experiences as she said she had a learning disability.
She said because she was slower than her classmates in reading and writing, she was called stupid. Bratt said she had to advocate for herself in order to take the classes she knew she could handle, even if others thought differently. At the age of 12, she said she was attending English classes at the high school.
Thomas McKeon, a math teacher at Scarborough High, was chosen to give the faculty address. When introducing McKeon, Class President Bryant Shannon said although he has only been at Scarborough for two years, it is McKeon’s unique teaching style that has endeared him to the students so quickly. Shannon, who will study engineering and math at the University of Florida, referred to classes in which students measured the height of the water tower on school grounds to learn trigonometry or played craps to learn about probability.
“If you can’t be a good teacher, at least be a strange teacher,” McKeon said when he took the stage.
McKeon drew the most laughs from the audience as he joked that the purpose of a liberal arts education is for students to “defend human civilization against fascism.”
He elaborated to say that wisdom is strength.
“You don’t go through life wishing you’d learned less in school,” he said. “You only wish you had learned more.”
Before stepping away from the podium, McKeon told the graduates to “get out there, fight fascism, defend civilization and learn to weld.” Earlier in his speech he said welding was one of those subjects he wished he had learned in school.
Following McKeon’s address, Superintendent David Doyle and School Board Chair Annalee Rosenblatt presented the diplomas. After each student crossed the stage, Conant shook their hand, offered some hugs and moved the tassels on their caps from right to left, a symbol of their successful graduation from high school.
Scholarships were awarded during the Baccalaureate Ceremony, held last Thursday night, June 6, at the high school.
At the close of the ceremony, the graduates marched together for the last time and spilled out into the lobby and eventually the street, where family and friends navigated the sea of red and white caps to congratulate their graduate.
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