CHARLEMONT — The Academy at Charlemont’s graduation ceremony Saturday was unlike many others. Faculty hugged the students instead of extending their hands, and parents who are academy faculty took the stage to personally present their children with their diplomas.
It became obvious that the valedictory remarks would also be unique when Eva Gray approached the podium and spoke of her six years at the academy using analogies to cars, one of her passions.
“When I entered the academy, I was your Toyota Corolla,” Gray said, adding that the car is not too flashy, but gets from point A to point B.
With each year at the academy, Gray grew and transformed, comparing herself to a different, flashier car each year until she had become a Shelby Mustang GT.
“I have the tools I’ve gained here to fix any engine malfunction along the way,” Gray continued before turning to thank her classmates, who she said taught her “to laugh in the face of flat tires, empty gas tanks and broken tail lights.”
Each of the 17 graduates was able to give a short speech, with many expressing affection for the school’s community feel.
“This school is special because every student is filled with kindness and acceptance,” Ilaria deLesdernier-Pulci said. “I don’t doubt that that will always be our school’s best quality.
“I’m fortunate to have not only one beautiful family, but two,” Emma Loubsky-Lonergan added.
Cameron Bluh-Derricotte shared her memories of being in the hospital for weeks at a time, and how her classmates and teachers sent her get-well cards.
“I wouldn’t have been able to have a normal high school experience anywhere else,” she said.
Katherine Anderson, the first speaker, said that if college wasn’t necessary to become a teacher, she would take up teaching English at the academy as soon as the new school year begins.
“I would stay at this school for another year, or two years, or five years if I could,” she said.
And Allen Gabriel got to do something that he always wanted to do:
“I’d like to thank the academy.”
Katherine Emma Anderson, Cassandra Emma Rose Bigelow, Cameron Bluh-Derricotte, Riley McAfee Brown, Ilaria Lucia Marie deLesdernier-Pulci, Nils Donohue-Meyer, Leah Michaela Finn-Erb, Allen John Gabriel, Enid Eireen Gallaghar, Eva Gabrielle Gray, Emma Jane Loubsky-Lonergan, Matthew Philip Plager, Indra Rowan Rapinchuk-Souccar, Christina Gabriela Secor, Mark Christian Vranos, Casey Walsh-Warder, Lyric Charles Williams-Russell.