CHARLEMONT — When hermit crabs outgrow their shells, they shed them, exposing their soft, vulnerable abdomens while they search for a new shell — a new home.
That was the metaphor graduating senior — now almuna — Isadora McLaughlin Brenizer, of the Academy at Charlemont’s class of 2019, shared with the couple of hundred family members and friends who gathered at the small school Saturday to see her class receive their high school diplomas.
“And so, I guess for now, I’ll be roaming the sandy bottom of the sea in search of another shell that fits just right,” Brenizer said. “I’ll try on some shells that will echo and slide too loose around my neck, or others that will rub and pinch too tight against my neck, but I’ll search and search until I slip and rest safely and comfortably inside yet another perfect fit.”
Brenizer’s speech was one of several unique goodbyes to the school — with a graduating class of just 14, each student got to speak.
Nathaniel Finn Boyd-Owens parodied a comedic “roast” with his speech, but instead of “roasting” his classmates with insults, he “toasted” them with kind words — Lila Francesca Goleman’s talent for singing, Kayla Sky Haskin’s passion for nature and Francesca Maria Ruggiero-Corliss’ athleticism.
The only exception — who got a roast instead of a toast — was his teacher Mr. Almeida, whose math class Boyd-Owens was “surprised” to “survive.” Boom, roasted.
Ethan Scott Brossard was thankful the school introduced him to photography — but joked it would probably drain his bank account for the rest of his life — and Calla Byrd Jones remarked how the school had been “transformative,” teaching her things like public speaking.
The 14 members of the class of 2019 shared different views and memories, but together left unified with matching diplomas in hand.
Nathaniel Boyd-Owens of Shelburne Falls to Greenfield Community College; Isadora Brenizer of Colrain to Smith College; Ethan Brossard of Northampton for a postgraduate year at The Academy; Sophia Corwin of Northampton to Vassar College; Lila Goleman of Conway to University of New Mexico after a gap year; Kayla Haskins, Ashfield, Florence and Chesterfield, to Prescott College; Calla Jones of Whately to Oberlin College after a gap year; Isabel Linfield of Amherst to Tufts University; Avery Mayer of Greenfield, gap year; Liam Neeley of Shelburne to University of Massachusetts Lowell; Francesca Ruggiero-Corliss, Northampton/Florence, to Carleton College; Leni Sperry-Fromm of Goshen to Barnard College; Ishan Summer of Shelburne Falls to Sarah Lawrence College; and Tucker Zakon-Anderson of Conway to Northeastern University.
12th Grade Academic Award: Calla Jones.
Robert Jaros Citizenship Award: Calla Jones.