TURNERS FALLS — Student speakers at the Turners Falls High School graduation ceremony on Friday night encouraged each other to step outside their comfort zones, while administrators honored the spirit, wit and heart of the graduates.
The upstairs gym at the high school on Turnpike Road was filled with flowers, balloons, gifts and the familiar faces of loved ones who joined together to celebrate the 49 graduates of the “best graduating class ever,” in the words of Valedictorian Estes Lemerise-Reinking.
Class of 2026 Co-Presidents Shayly Martin Ovalle and Yolvin Ovalle Mejia started the evening with speeches, with Ovalle Mejia, who earned a Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy with distinction, delivering his speech in Spanish and dedicating it to the Spanish-speaking attendees. Lemerise-Reinking then encouraged the graduates to “choose growth over comfort” — a lesson he learned from his own experience of taking a leap and participating in the Global Glimpse program, where he traveled to Panama.
“My challenge to all of you is this: live in these next years fearlessly,” Lemerise-Reinking said, describing the trip as the best experience of his life.
Following in his footsteps, Salutatorian Vaughn LaValley spoke about taking a leap of faith and finding success in discomfort as a dual-enrolled student at Greenfield Community College, and when encouragement from his friend, Lemerise-Reinking, prompted him to take a difficult class freshman year. He also spoke to his appreciation for serving on Student Council, noting the growth he’s seen in his classmates. LaValley said he’s sure their time in high school will remain “a cornerstone” in their lives.
Before accepting their diplomas, interim Superintendent Tari Thomas delivered the commencement speech to the first graduating class she’s seen as superintendent.
Thomas said the members of the Class of 2026 had some “distinct qualities” that will benefit them, like unmatched school spirit and legendary wit. Still, she added, “what truly defines all of you is your heart.”
“You understood early on that you’re stronger together, and you nurture those relationships beautifully,” Thomas said, encouraging the class to pursue their passions and carry their spirit no matter how difficult things may be. “Remember that no matter how far your adventures take you, you will always have a home, a history and a family at Turners Falls High School.”
Graduates
*indicates National Honor Society
*Michael Isaac Berdugo, *Moises Reynaldo Borrayes Velasquez, *Jackson McCarthy Cogswell, Jacob Ernest Cousineau, *Ella Margaret Delorenzo, *Lily Jeane DeLorenzo, Trinity Brooke Davis, Kai Jay Dennett, *Madisyn Marie Dietz, *Ethan Anton Eichorn, London Frank Ferrer, *Elsee Karen Galvez Martin, *Rojelio Maximiliano Galvez Mendez, Brody Christopher Girard, Alexander James Golembeski, Clara Eve Guidaboni, Christopher Judah Halla, Ciana Rose James, *Cameron Mason Johnson, *Michaella Sophia Klempner-Siano, Allister Jacob Kolakoski, *Noah Joseph Kolodziej, Curtis Michael Kretchmar, *Vaughn Mason LaValley, *Estes William Lemerise-Reinking, Cole Avery Marshall, *Shayly Ortencia Martin Ovalle, *Raghab Marhatta, *Janelle Madison Massey, Evelyn Marie Moore, David Nicolas Ortiz, *Yolvin Alangumer Ovalle Mejia, John Elysium O’Malley, *Mario Rolando Pareja, Kevin Perez Cueto, Elizabeth Cody Polatin, *John Alex Ramirez Martin, Miles Cole Riley, Jenna Hill N. Sanford, *Khalifa Ababacar Seck, Kainen Edward Stevens, Jessica Lynn Therrien, Angelina Anne Tidlund, *Nathaniel Robert Trinque, Alexis Taylor Truesdell, Christopher De Jesus Uloa Abarua, Michael Robert Waite, Tobias Elizabeth Wilson-Hill and David Therrien.
Awards
The Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators’ Association Award for Academic Excellence — Jackson Cogswell, Cameron Johnson, Noah Kolodziej, Vaughn LaValley and Shayly Martin Ovalle.
President’s Award for Academic Excellence — Estes Lemerise-Reinking, Vaughn LaValley, Raghab Marhatta, Ella DeLorenzo and Lily DeLorenzo.
Scholastic Merit Award — Cameron Johnson, Shayly Martin Ovalle, Ethan Eichorn, Mario Pareja and Tobias Wilson-Hill.
John & Abigail Adams Scholarship — Ella DeLorenzo, Lily DeLorenzo, Cameron Johnson, Vaughn LaValley, Estes Lemerise-Reinking, Cole Marshall, Janelle Massey, Mario Pareja, Khalifa Seck, Michael Waite and Tobias Wilson-Hill.
President’s Award for Academic Achievement — Ella DeLorenzo, Lily DeLorenzo, Estes Lemerise-Reinking, Nathaniel Trinque and Tobias Wilson-Hill.
Turners Falls High School Class of 2026 Award — Mario Pareja.
Ellen Wrightson Memorial Award — Curtis Brito
American Citizenship Award — Khalifa Seck.
Massachusetts School Administrators Association Commonwealth Award — Curtis Brito.
“Unsung Hero” Award — Vaughn LaValley.
Exemplary Commitment to Student Leadership — Estes Lemerise-Reinking, Michaela Klempner-Siano and Michael Waite.
Global Glimpse Ambassadors — Estes Lemerise-Reinking, Shayly Martin Ovalle and David Ortiz.
Interscholastic Equestrian Association — Evelyn Moore.
Excellence in Innovation Career Pathways — Michael Berdugo (Advanced Manufacturing), Shayly Martin Ovalle (Advanced Manufacturing), Yolvin Ovalle Mejia (Advanced Manufacturing), Trinity Davis (Healthcare & Social Assistance), Madisyn Dietz (Healthcare & Social Assistance), Elsee Galvez Martin (Healthcare & Social Assistance) and Janelle Massey (Healthcare & Social Assistance).
Eagle Scout Award Presentation — Vaughn LaValley.
Class of 1947 English Award for Outstanding Effort — Yolvin Ovalle Mejia.
Excellence in English — Ella DeLorenzo.
Excellence in Spanish — Michaela Klempner-Siano and Cole Marshall.
Class of 1957/Bernard Plaza Scholarship — Cameron Johnson.
Excellence in French — Tobias Wilson-Hill.
Excellence in Latin — Nathaniel Trinque.
Global Seal of Biliteracy in Functional Fluency in Spanish — Christopher Halla.
Global Seal of Biliteracy in Working Fluency in Spanish — Michaela Klempner-Siano.
Achievement in Biliteracy — Khalifa Seck and Tobias Wilson-Hill.
Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy in English and Spanish — Michael Berdugo, Kevin Perez Cueto and John Ramirez Martin.
Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy in English and Spanish, with distinction — Elsee Galvez Martin, Shayly Martin Ovalle, Yolvin Ovalle Mejia and Mario Pareja.
Excellence in Environmental Science — Allister Kolakoski and Elizabeth Polatin.
Excellence in Plant & Soil Science — Ciana James and Tobias Wilson-Hill.
Academic Excellence in Business Education Award — Clara Guidaboni.
Excellence in Life Science — Clara Guidaboni.
Excellence in Physical Science — Khalifa Seck.
Excellence in Mathematics — Yolvin Ovalle Mejia.
Society of Women Engineers Boston Highest Honors — Shayly Martin Ovalle.
Excellence in Social Studies — David Ortiz.
Excellence in Art — Elsee Galvez Martin.
Excellence in Animation — Ella DeLorenzo and Lily DeLorenzo.
Excellence in Photography — Cole Marshall.
Excellence in Filmmaking and Film Editing — Alexander Golembeski.
Excellence in Design Build — Evelyn Moore.
Excellence in MakerLab — Michael Berdugo.
Excellence in Physical Education — Curtis Brito.
Excellence in Choir — Evelyn Moore.
Excellence in Band — Tobias Wilson-Hill.
The Comeau Award — Lily DeLorenzo.
Achievement in Music — Jessica “Niki” Therrien”
Excellence in Musical Theater Performance — Clara Guidaboni, Khalifa Seck and Michael Waite.
Excellence in Stage Crew — Ella DeLorenzo.
Excellence in Pit Band — Lily DeLorenzo.
Excellence in Light Design — Allister Kolakoski.
Excellence in Sound Design — Kai Dennett.
Athletic Achievement
Boys Basketball — Jackson Cogswell.
Boys Tennis — Noah Kolodziej.
Swimming — Mario Pareja.
Boys Soccer — John Ramirez Martin.
Girls Soccer — Shayly Martin Ovalle.
Volleyball — Madisyn Dietz and Janelle Massey.
Golf — Ethan Eichorn.
Field Hockey — Khalifa Seck.
Softball — Madisyn Dietz and Janelle Massey.
Baseball — Jackson Cogswell.
Marston Baseball Award — Kainen Stevens.
Joseph J. Sheff Memorial Award — Kainen Stevens.
Scholarships
Newt Guilbault Fred Lego Scholarship — Jackson Cogswell.
Edward Brown Memorial Scholarship — Evelyn Moore.
Greenfield Tennis Association Scholarship — Noah Kolodziej and Mario Pareja.
Molly Baxter Photography Scholarship — Noah Kolodziej.
Nate Lucas Memorial Scholarship Fund — Mario Pareja.
Turners Falls Athletic Club Scholarship — Jackson Cogswell, Mario Pareja, Shayly Martin Ovalle and Yolvin Ovalle Mejia.
Gill-Montague Education Fund Constance Sicard Scholarship — Jackson Cogswell.
Gill-Montague Education Fund Sandra Miner Scholarship — Shayly Martin Ovalle and Yolvin Ovalle Mejia.
Jillian Mackin Betters Memorial Scholarship — Shayly Martin Ovalle and Yolven Ovalle Mejia.
Mary Valley Forrest Art & Music Memorial Scholarship — Jackson Cogswell, Ella DeLorenzo, Lily DeLorenzo and Elsee Galvez Martin.
Michael Connelly Memorial Scholarship — Janelle Massey.
Our Lady of Peace Church Scholarship — Jackson Cogswell, Ethan Eichorn, Elsee Galvez Martin and Shayly Martin Ovalle.
Turners Falls Alumni Association Scholarship — Jackson Cogswell and Shayly Martin Ovalle.
Gill-Montague Education Association Scholarship — Michaela Klempner-Siano.
Gilmond Lamore Memorial Scholarship — Lily DeLorenzo and Shayly Martin Ovalle.
Harriot Tidd Scholarship — Kainen Stevens.
Linda Ackerman Community Service Scholarship — Estes Lemerise-Reinking.
Madeline J. Carlson Scholarship — Madisyn Dietz, Allister Kolakoski, John Ramirez Martin, Nathaniel Trinque and Michael Waite.
Mery O’Brien Memorial Scholarship — Vaughn LaValley and Shayly Ovalle Martin.
Montague Elks Lodge 2521 Educational Scholarship — Jackson Cogswell.
Montague Elks Lodge 2521 Vocational Scholarship — Moises Borrayes Velasquez and Rojelio Galvez Mendez.
Turners Falls High School Class of 1964 Scholarship — Ella DeLorenzo and Estes Lemerise-Reinking.
Bill Petravage Memorial Scholarship — Mario Pareja.
Bordeau Family Scholarship — Raghab Marhatta and Yolvin Ovalle Mejia.
Coca Cola Beverages Northeast Scholarship — Kainen Stevens.
Dr. Sarah Kemble Scholarship — Shayly Martin Ovalle.
Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship — Jackson Cogswell, Ella DeLorenzo, Lily DeLorenzo, Vaughn LaValley, Michaela Klempner-Siano, Shayly Martin Ovalle, Mario Pareja and Yolvin Ovalle Mejia.
George F. Bush Scholarship — Jackson Cogswell.
