The Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative Warriors collected their diplomas Saturday in an outdoor ceremony at the Milford Drive-In to cap off their senior year.
For the second year in a row, the Wilton-Lyndeborough graduating class held commencement ceremonies outdoors, with families sitting in front of a stage under the big screen, as 42 students walked the stage to collect their diplomas.
Salutatorian Christie Lanfear quoted Charles Darwin as she summed up the Class of 2021 and their last tumultuous year and a half of high school under COVID-19: “ ‘It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.’ ”
There was the change that comes with every day growing up, class President Samantha Yurcak reflected. There was the graduation from middle school to high school, with each student most excited about accessing the large senior lockers that they then almost never used. It was getting to know which teachers told corny jokes, which were secret masters of skateboarding and pickleball, and which were apt to have the fire department respond due to an overzealous smoke bomb experiment.
“So what’s next? You have a blank sheet in front of you,” Yurcak encouraged her classmates. “It may be the end of high school, but it’s the beginning of a new chapter.”
Valedictorian Anabelle Bergstrom recounted some of the most memorable moments, including a sixth-grade fire under the school stage, watching the comings and goings of favorite teachers, and, of course, the challenge of COVID-19.
“We have gone through a lot, personally and academically. The beautiful thing about the tapestry of life is that it is made up of all types of experiences, both negative and positive,” Bergstrom said. “The fun, laughter and good times we shared together stemmed from our struggles and shaped us into who we are today. We have learned how to turn ordinary circumstances into extraordinary ones. None of us would be here today without our own perseverance and dedication.”
And, with a bit of support, graduates said, as they personally thanked individual family members and teachers who served as personal cheerleaders and inspiration.
“There’s a silver lining to all of this: We didn’t go through any of this alone. Not one of us would be here today without the influence of another,” Bergstrom said.