BEVERLY — Like any group of graduates, the Beverly High School Class of 2024 faces an uncertain future. But you can’t say they lack practice when it comes to new experiences.
The class is the last Beverly High graduating class to have attended the former Briscoe Middle School, which closed after their sixth-grade year. The next year was spent getting accustomed to the brand-new Beverly Middle School, only to have the pandemic hit that spring.
The adventure finally came to an end on Sunday when 289 graduates received their diplomas in graduation ceremonies at Hurd Stadium.
“I stand in awe of the grace, grit and determination that each of you has exhibited as you supported each other and demonstrated patience with many of us as we hustled to catch up with all of you,” Superintendent Suzanne Charochak told the class.
Student speakers and city and school officials gave speeches during the nearly two-hour ceremony on the football field.
Valedictorian Jenna Schweizer spoke about losing her father to cancer when she was 4 years old. Rather than focusing on the pain she endured, she said she wanted to shed light on the people who helped her through it.
She will always remember the neighbor who cooked meals for her family, the friends who strung lights on her house every Christmas, the third-grade teacher who played hopscotch with her until her mother could pick her up from school.
“They were never able to take away the burden of loss, but they certainly helped to carry it,” Schweizer said. “I can’t stand up here and give you advice on how to live a successful life. Unfortunately, it takes more than 18 years to become wise.
“But, what I can tell you from my own experience is that even the simplest of gestures can leave a lasting impact.”
Schweizer will be attending Harvard University.
Salutatorian Mia Bilotti noted that the weeks leading up to graduation were filled with award ceremonies, scholarship selections and other celebrations. While it is great to be recognized, she acknowledged that the elation of receiving an award can be outweighed by the letdown of being overlooked.
Bilotti now realizes that pride should come not from achievements deemed important by others, but rather “from the self-satisfaction with your own accomplishments.
“The main takeaway from high school should not be about receiving praise from others, as that doesn’t prepare you for the future,” she said. “What you can get out of this experience is the ability to overcome any situation with a sense of pride in your own contribution. The hard work you put in is never ‘all for nothing,’ and if no one tells you they are proud of you, be proud of yourself.”
Bilotti will be attending Boston College.
Class President Alban Jalli told his fellow graduates that, whatever worries or uncertainties they have, he wanted them to know two things.
“First, it’s going to be OK. Life has a way of working out, even when things seem uncertain,” he said. “Second, you are not alone. Look around you — our friends, your family, and even your classmates are here for you. and so am I. We are a community, and we lift each other up.”
Jalli will attending North Shore Community College.
Elodie LaPointe, who was the welcome speaker, asked graduates to raise their hand if they can read. Her point was to illustrate that, like everything, learning to read was a process, known as “sounding it out.
“So in life, whenever you encounter anything challenging or missing parts or seemingly intangible goals, don’t give up because it seems too hard,” LaPointe said. “Sound it out.”
LaPointe will be attending Hampton University.
The graduation ceremony marked the first for Mark Thomas as Beverly High School principal.
“You will always hold a special place in my memory,” he told the class.
Also speaking were Mayor Mike Cahill, who noted it was the 50th anniversary of the high school graduations of such luminaries as Tom Hanks and Larry Bird, and School Committee President Rachael Abell, who quoted former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi:
“The biggest advice I can give for success is to be authentic, be yourself.”
Staff Writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2535, by email at pleighton@salemnews.com, or on Twitter at @heardinbeverly.