Class President Makayla Hoffman of Rowley delivered the sole speech at the ceremony. (Courtesy photograph.)
This year’s class president at Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School probably said it best when she told the school’s 267 graduates last week, “Nobody plans for a global pandemic halfway through their high school experience.”
Makayla Hoffman of Rowley delivered the sole speech during last Thursday’s ceremony.
“However, a lot of life is unpredictable and unplanned and Whittier has given us the tools we will need to take on whatever this life throws at us when we walk across the stage and move on from this chapter,” she said.
And, move they did. Of the class of 2021, 101 plan to immediately enter the workforce, 78 plan to attend a four-year college, 67 plan to attend a two-year college, 15 will attend a technical/trade school and six enlisted in the military.
Valedictorian Alyssa Michel of Haverhill, who studied engineering, will attend Northeastern University this fall, while Salutatorian Lilly Fox of Amesbury, who studied masonry, plans to enter the masonry field right away.
Students were able to bring four guests each to the ceremony at Whittier Tech’s turf field. Unvaccinated attendees were advised to wear masks to the outdoor event, per state COVID-19 public health guidance.
Superintendent Maureen Lynch said “These students have been adaptable and resilient amid the pandemic, and remained passionate about their education despite the challenges that came their way. They are ready for this next chapter, and I believe the skills and knowledge they gained will serve them well, wherever their paths may take them.”
Principal Chris Laganas added, despite the challenges, students “buckled down and kept studying and challenging themselves in their classes, all while remaining kind and compassionate while we navigated the pandemic.”