On a picture-perfect summer evening on Wednesday, eighth-graders at the John Glenn Middle School (JGMS) bid farewell to outgoing principal Kevin Tracy and set their sights on the high school as the Class of 2025. A slowly setting sun and a cool breeze accompanied the ceremony as families arrayed their blankets across Sabourin Field in a colorful display. A Hawaiian theme was chosen for the occasion and kids and parents responded with shirts and dresses dotted with palm trees and hibiscus and accented their outfits with cheerful plastic leis. A post-Covid euphoria was in the air as hugs and greetings were warmly exchanged.
Principal Kevin Tracy, headed to a new post at Reading High School in the fall, opened the event by expressing heartfelt appreciation to the staff and administration for “…their inexhaustible efforts to sustain learning despite all of the disruptions and loss…” of the last year. He added, “No matter who takes my seat at the end of the year, they are blessed to be surrounded by amazing people…”. He praised the outgoing class as “kind, inclusive, compassionate, empathetic and respectful.”
Tracy also used the moment to recognize retiring staff including Anthony Ruscito, Amy Budka, Barbara Ferri, and Candy Banks (2020).
Two student speakers from the class were selected by Tracy to offer their reflections on their time at JGMS.
Shreyes Shivappa and Ariel Grossman made brief and thoughtful remarks, comparing their early nervousness as incoming sixth-graders with the confidence they feel as they leave.
Both cited the cohesiveness of the class and the support of faculty and administration as important to their growth over the three years.
Departmental awards were presented by Mrs. Mangini:
Mathmatics: Richard Zaloom, Giullia Caico, Vineet Joseph, and Shreyes Shivappa
Civics: John Mitchell, Ariel Grossman, Shreyes Shivappa, and Noelle Lee
Science: Nadav Yaniv, Jenny Noh, Bella Savoie, and Shreyes Shivappa
English: Hannah Messinger, Olof (Thomas) Lundgren, Alyxandra Rossi, and Charlie O’Brien
World Language: Viraat Anand, Vivian Liu, Joseph Kponou, and Zachary Wirth
Art: Kai Holland and Amelia Gosselin
Technology Education: Helen Canciello and Gianna Carrier
Physical Education: Isabella King and Spencer Goss
Performing Arts: Chorus, Jennie Noh; Band, Aleksi Dubaquie-Sanchez; Theatre, Ethan Washington; and Orchestra, Alice Cooprider
Citizenship: Green Team: Caroline Luongo and Brendan Gu, Silver Team: Gianna Carrier and Drew Siwik
Tracy moved on to the Principal’s Award which is given to a student who exemplifies attributes of honesty, empathy, acceptance, responsibility, and tenacity. This year’s honorees are Joe Kponou and Lucas Morvillo. Kponou was described by teachers as a “quiet leader who is always working hard, remains positive, tackles adversity, and makes JGMS a better place by staying true to himself.” Morvillo was praised as “a fantastic role model for others…he seeks out leadership roles with a keen understanding of how to be a leader with adherence to a strong set of values.”
The class was called to line up for the final time as eighth graders to receive their certificates of completion to the applause of all those in attendance. Photos were snapped, families gathered around each student with a congratulatory hug. The crowd drifted off the field into the summer night with what felt like a shared sense of a burden being lifted. The kids had made it through, and in another sense, we had, too.
Click this link for a list of the graduates who received certificates during the JGMS 2021 Moving On Ceremony and became the Bedford High School Class of 2025, and this link to read Mr. Tracey’s full remarks. Bedford TV live-streamed the ceremony; you can watch it at https://youtu.be/_nBvhWsPRqQ, with the ceremony beginning around 28 minutes into the tape.
Faces in the Crowd
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