59.0°,
Overcast Mepham Class of 2017 leaves behind a legacy
Madison Uzwy had community on her mind when she spoke at the 79th commencement of Mepham High School on June 25.
“The people around you made the place actually feel like home,” said the student emcee and class president. “These people at Mepham have bonded and connected with you.”
Sunday’s was the last commencement that Michael Harrington will oversee as principal, as he will assume the role of assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction in the coming school year. Eric Gomez, current principal at Calhoun, will take over for Harrington at Mepham.
“This class has proved that it is possible to achieve extraordinary things when there is a shared sense of purpose and drive,” said Harrington. “The ways in which your class brought the community together through service projects … and how the spirit and pride that was felt at events [like that] is unlike any other school. Your collective efforts as a class to improve the world around you will always be the legacy of the Class of 2017.”
Salutatorian Kristina Schwab said that while she it was too soon to tell if her high school years were the best of her life, she said that “without a doubt it was four of the most significant years.”
“Think back to your freshman self and think of the person standing here today,” she said. “In the time between, we have matured and [grown] up. We gained a great sense of independence.”
Valedictorian Rachel Jozwik spoke about how to navigate through the next chapter of life.
“The next few years — the rest of our lives — will be all about experiences,” she said. “We will make a million mistakes, but learn a million new things. We will get lost a few times, but find some really cool places. After all, the less we know, the more there is to learn.”
Board of Education member Nina Lanci shared the “real secrets of success” with Mepham’s graduates — life lessons that were similar to basics taught in kindergarten including venturing outside to play, smiling at people and remembering to be humble and kind.
“Most importantly use the buddy system,” she added. “The world is a lot less scary when you know there is someone you can trust.”
