Cid-Pacheco
valedictorian
“You are the leaders of tomorrow,” Class President Kaleena Gulledge declared when she addressed fellow members of the Class of 2015 from Minuteman High School at their commencement ceremony.
Diplomas were awarded to the school’s 163 graduating seniors, including 34 from Arlington, at Lowell Memorial Auditorium on Friday, June 5.
“Take your knowledge, your skills, and your talent and use them to mold a bright future not only for yourselves, but for all,” Gulledge added.
In their addresses, she and other leaders of the Class of 2015 looked back with appreciation while vowing to serve others and do great things in the future.
Speeches from valedictorian Maria Cid-Pacheco, of Arlington, salutatorian Jacqueline Lopez, of Waltham, and Gulledge, of Watertown, featured solemn words of advice, exhortations to their classmates to use the education they received at Minuteman, in Lexington, wisely and productively, and heartfelt expressions of thanks to their parents and teachers.
Stressing the value of the “nontraditional education” that she and her classmates received at Minuteman, Cid-Pacheco told them, “Take what you have learned these past four years and let it change your future, and take what you learn in life and use it to change the world.”
A theme in Lopez’s remarks was how far everyone had progressed in maturity and knowledge since their days as freshmen, and that four demanding years of hard work, little sleep, hectic schedules and other challenges had ultimately been worthwhile.
“It feels like, just yesterday, we were scared and awkward freshmen at the bottom of the food chain. Today, however, we should all be happy about how far we have come,” she said. “We finally accomplished what took us thirteen or more years of hard work – be proud.”
Minuteman’s Superintendent, Dr. Edward A. Bouquillon, urged the graduates to serve the world by exhibiting the traits of warriors – not the cinematic or one-dimensional variety, he emphasized, but “true warriors” in the noblest ancient tradition who “train with great discipline and diligence to develop their skills which they willingly offer in selfless service.”
Noting that true warriors are caring, keenly attuned to their surroundings, and passionate about what they do, Dr. Bouquillon defined them in one word: brave.
He said, “…[T]he world needs Warriors now more than ever, the world needs you, we need you!”
Minuteman is an award-winning regional high school that gives its graduates a competitive edge in the new global economy by providing them with a high-quality career and technical education, coupled with a rigorous grounding in mathematics, English, science, and social studies. At Minuteman, students can currently major in 19 career and technical education programs at the same time they take rigorous academic courses, similar to those in traditional academic high schools. Minuteman offers a wide selection of academic courses and programs.
The 34 graduates from Arlington are:
Maria Cid-Pacheco, biotechnology
Emma Ruth Kremer Rich, biotechnology
William Foster Peters, carpentry
Erica Marcella Alves, cosmetology
Avery Ruth Eisenheim, cosmetology
Edward Harrington, culinary arts/baking
Natalie Rose Schulz, design/visual communications
Jonpaul Christian Addorisio, electrical wiring
Anthony Robert DeCampo, electrical wiring
Daniel Emanuele Oliva, electrical wiring
Christopher Michael Smith, electrical wiring
Maya Rose Frost Brophy, engineering technology
Isaac Evan Hiller, engineering technology
Aidan Patrick Rojo, engineering technology
William Fredrick Woods, health assisting
Hayley Louise Veno, hospitality
Richardson Dalencourt, marketing
Joshua Power Clark, plumbing
Ryan Paul Harrington, plumbing
Avishank Singh Khadka, Programming & Web
Anthony James Buscemi, Automotive Technology
Matthew Robert Day, carpentry
Madeline Ann Bransford, cosmetology
Haley Marie Cove, early education & care
Brendan Timothy Kirkpatrick, electrical wiring
Ashley Jordan Koll, electrical wiring
Roger Joseph Magalhaes, electrical wiring
Joseph Daniel Vaudo, electrical wiring
Hunter James Fitzsimmons, Environmental Science
Sarah Ann Joseph, Environmental Science
Lindsey Nicole Azar, Health Assisting
Claudia Louise Pinard, Health Assisting
Marina Schwartz, marketing
Julian Daniel Fox, plumbing
This summary was published Tuesday, June 9, 2015.
