WMHS Class of 2012: List of Seniors, Speeches

Hundreds of students graduated over the weekend, but none had quite the style of Colleen McBride and Michelle Gibbons (pictured above)!

Add your photos from to our gallery. Can you top Colleen and Michelle?

 

WMHS Class of 2012: List of Graduates

 

VALEDICTORIANS:

SALUTATORIAN: Soo Lim Park

SUMMA CUM LAUDE

Edward Francis Armstrong, III

Robert Allen Campbell

Erin Maureen Cangiano

Alexandra Lee Chapman

Rene Josue Duarte

Carolyn Brianna Filardo

Shauna Riane Fumicello

Michael Edward Gobiel, II

Elizabeth Mary Hoctor

Mikaela Jean Holt

Melissa Haygan Lake

Nhu-An Thi Luu

Francesca Malvarosa

Gina Elizabeth Mantica

Kara Agnes McCormack

Michael James McKeon

Jonathan Jesse Myers

Maura Jane O’Brien

Michelle Ashley O’Connell

Colleen Elizabeth O’ Melia

John Jacob Oneal

Erin Michelle O’Neil

Soo Lim Park

Sarah Evelyn Rollins

Phillip John Skerry

Laura Beth Standley

Alexis Mary Stangas

Brandon Joseph Taylor

Amanda Marie Walsh

MAGNA CUM LAUDE

Rachel Elizabeth Black

Annalise Bourgeois

Jenna Lynne Boyd

Alicia Marie Braga

Kylie Lauren Burke

Meredith Therese Burns

Dylan Joseph Collins

David Robert Cooper

Karoline D’Brito

Christina Ryan Donahue

Michael Tyler Downie

Collin Paul-Alberto Duffany

Emily Paige Dunnigan

Michelle Patrice Gibbons

Aprille Rose Hibbard

Alyssa Michelle Kenney

Matthew Stephen Littleton

Hao Tri Mach

Colleen Anne McBride

Nicholas Robert Pineau

Taylor Gabrielle Platon

Heather Nicole Power

Amanda Katherine Rollins

Krista Virginia Scire

John Robert Secatore

Kelly Marie Tancredi

Stephanie Michele Tarpy

Kathryn Eleanor Thifault

John Joseph Tobin

CUM LAUDE

Steven Andrew Blank

Heather Kathryn Bushmich

John Francis Concannon

Tyler Roy Cudmore

Alyssa Taylor Davis

Samantha Marty Denis

Shanica Nicholas Denis

Madison Danielle Doherty

Melissa Kathryn Doherty

Christopher Joseph Donohue

Kimberly Ann Dulong

Ashley Kate Fairweather

Kirstie Lynne Foley

Paulina Victoria Foley

Gregory Andrew Forbes

Kasey Anne Gonsalves

Allison Marie Hogan

Daniel William Holland

Todd Robert Knott

William James Lee, IV

Erin Nancy Locke

Erin Maureen Marshall

Morgan Taylor Marshall

Steven Joseph McDonald

Molly Rose McDonough

Joseph Leo McElhiney

Jennifer Ann McInnis

Kaitlyn Brenna McSweeney

Kunal Kumar Mukherjee

Amanda Rose Navarro

Corey Francis O’Neil

Jacqueline Amber Reynolds

Rafael Daniel Rodriguez

Hunter Bruhn Romano

Adam James Tanner

Alexander Nicholas Thomas

Jordan Marie Tofalo

Nancy Nhu Tran

Thomas Edward White

Jaimee Ann Winer

WOBURN MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2012: CANDIDATES FOR GRADUATION     

Nicholas Joseph Amadeo

Kate Patricia Amendola

Tess Mary Amendola

Miguel Angel Amill

Kevin Cornejo Andrade

Hunter Marie Andreason

Steven Michael Andreason

Edward Francis Armstrong, III

Danielle Marie Ash

Jenny Michelline Auguste

Vikas Banga

Amanda Theresa Battelli

Ryan Edward Battelli

Christopher Thomas Beaudin

Haley Rose Bishop

Jake Patrick Black

Rachel Elizabeth Black

Steven Andrew Blank

Patrick Thomas Bogonis

Alex Stephen Bordenca

Annalise Bourgeois

Sven Christian Bourgeois

Isabella Malania Boyd

Jenna Lynne Boyd

Jessica Anne Boyd

Alicia Marie Braga

Kylie Lauren Burke

Meredith Therese Burns

Heather Kathryn Bushmich

Dora Byomuhangi

Ashley Lynn Byrne

Michael John Cain

Adore Lynn Calixto

Marcos Vinicius Novais de Camargo

Robert Allen Campbell

Erin Maureen Cangiano

Stacy Correia Capelo

Sean Patrick Carney

Keith Austin Carpenter

Casey Marie Catania

Stephen Emanuel Cecere

Dylan Paul Chamberlain

Alexandra Lee Chapman

Anthony Paul Cherubino

Abigail Marie Collins

Dylan Joseph Collins

Alexander Cozmo Colon

John Francis Concannon

Rebecca Kay Conley

Cole James Connolly

Carla Renee Connors

David Robert Cooper

Nico Salvatore Cornelio

Kimberly Rose Courtney

Tyler Roy Cudmore

William Alexander Cuozzo

Akashia Sade Cyprian

Alyssa Taylor Davis

Karoline D’Brito

Jacob Allen Delano

Celia Gene Della Rocco

Samantha Marty Denis

Shanica Nicholas Denis

John Joseph DiRienzo

Tan Do

Benjamin Robert Doherty

Elizabeth Burnham Doherty

Kayla Clare Doherty

Madison Danielle Doherty

Melissa Kathryn Doherty

Christina Ryan Donahue

Jaden Storm Donahue

Christopher Joseph Donohue

Carolyn Ann Dowd

Michael Tyler Downie

Kathryn Victoria Doyle

Rene Josue Duarte

Collin Paul-Alberto Duffany

Matthew P. Dugan

Kimberly Ann Dulong

Zachary Ryan Dunn

Joseph Martin Dunne, Jr.

Emily Paige Dunnigan

Tran Ngoc Duong

Katie Lynn Esquilin

Ashley Kate Fairweather

Evan James Fallon

Gabrielle Fanjoy

Jahzaria Mystique Farmer

Carolyn Brianna Filardo

Molly Haley Finlayson

Caleigh Dorothy Flaherty

Amanda Nicole Flynn

Brian James Foley

Kirstie Lynne Foley

Paulina Victoria Foley

Gregory Andrew Forbes

Herick Lopez Franca

Ashley Katherine Franco

Jasmine Shea Frank-Williams

Shauna Riane Fumicello

Alyx Renee Gallagher

Brianna Lee Gangi

Brian David Gianatasio

Philip Matthew Gianatasio

Christopher John Gibbons

Michelle Patrice Gibbons

Sean Thomas Gibbons

Brendan Murphy Gilgun

Ryan Scott Girolamo

Michael Edward Gobiel, II

Kasey Anne Gonsalves

Keanu Gonzaga

Terrell Thomas Hardin

Tanya Jane Harrigan

Bryana Patricia Harron

Noor Hasaba

Renee Elizabeth Hegarty

Aprille Rose Hibbard

Elizabeth Mary Hoctor

Keith Alan Hodges

Allison Marie Hogan

Daniel William Holland

Mikaela Jean Holt

Brigette Mary Houghton

Jillian Mary Iannacci

Tiffany Marie Iantosca

Dakota James Irvine

Teodor Georgiev Ivanov

Cameron Thomas Jacobsen

Taylor Jean-Gilles

Shawn Patrick Jeffers

Olivia Johnson

Winnie Flore Joseph

Matthew John Joyce

Angela Suzie Kechechian

Alyssa Michelle Kenney

Muzaffar Mustakali Khalifa

Zamirbhai Hamid Khalifa

William Paul Killeen

Taylor Thomas Kinton

Kathryn Elizabeth Knight

Todd Robert Knott

Jessica Mary Kuhn

Brandon John Kula

Christina Marie Lafferty

Melissa Haygan Lake

Brittany Ann Lally

Alec Joseph Lasota

Jared Rockwood Layman

William James Lee, IV

Nicholas Eric Lindahl

Matthew Stephen Littleton

Erin Nancy Locke

Evan Thomas Lonergan

Ivone Nassonko Lutaaya

Nhu-An Thi Luu

Hao Tri Mach

Nicole Marie MacHarrie

Shannon Kasey Maguire

Tyren Fritz Maldonado-Andre

Lindsay Elizabeth Maloof

Francesca Malvarosa

Gina Elizabeth Mantica

Erin Maureen Marshall

Morgan Taylor Marshall

Michael Joseph McAdams

Colleen Patricia McArdle

Colleen Anne McBride

Kara Agnes McCormack

Amber Kathleen McDonald

Steven Joseph McDonald

Molly Rose McDonough

Joseph Leo McElhiney

Kylee Rose McGann

Kaitlyn Marie McGuine

Jennifer Ann McInnis

Michael James McKeon

Brendan Jordan McLean

Brianna Rose McNeil

Kaitlyn Brenna McSweeney

Vanessa Jean Melanson-Calixto

Anthony Nicholas Mendonca

Alexander Scott Metrano

Domenic Joseph Mondi

Jessie Priscilla Monks

Raina Keely Monks

Timothy James Moran, Jr.

Samantha Lynne Moreira

Kunal Kumar Mukherjee

Jorge Manuel Murillo

Gregory Scott Murphy

Paige Joan Murphy

Ryan Christopher Murphy

Rahma Mutengu

Jonathan Jesse Myers

Tracy Leone Nascimento

Amanda Rose Navarro

Gelesa Matiann Newton

Julie Hoang Nguyen

Obed Benedito Ntinunu

Maura Jane O’Brien

Michelle Ashley O’Connell

Tyler James O’Doherty

Emelia Jalen Oliveira

Olivia Rose Oliveira

Colleen Elizabeth O’Melia

John Jacob Oneal

Corey Francis O’Neil

Erin Michelle O’Neil

John Mike Ortiz

Jared Michael Oteri

Taylor Lee Pacheco

Vincent Palermo

Soo Lim Park

Nihal Hitesh Patel

Palak Rakesh Patel

Samir Ashok Patel

Thamyres De Oliveira Pereira

Nicholas Robert Pineau

Jared Lee Pinnelle

Taylor Gabrielle Platon

Marissa Ann Plunkett

Heather Nicole Power

Dylan Joseph Proudfoot

Jessica Maria Rabasco

Jacqueline Amber Reynolds

Cloves Batista Ribeiro, Jr.

William Michael Ricci

Rafael Daniel Rodriguez

Amanda Katherine Rollins

Sarah Evelyn Rollins

Hunter Bruhn Romano

Stephanie Marie Rufo

Sarah Elizabeth Ryan

Zachary James Ryan

Maisa Abdulla Saeed

Darren Russell Sanon

Iara Moreira Santana

Barbara Emmanuele Santos

Camilla Lorraine Santos

Jacqulyne Marie Santullo

Kevin John Sawyer

Krista Virginia Scire

John Robert Secatore

Demianna Angelica Secondino

Casey Cadigan Shea

Valerio Henrique Silva

Phillip John Skerry

Mark Paul Skoog

Anna Marie Smith

Kara Angeline Smith

Jennie Sok

Rosalie Sok

Aleksandar Ivanov Spasov

Laura Beth Standley

Alexis Mary Stangas

Christina Urania Stangas

Jacob Nicholas Stanley

James William Steiner

Sabrina Elizabeth Steinle

Jennifer Marie Sterling

Michael Christopher Sullivan

Ashleigh Lorraine Sutton

Deborah Veronica Syring

Michelle Anne Tague

Kelly Marie Tancredi

Adam James Tanner

Stephanie Michele Tarpy

Brandon Joseph Taylor

John Bernard Tedesco

Kathryn Eleanor Thifault

Alexander Nicholas Thomas

Shaun Douglas Tibbo

John Joseph Tobin

Jordan Marie Tofalo

Nancy Nhu Tran

Steven Anthony Trimarchi

Victoria Margaret Tucker

Andrea Emily Tumbarello

Nicholas Claude Valente

Natashia Marie Valentin

Alexandra Marilyn Varoutsos

Amanda Marie Walsh

Daniel Patrick Walsh

Thomas Edward White

Philip James Whitten

Jaimee Anne Winer

James Ronald Wollinger

Kevin Thomas Wormell

Burbuqe Xherimeja

 

Speeches by Class of 2012 Graduates:

Laura Standley  WMHS 2012 Co-Validictorain

Good afternoon families, friends, teachers, administrators, honored guests, and, the reason we’re all here, the almost graduated Class of 2012. It is an honor to speak to you today, and I would like to take this opportunity to talk about one of the biggest influences on my life, and I’m sure plenty of yours as well. Popular culture plays a huge role in growing up. We are shaped by the TV shows and movies we watch, the songs we listen to, and the books we read. They define our culture, who we are as a generation, and for me, the series that stands out the most is Harry Potter. Though some may point out the Harry Potter books are only fiction, I refer you to a quote by Albus Dumbledore, “Of course it is happening in your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?” The Harry Potter series has given me so many memories and has had a tangible influence on my life, and the lives of many others. They are the books that made kids start reading for fun, the books I would go to Stop & Shop to buy at midnight when they were first published, the movies I went to see at midnight when they were released, and the topic I was even able to do my final tenth grade history project on. So, with that in mind, I decided to take something Harry Potter related and adapt it to us, the class of 2012.

At the beginning of each year at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the sorting hat (a talking, pointed hat which places students into their respective houses in the school) sings a song describing its purpose. I have made our own version:

Though no sorting hat is on our head

We have our caps and gowns;

We have made it through the Woburn schools

And left marks on this town.

 

We are sitting here today,

Our last time as a class.

Never again to climb the flights of stairs

Or ask for a hall pass.

 

Remember back to freshman year,

Where dwell the young and naïve.

Our inability to walk in the halls

Made upperclassmen grieve.

 

But we were also the lucky ones,

The class with so much to gain,

We had four years of opportunity,

Time to not be spent in vain.

 

You might remember sophomore year,

When we were slightly older.

We had more knowledge of the school,

And that surely made us bolder.

 

We knew the clubs, we knew the halls,

How to handle seven classes.

Now came the time to know ourselves

And separate from the masses.

 

And then you think to junior year,

When we were stressed and nervous,

Between our classes, sports, and SATs,

Clubs, and community service.

 

It was the year that college began to be real,

The future was not so far away,

Sports captains were elected, our yearbook began,

We had our first prom, and Hey! Lots of snow days!

 

Now perhaps to senior year

Will your mind finally wander.

This year is meant to be the best,

One we shouldn’t squander.

 

We went to dances,

Fall, winter, and spring,

Played sports, and attended class,

The usual thing.

 

But this year was different-

Each event was a “last”.

We were focused on the future,

Already reminiscing on the past.

 

One does not simply graduate from WMHS;

We lived here and made it our own.

We are athletes, artists, mathletes, musicians,

Well, when we’re not texting on the phone.

 

These halls and these teachers have taught us so much,

For those who took what was given.

To my teachers, I’d like to give all of my thanks;

It is because of you we’ve all been so driven.

 

To my parents, family, and all of my friends,

And also to everyone present,

It is because of your support and kindness that we’ve made it so far-

And you don’t know how much it has meant.

 

We need no sorting hat to choose

Where we will go now.

This year we chose that for ourselves,

And here we take our final bow.

 

“It does not do to dwell on dreams

And forget to live.”

Once said a brilliant, wise old man

With much advice to give.

 

Take what you learned here and use it well.

When facing adversity never waver

So I bid you adieu, class of twenty twelve,

And may the odds be ever in your favor.

 

Francesca Malvarosa   WMHS 2012 Co-Valedictorian

Good afternoon family, friends, faculty, and fellow graduates of the class of 2012.  It is an incredible honor to be able to speak before you all today.  As a class, we have spent the past four years growing together and learning from each other, and ultimately making the transition from uncertain underclassmen to more decisive upperclassmen.  Over the course of our time at Woburn Memorial High School, we’ve learned many lessons that we will carry with us into college, and into our futures.  Wherever we go, Woburn High will certainly remain a part of who we are, and it is very much worth remembering the place that shaped us into the young adults we are today.

Before we move on, we must acknowledge the many people for whom we are thankful.  We must thank our families, who have supported us and helped to guide us, and who have served as our biggest cheerleaders as we have grown.  We must also thank our teachers and the administration, for providing us with our invaluable education.  Without them, we would not be the successful graduates that stand here today.  And we must thank our friends, who have made life a little less difficult and a lot more enjoyable when we needed it most.  You are all very much loved and appreciated. 

We came to Woburn High from our respective middle schools, and on our first day of freshman year, we found that there were many unwritten rules we had yet to learn.  Eventually, we discovered that the senior café was both incredibly intimidating and completely off-limits to us, that bottom lockers were quite possibly the biggest inconvenience in the world, and that sometimes, it felt like the school had only two temperatures: borderline hypothermia, or blistering heat.  We also knew a few things for sure.  We knew we were the youngest kids in the school, and that blending in was probably the best way to survive that first year; we knew how to get to our classes, although at first it may have been a struggle; we knew there was no swimming pool on the nonexistent fifth floor, even though just about every upperclassman in the school tried to convince us that there was; and lastly, we knew that college was four whole years away – that it did not really concern us, and that we had what felt like an eternity to figure it all out.

Because our futures felt so far away, this first year was much easier and more lighthearted than the rest.  We learned to take advantage of each exciting opportunity that was presented to us, and to enjoy every school dance, sporting event, and class activity as they occurred.  There were still many things we did not know both about the school and about ourselves, but we knew that it was important to take in each moment and to appreciate all of our experiences.  We learned the importance of not hesitating, of taking risks, and little by little, we learned that sometimes, it was better to take a step back from the everyday pressures of high school, and just have some fun.

As we moved on to sophomore year, we were given more freedom.  We were still considered underclassmen, but we were old enough to pass our permit tests, and that was a pretty big deal.  With this milestone, we became more independent.  Our seating arrangements at lunch now shifted.  Our locker assignments changed.  Our classes became a little more difficult.  And while we were still slightly uncertain of our place in the school, we welcomed these changes.  Change meant getting older, and getting older meant getting closer to our upperclassmen years.  We embraced the idea of taking care of ourselves, rebelled against being treated like freshmen, and longed for the days where we would be able to call ourselves seniors and sit in that infamous senior café.  We learned that greater responsibility came with being independent, but we enjoyed the idea of making our own decisions and being strong-willed.  We enjoyed the satisfaction that came from being our own people, and above all, were happy knowing that our own decisions would determine our course over the next few years.  But when we were told that these years would go by quickly, we refused to believe it.  As far as we were concerned, college was still years away, and Woburn High would forever be our home.

Somehow and all of a sudden, we found ourselves in our junior year.  We became engulfed in even more challenging schoolwork, job applications, preparation for the SAT’s, guidance appointments, college visits, and numerous extracurricular activities and sports.  We essentially became world-class jugglers.  With the pressure of college looming closer in the distance, we knew that this year would be important.  In fact, we were told this by just about everyone.  The phrase “this is your most important year!” haunted us, and forced us to realize that our futures were much closer than we thought.  So we began to think about what lay ahead.  Some of us were scared.  Some of us were nervous.  Some of us handled the stress better than others.  But all of us learned an important lesson that year: that no matter how difficult or scary life may sometimes seem, it always goes on.  We found that even though our junior year may have caused us some anxiety and exhaustion, things always got better in the end.  Any difficult situation was guaranteed to improve if we just gave it enough time.  We learned to relax even when it felt impossible to do so, and to accept each day as it happened.  Our third year was marked by our first prom, our first opportunity to sit in the senior café once the seniors left at the end of the year, our first chance to participate in the Powderpuff football game, and our newly printed licenses.  The reality of how quickly high school was going by began to set in – upon filling out our last course-selection sheets ever, we knew that the end was near.  We were seniors.

This final year was a whirlwind of college and scholarship applications, work schedules, and open campuses that were filled with even more college prep.  This year, we knew that we had come full circle.  When we look back on our freshman year, we see ourselves as shy, awkward, uncertain, and confused underclassmen.  We see ourselves mixing up the unlabelled hallways, tripping on the many stairs, forgetting our locker combinations.  We see ourselves as the youngest, as the smallest, as the weakest.  We see ourselves as we used to be.  We have watched each other grow and change over these past four years.  We have witnessed the transformation that we have all completed.  We now possess a strong sense of identity; we know who we are, and have a pretty strong idea of who we want to be.  We have learned the tremendous importance of being ourselves, and accepting who we are, regardless of outside opinions and influence.  We have learned to be comfortable in our own skin, and to do what makes us happy.  We are now the oldest, the biggest, and the strongest. 

When this final year began, we started to measure time by certain events.  As the Thanksgiving Day Game, Christmas Break, Midyears, February and April vacations passed us by, we knew we had less and less time at Woburn Memorial High School.  Our time was running out as we celebrated our college acceptances, chose our schools, and realized for the first time in our lives that for most of us, Woburn would no longer be our official residence.  We are headed to other parts of Massachusetts, Minnesota, Rhode Island, California, New Hampshire, Florida, Virginia, Maine, Utah, New York, and North Carolina, just to name a few of the many areas where we will continue our educations.  Woburn High’s Class of 2012 will be separated.  We know that once we accept our diplomas and leave this stage, our time at Woburn High is officially over.  But the legacy that our class will leave behind will be unforgettable. 

We will forever be the class with the most enthusiastic super fans, attending every football, basketball, and hockey game to encourage our teams.  We will forever be the class with the most talented athletes, responsible for the 56-0 win against our Winchester rivals at the Thanksgiving Day game.  We will forever be the class that inspired the updated version of our dance contract, and the class that created an entirely new form of pep rally.  And no matter how much time passes, we will forever be the scholars, dancers, mathletes, singers, artists, athletes, writers, and dreamers of the class of 2012.  We will leave Woburn High today, but we will never forget our time here.  The lessons we will take with us into our futures are simple, but significant: Have fun in whatever you do, and be prepared to take risks.  Acknowledge your independence; it will always serve you well.  Know that life goes on, even when you feel overwhelmed.  And finally, be the person you want to be, and find what makes you happy.  With this combination, we can change the world.  Congratulations, Class of 2012!

 

Eunice Park   WMHS 2012 Salutatorian

Good afternoon, Class of 2012, family, friends, teachers, and guests. First, I would like to comment on how striking you all look today, especially the graduates of Class of 2012 in your black and white caps and gowns. Throughout the four years at Woburn High, I’ve witnessed you all, in quite a variety of clothing- football jerseys, black and orange shirts, shorts that were too short for school, tank tops that didn’t pass the three finger rule, and also crazy Halloween costumes. But now, we are all here today for the last time as one class in our black and white caps and gowns waiting to finish our high school career. We’ve all dreamed of this moment at least once in our lives and I can’t believe that the graduation of Class of 2012 has become a reality today.

These four years that everyone warned us would fly by seemed to have passed by as quickly as promised. Our high school years seemed to have passed in a flurry of activities: school work, AP classes, sports, extracurricular activities, community service, school dances, college application process and other gazillion things that I cannot remember. Through these activities, we learned our lessons, we formed friendships and we made memories that we will never forget. Every single experience we had during these four years helped to shape who we are today. And without the continuous support and dedication of our friends, families, and teachers, our high school years would have been impossible to get through.

With that said, we must thank our families for walking beside us every step of the way until now. They were the ones who motivated us to strive to do the best in everything we did. Many times we failed them and we were not the best sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters to them. However, they always supported us. They were the ones who helped us to get back up on our feet and to persevere when we were dreading our failures. We truly owe to them all our love and credit for our accomplishments. So thank you all family members.

We must also thank our teachers, administrators, and counselors for providing us the education and the tools that allow us to move onto the next phase of our lives. They were the ones who pushed us to our fullest potential and encouraged us to continue on in our reach for higher education. They have not only taught us how to study or get good grades in certain subjects but by sharing their experiences and knowledge they also have taught us how to live and survive in the real world. Thank you teachers, counselors, and administrators for making the past four years possible.

Finally, we must thank each other, the Class of 2012, for making the past four years truly memorable. Some of us were homeroom buddies, some of us suffered through many AP classes together, some of us played sports together, and some of us passed each other in the halls couple times and that was all. Although we all had different experiences, friends, and personalities throughout high school, we have one important thing in common: We all make up the Class of 2012. Each one of us make our class special by our unique personalities, our passion for learning, and the tanner pride that lies in each of our hearts. If a single one of you were not part of the Class of 2012 the past four years, our class wouldn’t have been the same. So thank you all graduates of Class of 2012.

As I conclude, I would like to share a thought that I recently had in the hopes that you would take it to apply to your future lives. During our senior year, the phrase YOLO has become a popular motto among many of us. For those of you in the audience who do not know what YOLO means, it’s an acronym for “You only live once”. Many of us, students, probably said or thought this phrase at least once a day this year, I know I did. We usually used it superficially like to mainly defend doing something extremely stupid or risky. For example, you might have said something like, “It’s two in the morning and I still haven’t done any of my homework”. And your friend would say, “Well, YOLO”.

Well, today as we stand on the brink of a next chapter of our lives, I want all of us to change this shallow meaning of YOLO around and make it an insightful motto for our future. Take a second to think about this: you and I, we all have only one chance to live! Then we might as well make the most of our lives. By this I mean, be bold and be daring to do what you desire to do in your life because you only have one chance to live. If you are passionate about cooking and want to become the next Iron Chef, then go for it, because YOLO (I’m not sure if this is a good example). If your life-long dream is to become a doctor to heal and save people, then achieve that dream, because YOLO. If your goal in life is to open up a successful business and your first one fails, well don’t give up, get back up and plan the next one, because YOLO.

Class of 2012, I want to encourage you all to take chances and live your life to the fullest. Don’t let opportunities to slip by and if you do let an opportunity pass by you, you better be ready to grab the next one. Because Mark Twain once said that “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do”. And he challenges us by saying, “So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover”.

Fellow classmates, as we all make our transition into the next chapter of our lives, I hope that we become brave and bold people, who dare to take chances to achieve what we want for ourselves and for the world. Because remember, YOLO!

Congratulations everyone! I wish you the best in your future endeavors!

 

Hunter Romano  WMHS 2012 Class President

I would like to thank everyone for being here today; however you are related to a graduating student. Whether you be a friend, relative, teacher, faculty member, a casual acquaintance, an enemy, or just downright irrelevant thank you so much for being here.   When contemplating what to share with you all today I decided to limit the inspiration and save that for everyone else.  Instead I will just touch upon some of the memories and things this class has done to make it so darn special. 

Understand that we have had plenty of typical high school experiences as well though.  Starting all the way back during freshman year when it seemed liked every girl you liked ended up being swept off their feet by some older chump.  This left all us guys to spend many Friday nights playing call of duty wondering what all the girls saw in these older boys.  Luckily we were able to participate in the same tradition four years later and none of us seem to have as big of a problem with it now. This class participated in classic weekend events such as hanging out at McDonalds at four corners, in the back parking lot of breakers, the infamous Battelis, and various other sketchy locations such as the “pits”. 

Seriously though this class rules.  The amount of epic once in a High School memories that we have had are way too many to mention in this speech.  We might have had the first ever teacher student relay race when Alex Thomas relay raced Ms. Davey.  We had the best pep rally ever this year because of the commitment of this class to going a step beyond what was expected.  During our time here the high school step team was initiated due to many of our peers working hard.  They even made their entry cry a famous line used all the time. “ITS ABOUT TO GO DOWN”.  We beat Winchester 56-0 on Thanksgiving! 

The success and various achievements of this class it what makes me so proud to be a member of it.  In athletics we had a wonderful four years that included a basketball trip to the garden, a super 8 berth in boys hockey, a couple trips to state championships by the girls hockey team, tons of runners go extremely far in all state meets, various Middlesex MVP’s in their sports, and countless all league selections.  This class has a very large portion of student athletes going on to play sports at the collegiate level. To those peers I wish the best of luck, to tear it up, and rep the black and orange well. 

Sports is not all we were able to do.  We have students going to amazing schools next year. Just these three girls up here are going to Boston College, USC, and MIT.  Our yearbook won best in New England from its printing company and if you have not had the opportunity to check it out I highly recommend it.  We have an awesome band which includes several highly talented musicians from the graduating class of 2012.  I hope you had an opportunity to see a play put on by the high school one of the last four years because we have some amazing actors and singers in front of me.  We had a trivia group go super deep in their competition and one of the members of that group won third place in the entire world in the geography bee.  Our banking program landed a second place trophy at this year’s banking bowl in Boston. I would be up here all day if I recited to you every achievement of this class, but already my time is running up so I will leave you with this. 

I know this class works hard and knows what success tastes like.  Do not ever forget what it tastes like and constantly strive for the best, because that is what you deserve.  You will be hit with many obstacles in life but if you keep a clear picture of your end goal you will not falter.  Stay focused and attains the perfection because you deserve it whether it is involving your education, career, family, or friendships.  I love all you guys and appreciate all that you have done for me, thank you class of 2012.  

 

—Class list and speeches provided by Woburn Memorial High School administration.