Despite Hot, Crowded Conditions, Excitement High at SHS 2013 Graduation

Despite the fact that threatening skies forced the 2013 Simsbury High School commencement into a hot, crowded gym Monday evening, excitement was in the air. 

Many of the evening's mixed a healthy dose of humor into their speeches. 

In her welcome address, Class president Caroline Alix mentioned the removal of a popular item from the cafeteria, an issue she was unable to fix. 

"Fellow students, I extend to you my sincerest apologies. I was unable to bring home the bacon," she said. "Rest in peace Simsbury High School cafeteria bacon, you will be greatly missed."

But Alix quickly noted that in the larger scheme of life, the issue was a minor one. 

"As your class president, the fact that the removal of bacon from our cafeteria options was the most pressing issue I’ve had to deal with is a testament to the Simsbury High School Class of 2013’s overall character.  After all, we had to deal with the ramifications of events much larger than food restrictions, events that defined our nation for years to come." 

Read more here. 

Student Conor Lyman spoke passionately about the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and his summers in town.

"When Dr. King came to Simsbury to work on the tobacco fields, he saw what it meant to be free. From the letters he wrote home to his family we learn that here in Simsbury Dr. King was astounded to find he could walk into a drug store and have a milkshake at the counter, that he could play baseball with other teenagers and not have to worry about what race they were. Simsbury didn’t think much about it, but he did."

Lyman later stated that he couldn't truly understand Dr. King's struggles but brought the lessons to today stating, "We have been fortunate to live in a community which promotes the exploration of individuals’ interests and encourages people to work together to achieve goals. At Simsbury High, we have all benefited from educational opportunities and an educational system that sets high expectations and helps us reach those goals, no matter how lofty." 

Read more of Lyman's speech here. 

Student Grace McCann also spoke of dreams and perseverance. She talked about her childhood passion for singing despite here "extremely bad" voice. 

She then referenced more serious issues at home and abroad. 

"Specifically this past year I learned of events that made me question how I will be able to succeed in a world with such evil," McCann said. "How can I get to where I want to be in life when we are surrounded by a struggling economy, war, and terrorism?"

But she continued, "However what I was failing to see is that life will never be as easy as we want it to be, and the only way we can reach our goals is to persevere through all difficulties. I was shown this through people like Dr. Seuss who displayed tenacity and is inspiring in the way he reached for his dream. Dr. Seuss’ first book was rejected 27 times, and despite this he went on to write some of the most well known and successful books ever."

See McCann's full speech here. 

Students also heard from faculty speaker Elizabeth McKay. She spoke of "Places to Go, People to See, Things to Do." 

Until now, many choices have been made for the students, she told them but continued: 

"One of the most exciting things about leaving high school is the freedom to make your own choices on the road to “adulthood.”  For each of you—whether you are continuing your education, entering the armed forces, moving into the workforce, or just hoping to find a way to move out of the parental residence—you will have a significantly greater number of opportunities to make your own decisions, and those choices will have increasingly important consequences.  Although the array of possibilities for your future can and should be thrilling, sometimes the choices are so numerous that they can also be daunting."

McKay then offered advice from author Barry Schwartz to help wade through what are often too many choices. See more here. 

Principal Neil Sullivan offered a top 10 list of favorite senior quotes, some original, others famous and at least one puzzling. 

Number 9 was “Why wear clothes when you don’t have to?”

"As puzzling as this quote was for me, I was perhaps more troubled by the fact that it was attributed to one of our math teachers," Sullivan said. 

The number one quote was taken from Herb Brooks, who famously led the 1980 USA Men's Hockey Team to gold during a politically volatile time —  “Great moments are born from great opportunity.”

"Graduates, we expect great moments from you in the years ahead because you have been given great opportunity – the chance to be raised in a town where you were supported by strong parents, a generous community, and spirit-lifting places of worship," he said. When you came to school – for many of you beginning in Kindergarten in Simsbury – you had skilled and caring teachers, programs and courses not offered in other places, and a fabulous group of classmates who have developed into some of your best friends."

See the rest of the list here. 

The graduation also featured a performance of "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by senior choir members and "City on Down" by a group of the Class of 2013. 

The crowd left the building to he "Trojan Fight Song" and faculty lined the sidewalks, offering congratulations and a few hugs and handshakes to graduates as the left the building.