Newest Graduates Leave The Garden Of Norwood HS

NORWOOD, MA — To use a metaphor from school committee chairperson Myev Bodenhofer, the Norwood High School Class of 2018 has spent 13 years in the community garden known as the Norwood Public School, and now it’s time to let them leave and grow on their own.

The senior class said their last goodbyes to their school at Sunday’s graduation ceremonies, which had plenty of memories, laughs, and even a plane flyby congratulating a graduate named Erin, who is apparently attending Alabama based on the message that was towed across the sky.

For Valedictorian Collin Geary, graduation never seemed that close. He said that even while he was running his final track meet and watching his last basketball game, it never occurred to him that the event was around the corner.

“It didn’t hit me when we were questioning Dr. Thomson’s snow day decision or screaming at our last pep rally,” he said.

It didn’t hit him until the last day of school. With the day now gone, Geary is encouraging his classmates to look ahead.

“Today is not just the end of your high school career, but the first day of your future and everything that it entails,” he said.

In his final graduation ceremony as the principal of Norwood High School, Jonathan Bourn encouraged the graduates to embrace failure. Quoting Yoda from “Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi,” Bourn said, "the greatest teacher, failure is.”

“This does not mean I want you to fail. I want to recognize that failure, in your case, will be an inevitable part of your journey and one that you can learn from. I hope you fail because I’ve seen the potential you possess. You dream big and think big,” Bourn continued. “What if I tried that thing back in high school, what if I went to Australia alone? I hope this class learns it is better to have tried and failed then to sell yourself short.”

Bodenhofer, remarked on how the students have grown since they were kindergartners who needed help crossing the street and the many people who helped them along the way.

“Over the last 13 years you have likely been nurtured by many gardeners. Certainly, your teachers have played a large role in helping you learn. Your gardeners have also included other parents and community members who have served as coaches or organized events to have fun and be exposed to new things. Others include doctors and nurses who have cared for you, the police offices and firefighters, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers who have kept you healthy and safety,” she said.

As a gift, the senior class donated six $100 scholarships to the Class of 2019.

Click here to watch the full ceremony.

Image: File Photo