“I love you, Mom!” shouted Jaden Tavares as he walked across the Apponequet Regional High School football field to receive his diploma.

Tavares was one of 170 graduating seniors who completed their high school journey on Friday, June 6.

As the sun lowered and the weather cooled, the graduates appeared from the woods behind the football field, walking in a slow procession as family and friends cheered their arrival and faculty and staff lined a path to lead them to their seats.

Class President Nicholas Connolly opened the ceremony, tearful but joyous.

“We made it, we finally made it, it feels like just yesterday we were eager-minded elementary schoolers thinking this day wouldn’t arrive for the next 100 million years,” Connolly said with a lump in his throat. “Back then we didn’t have the worries of preparing for finals or worrying if we had a date for homecoming.”

Connolly went on to recall some standout memories from the Class of 2025’s four years. He remembered unexpected fire alarms, humorous DECA performances, and senior basketball player Will Levrault’s 1,000 career points.

“It’s these moments that seem so momentous at the start, but they will soon be the good ol’ days and you’ll find yourself asking again, ‘Oh how I wish I could go back,’” Connolly said.

Valedictorian Niamh Gallagher praised the accomplishments of her classmates and connected them to the prestigious ranking of both Massachusetts education and Apponequet as a school.

“On top of this we have been privileged to learn from such an amazing group of educators who are all dedicated to enlightening the next generation of thinkers and doers,” Gallagher said. “I have endless gratitude for all of the opportunities that have come from being a Laker.”

Madeline Polochick brought her class into the future with a message for classmates on life after high school. Polochick said she plans to study nursing and, “it’s scary to think that by saying this one word I'm defining the rest of my life.”

“However our careers are not what define us, our worth is not determined by our grades, achievements, which college we attend or the major we choose but by our character,” she said.

After the speeches, each graduate took their diploma and hugged, shook hands or high-fived the person presenting it to them before walking into their post-high school lives.

“The more important question we should be asking ourselves today is not what I want to do but instead who I want to be,” Polochick concluded.