By Patricia Roy

In spite of threatening skies, Holliston High School held its June 4 Commencement Ceremony outside on the school’s athletic turf. The soon-to-be graduates filed in to the traditional strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” and, once seated, were welcomed by school Principal Nicole Bottomley who acted as master of ceremonies. 

For the first time in the school’s history, Holliston High School had co-valedictorians – Declan Collins and Ava Kaviani. Class president Jonah Feldman also gave a speech. Four musical performances were included in the ceremony : Colleen Malvey and Kaitlyn Irons sang “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, accompanied by Joshua Nelson. Ryan Bush offered his version of “How Do I Say Goodbye” by Dean Lewis and Dakshata Salvakumar sang “Right Here” by Maharani, also accompanied by Joshua Nelson. Finally, Valerie Decipio sag Audra Day’s Rise Up” accompanied by Ben Discipio.

In his speech, Collins spoke about leaving his “incredible classmates” behind along with family, hom “Does anyone ever really leave a place behind?” he asked, recalling the idyllic pastoral feeling of the community , the lovely simplicity of walking the school halls and recognizing every single face.

“Remain vigilant in preserving your memories of this time and that way a part of you will never leave this place,” he said.

Kaviani spoke of the importance of leadership and how it was exemplified at the high school. There will be a ripple effect she predicted from the tiny little Holliston pond to a new ocean of opportunities,” she said.

The graduates are: Juliana Lynne Abusheery, Alejandro Jose Acevedo, Pierce Frederick Alachi, Cian Kenneth Aldredge, Yuri Dutra Almeida, Ania Elaine Alwani, Anabelle Kathleen Amante, Jennifer Emma Andelman, Venkat Krishna Sai Atluri, Tristan Jared Avelar, Ella Caroline Bahmann, Kara Julia Balewicz, Benjamin Howard Bausch, Ryan Scotti Bausch, Melanie Dellene Beadenkopf, Adelaide Kay Bearer, Carter John Benoff, Emily Bella Bernardo, Ethan William Berry, Finn Daniel Blossom, James William Boardo, Ella Ryan Bosselman, Caroline Margaret Brady, Mari Thomas Braun, Elleree Breslau, Dylan Charles Brewster, Celine Buer, Owen Spencer Bulmer, Emilie Kathryn Caldwell, Elizabeth Rose Cano-Dimacuha, Anthony Peter Capela, Dayanara Elizabeth Castro, Loressen Cebien, Kleah Cenolli, William Daniel Chamberlain, Jesses Chen, Emily Mei Li Chiang, Sydney Isabella Cohen, Robert Edward Collier, Alexandra Beatrice Collier-Clarke, Declan William Collins, Maxwell Charles Cooper, Tatum Reilly Cordon, Marco Christiano Costa, Larissa Dutra Franco Da Silva, Matthew Dagnachew, Cecelia Margaret Davenport, Hailey Gayle Davis, Elizabeth Igorivna Davydenko, Andrew Nicholas Denison, Matthew Carter Dennison, Zachary Robert Dennison, Michael Dante DeRubeis, Victor Ferreira Dias, Valerie Carla Discipio, Kaden Lee Dumas, Rhys Conor Duncan, Sophia Rose Dunnirvine, Christopher Daniel Enzer, Jonah Myer Feldman, Brenna Kathryn Fisk, Brendan James Fitzpatrick, Dillan Paul Foley, Ryan Kristopher Foley, Sabrina Eliza Foss, Julia Maria Siqueira Franco, Lindsey Gillis Franco, Elizabeth Jean Frassinelli, Robert Bales Frassinelli, Ellie Ann Freeman, Maeve Ann Garvey, Joseph William Gentile, Lucas Aguiar Giacomo, Ava Dorothy Gioffre, Nathan James Giordano, Owen Robert Giordano, Sheli Goldfain, Michael Patrick Gonsalves, Tyler James Greenberg, Brian Thomas Hagen, William Victor Hampson, Grant John Harper, Clancy Grace Harrington, Amelia Jane Harris, Omar M Helaly, Jake Charles Hermann, Ethan Mooar Holmes, Matthew Robert Hunt, Dylan James Ienello, Gryffin Irons, Kaitlyn Rose Irons, Max Andrew Israel, Ava Pauline Jeye, Taylor Mei Hua Johnson, Liam Robert Jordan, Inga Louise Marit Jung, Joshua Michael Kampersal, Sai Neha Kandru, Ava Kaviani, Nicholas Edward Keenan, Charles William Keogh, Colin James Kerr, Josiah Samuel Keys, Todd Joseph Kiley, Jack Henry Kilmartin, Mihir Kodali, Andrei Vladimir Koev, Ananya Kommineni, Ella Jane Kuchman, Julianne Bianque Lagares, Nicholas Daniel Larche, Dillon Le, Sophia Jane Liebermann, Isabella Hotchkiss Lima, Henry Douglas Littlejohn, Peter Martin Lipacis, John Ambrose Liro, Stephen Daniel Majkut, Colleen Elizabeth Malvey, Daniel Joseph Marczewski, Johann Basilio Ramirez Mari, Lucy Louise Maurao, Owen Michael McCarron, Claudia Rose McMahon, Cole Constante Megathlin, Ryan Michael Merlis, Mackenzie Green Miller, Austin Fletcher Mirken, Sarunas Lamarche Montvila, Ryan Tyler Mottor, Olivia Madison Mullen, Bryson Chappell Mustard, Dylan Jason Nelson, Joshua Davidoff Nelson, Elias Adam-Badis Nemiri, Lauren Elise Neville, Christopher Patrick O’Neil, Michael John O’Neill, Cooper Lincoln Olson, Neo William Paradis, Deborah Moreno Parente, Brendon John Park, Om Gautam Patel, Jocelyn Oneli Perera, Arjun Vijay Pillai, Abner Benjamin Pineda, Eleanor Dunn Powell, Josephine Gloria Claudia Quinn, Mia Anne Quinzani, Camryn Bella Rankin, Daniel Rapoport, Erin Michelle Robbins, Sienna Keris Robie, Reese Samuel Robinson, Abigail Grace Roche, Aidan Patrick Roy, Sean Peter Ryan, Chloe Reisman Sampas, Dakshata Selvakumar, Emma Yetev Sheils, Maura Caroline Shook, Kaitlyn Marie Silverberg, Evelyn Rachel Simon, Ahbnner Jacob Simoncelos, Owen Robert Simpson, Savannah Cierra Simpson, Aidara James Smith, Rafael Carvalho Sousa, Sarah Elizabeth Sousa, Lev Edelson Spiro, Jason Finn Stokes, Mahika Sukhavasi, Pari Hinesh Surati, Lucy Valentina Svirsky, Brady Gerald Sweeney, Joao Vitor Silveira Tavares, Maria Gabriela Silveira Tavares, Ava Grace Tobin, Anthony J R Touchette, Nicholas Stephen Triveri, Vincent Robert Triveri, Emily Mariah Vaz Falcao, Victhor Borges Vieira, Martha Inslee Walker, Caroline Johanna Warner, Kaitlyn Lansing Warren, Evelyn Mae White, Jack Ryan Whittaker, Thomas John Whynot, Casey Elizabeth Wig, Kathryn Alyssa Williams, Abigail Anne Winchenbach, Steven John Witzell, Emma Katherine Wood, Tobias Wood, Amelia Rose York, Owen David Zakrzewski, Hannah Yunzi Zhou.