BELCHERTOWN — The 90-degree weather heated the sea of camping chairs and umbrellas that covered Belchertown High School’s Stadium Field Thursday evening, and people were doing their best to keep cool.

They fanned themselves with their event programs, visited one of the five bright orange beverage coolers — which matched the high school’s Orioles mascot colors — or simply talked among themselves to distract from the sweat pooling on the backs of their necks and dripping down their face.

Normally, a crowd of this size might brave the high temperature for a summer concert, food fair or tailgate. But these attendees had come to witness the 135 graduates of Belchertown High School receive their diplomas, throw their caps in the air and kick off not only the summer, but the rest of their lives.

“To the Belchertown High School Class of 2025: the stage is yours,” Belchertown High School Principal Christine Vigneux said. “You’re live. You’re ready. You have learned your lesson and spread your wings here at ‘The Nest.’ Now, it’s time to take your talents to the next show.”

Graduate Peter Root defines his class by the intellect that brought them dozens of achievements, from acceptance to over 60 higher education institutions, the 96 scholarships and 23 seals of biliteracy awarded to students. Root himself became an Eagle Scout after creating a meditation garden at the St. Francis of Assisi Parish, and he will attend Massachusetts Marine Institute for marine engineering next year.

“I’m really excited. I can’t wait to graduate,” Root said. “It’s kind of crazy. For four years we’ve been working up to this, and it seems like it just flies by.”

But while Valedictorian Chloe LaRoche is proud of the titles and accomplishments she and her class have earned, she advises her fellow classmates to look beyond titles. She worked hard to become the class vice president, an 1,000 point basketball scorer and valedictorian, but her accomplishments came at a price. She skipped family vacations, drove herself to anxiety-filled insomnia and found herself in trouble for studying too much.

“I have to admit, now that I’ve accomplished all of this, I find myself wondering whether these titles are worth the things I sacrificed to attain them,” LaRoche said. “As I look back on these years and all that I’ve accomplished, I now wish I had spent more time enjoying the experiences I was having and the memories I was making.”

Alexia Albu also reflected on the many missed moments of joy in her quest to match her and her parent’s expectations. The salutatorian is the daughter of Romanian immigrants who instilled values of education and hard work in her. Their sacrifices and risks ultimately allowed Albu to have more freedom and choices, but she in turn felt the stakes of her success.

“That fear changes you. It turns life into a checklist. It teaches you to value achievement more than joy,” she said. “And it’s exhausting sometimes.”

Instead of commemorating accomplishments, LaRoche told her classmates to put in the work, but not get so lost in the grind that you miss out on life around you. During her four years of high school, Albu eventually learned to live her own life and move forward at her own pace, even if that meant failing to meet someone’s expectations.

“We’ve all lost at some point,” Class President Adam Cooper said. “And yet, we are here. We are standing on the edge of a new beginning, and that is because failure is only temporary. Losing is human, Losing is growth. Losing is proof we tried.”

It’s those imperfect moments that Vigneux wants her students to embrace. In continuing her tradition of linking the class graduation with another major milestone, Vigneux compared the high school experience to “Saturday Night Live,” which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. Many of the most memorable laughs on the sketch comedy show were when an actor broke character, laughed in the middle of a scene or flubbed a line. Like a broadcast, “life is live,” and similar accidents will occur throughout life “because that’s what being human looks like,” Vigneux said.

“Life can be serious, and it will be at times, but laughter connects us, revives us, and uplifts us,” she continued. “It reminds us that we are all figuring it out together.”

During the graduation ceremony, every graduate and audience member stood for single mother Rebel Hughes as she walked across the bleachers to accept an honorary diploma for her late son Dalton McCullough. On Aug. 10, 2022, McCullough committed suicide after suffering a brain injury and a painful surgery. The moment commemorated the graduate that could not make it to ceremony, but will always be a member of Belchertown’s Class of 2025.

“When I look at all of you, I don’t see your titles or your roles,” LaRoche said. “I see friends who have been there for each other every step of the way, near strangers who have made others smile on their worst days and classmates who help each other for no reason other than to be kind.”

2025 Graduates

Kamilah Acosta-Morales*, David O. Akodu*, Alexia E. Albu*+, Russell E. Annis*+, Virgen M. Ayala Rivera+, Alexandra Barabolkin*+, Jack E. Beals, Jackson M. Benedetti, Jack G. Bergeron*, Luke T. Bergeron*, James A. Bernier, Meera J. Berryhill*+, Maximus A. Bessette, Gavin D. Boisjolie*, Joseph P. Borelli, Beverly J. Brittain, McKenna S. Cardwell, Brian M. Carlin, Samantha N. Causeway*, Esat M. Cayan, Senem Cayan+, Liam R. Chien*, Fallon A. Clancy*, Katie M. Collins, Adam J. Cooper*, Mia A. Corish*, Alaina E. Cote*, Alyssa C. Courchesne*, Kaia I. Couture*, Julianne L. Cozine*+, Kaden S. Czaporowski, Levi A. Daigle*+, Melina Y. David, Lilah R. Dean*, Jillian O. DeBarge*+, Michael A. DeMento, Matthew R. Dineen, Katherine G. Dorman*, Juliana J. Dragon*, Zachary D. Dragon*, Kyle E. Dunigan, Veronica S. Dymkowski*, Isabel A. Faustino*, Evan S. Ferguson*, Charles J. Fijal, Kaley M. Fletcher, Ian X. F. Foster, Brian E. Fuller, Patrick K. Fuller, Katie S. T. Gay*, Kyla F. Giroux, Caleb J. Z. Gloster*, Natalie S. Haluch, Trent R. Harper*, Aubrey G. Harrington*+, Jared W. Haynes, Aliza A. Hayward*++, Lucia F. M. Hellyar*+, Adriana H. Henderson, Jackson S. Hennessy, Owen D. Hess, Kamden R. Houle, Liam G. Howard*, Daniel J. Hulmes* Gabriel C. Ibekilo, Nicholas C. Ibekilo*++, Brady M. Jolly, Joseph E. Jordan, Jada A. L. Kelley, Jack D. Lacroix, Dylan R. Laramee*, Chloe A. LaRoche*, Natalie R. LaRoche, Anthony J. T. LeClair, Benjamin L. Les*, Noah T. Les*, Sienna R. Ljungberg*, Madelyn T. Lorion, Jack W. Mandeville*+, Kate R. Mark, Isabella R. Martins, Kevin V. Martins, Shaniya L. Mawson, Shantel W. R. McCullough, Ian M. McDonald*, Rocco M. Meausky*+, Jack H. S. Meyers*, Jacob M. Micheli, Joshua R. Misiaszek*, Allison M. Morris*+, Logan Z. Moses*, Chloe J. Moss*, Colin W. Mullen*, Zachary R. Mullen*, Ethan M. Murphy, Onyx M. Neiford, Gabrielle E. Newman, Elias Y. Nikitas, Ty T. J. O’Donnell*, Kanyinsola M. Okuwobi, Shyam A. Patel, Gianna M. Picardi*, Dylan M. Pope, Hannah G. Racine, Daniel T. Rackliffe, Nicholas M. Rettura*, Brianna A. Ribeiro*, Alexis G. Romaniak*, Peter L. Root, Larissa S. Rosa, Joel A. Rosario Sanchez, Natalie E. Rose, Vivian J. Ross, Thatcher M. Rudnik, Margaret C. Ryczek*+, Laci J. Sabourin, Varvara Sas* +++, Ryan M. Shea, Liam G. S. Spraggon*, Addison M. Sullivan*, Jack R. Sullivan*, Maya E. Tellier, Mikayla J. Valley*, Brycen A. Vann*, Jake T. Waller, Stephanie P. Wenzel, George H. Wheeler*, Pierre L. Willems*, Valerie R. Williams*, Owen Z. Wojtczak, Noah E. O. Yankson, Joseph J. S. Yoon*, Emma N. D. Yurkunas

* (Cumulative Four-Year

Grade Point Average of 90)

+ Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy

++ Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction