‘Be positive’ advises valedictorian

Josh Estrella
Posted 6/18/15

It was the end of an era Tuesday, as Pilgrim High School celebrated its 53rd commencement ceremony. A total of 223 Pilgrim graduates crossed the stage marking the end of their high school careers and …

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‘Be positive’ advises valedictorian

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It was the end of an era Tuesday, as Pilgrim High School celebrated its 53rd commencement ceremony. A total of 223 Pilgrim graduates crossed the stage marking the end of their high school careers and Mrs. Marie Cote’s as principal. She hopes to remain in the school system, but is stepping down as principal.

Valedictorian Nicole Gauthier began her speech explaining to CCRI’s crowded Field House how she spent 137 days staring at her phone’s countdown app. She was watching the days dwindle down until the day the final class rankings were posted, forgetting the value of those days in-between.

“I had spent 137 days staring at my phone,” she said.

“137 days that I cannot remember because they are all miserably blurred together. I realized that that was barely living. It is normal to be excited about something but all of those days in between were just as important as the one I thought I could not wait for.” Gauthier said, “Class of 2015, I did not have those 137 days but I will have the next 137 days and every single day after that. I hope you all will too.”

“It is like the sun rises and sets for you,” Gauthier continued, “Roald Dahl reveals, ‘A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”

Appreciation of each day and remembrance of good memories was the theme of Tuesday’s graduation as the graduates collected their diplomas and thanked Mrs. Cote for all of her hard work.

Cote thanked her vice principals, the staff and all of the honored guests at the graduation, but most of all she spoke warm words about the various individual students that have stood out to her in this graduating class.

“As you know,” Cote said, “I can’t mention every name and go through the whole roll…but to the Class of 2015: thank you, and good luck.”

Also present at the graduation was Eugene Nadeau, vice chair of the School Committee and Dr. Richard D’Agostino, Superintendent of Warwick Schools.

“The important thing is to not stop questioning,” D’Agostino said, “Walt Disney believed all our dreams could come true if we have the courage to pursue them…My question to you is: do you have the courage to pursue them?”

Nadeau said, “You may not have realized it through these 12 years, and its something that I don’t want you to forget ever…if you look around you are going to see the faces of your mothers and fathers, and your grandparents, friends and family members- everyday, of every month of every year, they have also been your teachers.”

Pilgrim alumni, Mayor Scott Avedisian passed on congratulations to the graduates, with a special shout-out to his niece Tayler Avedisian, who was in the graduating class.

“…while I am very proud of all of Warwick’s graduating seniors, Pilgrim students hold a special place in my heart. I am honored to welcome you to the ranks of Patriot Alumni.”

The Pilgrim choral director Jacqueline Soares introduced the Salutatorian, Justine Pollard. Soares described Polard as a student who has always been “quiet and unassuming, and no one would guess the talent she has because she’s so humble.” Polard got into All State every year in chorus, was described to have read music better than most seniors her freshman year, and was selected as one of two female vocalists to represent Rhode Island in the All National Mixed Choir in Nashville, Tennessee.

“Life isn’t always about how far you get and how much money you make, really its about the relationships you have, the chances you take and the memories you make along the way,”

Pollard said.

This year Pilgrim’s Senior Class President Alexa Annotti did the presentation of diplomas. Annotti read aloud the names of all of the 223 graduates that passed the stage, boys in black and girls in white, many of which decorated with honor bands.

Before the Pilgrim Concert Band directed by Christopher Pratt could close the night with their performance of “Pomp and Circumstance,” Annotti presented the class gifts to Class of 2016 Vice President Hannah Johnson.

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