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LENOX Mass. — Lee High School's class of 2025 was commended for their achievements in a "stranger, more confusing" world.

Fifty-one graduates crossed the stage at Tanglewood on Saturday as rain poured over the Koussevitzky Music Shed. Salutatorian Sophia Puntin said, "We've really been through a rollercoaster over the years, especially in middle and high school."

"Starting our post-elementary school career with a 'two-week break' in 7th grade for a small virus called COVID-19 was certainly an interesting beginning. I remember the exact moment we were told that we were going to take a short break from school because a 'small sickness' had started to spread a bit too much. I was sitting in the library with my friends on Friday, March 13th, 2020, when they told us over the announcements that for the next two weeks, we weren't going to have to do any schoolwork. Everyone I talked to was so excited," she explained.

"It was the best two weeks of my life. I was able to sleep in, didn't have any homework, and could call my friends and family all I wanted, but then the two weeks were past, and COVID had gotten worse, and actually, we weren't going to be returning to school for the rest of the year."

At this time, students were told that they would be attending school over an app called Zoom, couldn't leave their homes, and if they did, they had to stay six feet apart from people they didn't live with.

"That was fun," Puntin said jokingly, explaining that years later, the virus still isn't gone and "probably won't ever be," but as stressful as that time was, it made the class of 2025 stronger.

"I've thought long this week about what my final message and the final lesson of your high school career should be. It was tougher than most years, because the world we live in is a stranger, more confusing one than it ever has been," Principal Gregg Brighenti said.

"Here we are, sending you off to formally begin your adult lives, and all around you, there is chaos and entropy. Extreme weather events are multiplying, the forests keep burning, there's information overload everywhere you look, voices of doom and gloom and retribution seem to be all around us. Conflict seems to be breaking out around the world. It's hard sometimes to tell who the good guys are. We are influenced to be pitted against each other based upon our beliefs. Much of this was made possible because of the pace of technological change, which has been extraordinary."

He sat on this stage 35 years ago, almost to the day, before the internet became a part of everyday life and artificial intelligence was only in movies and "always ended up killing us all." His message to students is to ignore the chaos around them and keep moving forward.

"I hope we have given you some tools to cut through the noise and chaos that surrounds us all," Brighenti told the class.

"Live lives of purpose and grace. Get out there, Wildcats, and make us all proud."

Valedictorian Kelly Molino assured her classmates that "even if you don't feel ready, our time here at Lee has prepared us for the next step in our lives."

"We are prepared to go to college, trade school, the military, or enter the workforce. We can go out into the world and face it because of the skills Lee has taught us," she said.

"As we dive into what is next, take what you have learned with you. I am not talking about math or English, although you should remember that too, but the skills from outside of class, such as how to advocate for yourself and ask for help or maintain confidence in new situations."

When navigating the future, Molino emphasized the importance of self-agency.

"You don't have to plan it all out, but don't let life pass you by. Start by taking a step in any direction that interests you. For me, this means pursuing mechanical engineering as I have always been interested in working with my hands and designing things for a better future. It's better to try and fail than not try at all, so I encourage you all to simply at least try," she said.

"Take control over your life and allow yourself some fun. Find a balance that works for you. It might be different than the person next to you, and that's okay. We are each on our own paths in life. Each of us brings something unique to this class and to the world."

Superintendent Michael Richard encouraged the Wildcats to walk on the "wild side," which means taking risks for the right reasons, stepping outside of your comfort zone even when it's easier to stay still, standing up for your beliefs, and not fearing failure.

"Walking on the wild side means asking questions when others are silent. It means pursuing a passion that may not fit neatly into a box, choosing a path not for its popularity but for its purpose. It means taking the road less traveled and sometimes, forging one where none existed," he said.

"Whether you're headed to college, the workforce, the military, or any number of next steps, I urge you to carry the Wildcat spirit with you. That boldness, that curiosity, that readiness to pounce on opportunity and make the most of it, but let's also be clear: walking on the wild side doesn't mean walking alone."

Richard encouraged the graduates to embrace their circles and build new communities that lift them, "and don't forget to look back every now and then. Lee will always be a part of you, and we'll always be rooting for you."

The traditional ivy oration was done by graduate Ava Lopez, Omari Smith led the Pledge of Allegiance, and the ceremony included performances from the Lee High School band chorus. 

Scholarships and award for the class of 2025 can be found here.

Lee High School Class of 2025