ATHOL – Athol High School’s Class of 2023, a total of 73 graduates, received their diplomas in an atmosphere both solemn and celebratory.

Programs doubled as fans as families and friends of the graduating seniors crowded into the school’s gymnasium Friday night for the 148th commencement exercises. The heavy rainstorms forced a change of venue from the originally planned outdoor ceremony.

Athol High principal David King urged the seniors to find both their people and their passion. He said the challenges they had already faced would become more so moving forward.

“Knowing and experiencing this for myself, I cannot give you any better advice than to say, be sure to surround yourself with people you want to be around and find that thing that you are both passionate about and that motivates you to push through times of challenge,” said King.

King advised the soon-to-be graduates to choose careers that provide them not only with a job but also the opportunity to make a difference.

“Fall forward,” he continued. “It’s important to remember that failure is a part of life. You will leave here tonight and all will make many mistakes along the way. You can let those mistakes define you or you can allow those mistakes to motivate you.”

King noted that at the end of his sophomore year as a student at UMass Amherst he ended up on academic probation. Determined to succeed, he decided not to let past mistakes define him and instead, chose to learn and move forward. He urged the Class of 2023 to do the same.

“Even though it took me five years to graduate, I still accomplished the goal I set out for,” he said. “I hope you can draw upon my story of failure during your time of failure and see it as an opportunity to fall forward.”

During the ceremony, King announced that more than $180,000 worth of scholarships from a variety of organizations, foundations, and families had been awarded to AHS graduates. He told the Class of 2023 that it is their challenge to leave the world a better place than how they found it.

“You all possess the heart, the compassion, the kindness, the strength, and the determination to make a difference,” King said. “The easy road is to sit in the shadows and let others do the heavy lifting, but it is the heavy lifting the brings the most reward. Don’t be afraid to stand up for what is right.”

Class Salutatorian Emma Bacigalupo urged her classmates to remember that their accomplishments were not, and would not, be possible without the support of family and friends.

“Work hard for what you want and your hard work will be noted, whether that means getting promoted, getting a higher rank, or getting an award, people are watching whether you like it or not,” she said.

Valedictorian Connal Tontodonato illustrated his address by displaying an old-style Polaroid camera. He said every picture taken by that camera and eventually developed, “I consider a moment…and each picture tells a story of what happened in that moment.”

Many great moments, he said, had been preserved by his Polaroid, especially those enjoyed with good friends.

“Whenever you’re with your friends, make memories – be present,” he said. “Even in this moment, be present and take it all in, because at the end of the day all we have are ourselves and our moments.”

Tontodonato then turned his back to his fellow graduates, held up his Polaroid, and snapped an old-style ‘selfie’ of himself and his classmates to record the moment forever.

Superintendent Matt Ehrenworth, who accepted the post in 2022, said the first year had been a very busy, but wonderful year. He told the graduates that he felt a strong connection with them, as his oldest child would be graduating high school.

“I realized, for all the people in the audience, that this celebration really has little to do with the school,” he said. “It’s about your children, who you love, growing up, and actually becoming an adult. And I know very well, having three children of my own, it has not been easy getting them here. You deserve to be celebrated too.”

Ehrenworth then urged the graduates to applaud “your family and all those who helped you get here.”

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.

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