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Lawrence High grads celebrate a day of milestones

By Jim Sullivan
Correspondent
Published: June 9, 2008

LAWRENCE — For the first time in 117 years, Lawrence High School graduates received their diplomas in their own building yesterday.

While space constraints made it impossible in past years to have the annual ceremony inside the school, the new state-of-the-art campus and field house were the backdrop for the Class of 2008's commencement ceremony.

"The last time there was a graduation in a Lawrence High School building, Robert Frost was a student here," Superintendent of Schools Wilfredo T. Laboy told the 303 graduates, many of them first-generation Americans.

"You deserve the best!" Laboy said of the new campus, eight years in the making.

"History is being made today," Mayor Michael J. Sullivan said. "This is the last time you will be assembled today. Be ambassadors for Lawrence. Take your Lancership wherever you go."

"We arrived here on this new campus, feeling more like freshmen than leaders of our student body," said valedictorian Cam Tu Huynh, citing the ability to adapt to change as the theme of her address. "The building was beautiful, but it was huge, and we were clueless as to where to go or how to get there. But this was a change that we were able to overcome."

"Go from here today with a positive attitude, great determination and an open mind (to) make your mark in the world," Huynh continued. "We have come far, but the best adventures are yet to come."

"We go through this 12-year metamorphosis," said honor essayist Bach-Son Dinh. "And then, one day, we wake up and it's over. Our climb into adulthood has come."

He offered a few words of advice to his fellow graduates. "Truly appreciate the journey you have been on, and continue on, because all the certificates, diplomas and high-salary jobs in the world mean nothing if you don't realize what it takes to get there."

Many of the graduates took those words to heart.

"I'm happy I'm graduating," said Ivonne Nunez, who finishes high school with a 4.4 grade-point average and will study criminology at UMass Amherst. "But sad because I'll miss my family and friends while I go to college."

Ruben Gutierrez graduated with a 4.1 GPA and will study robotic engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Gutierrez said he hopes "to be a helpful man to the world I live in."

"I want to thank the Lawrence Police Department, (especially) Lt. Burke for harassing me for the whole year," joked Angel Berroa, who is joining the Marines to be a field engineer and hopes to someday become a doctor and raise a large family in Los Angeles. "I didn't think I'd make it."

But with the hot sun outside making a late-spring day seem like it was midsummer, some graduates had other things on their mind. When asked where she is headed, Griselda Hernandez replied, "To the beach."

"I feel good that I finally made it," said Juan Diaz, who will attend Middlesex Community College and study criminal justice. He hopes to become a parole officer. "It took a lot of work to get through these four years," Diaz said.

"I feel happy," said first-generation American Rozalis Garcia, whose family is from the Dominican Republic. She will study computer science at the Lincoln College of Technology. "I give thanks to the principals and the teachers," Garcia said, suddenly sensing that something was wrong.

She turned to her right to find her mother patiently waiting. "And I want to thank my mom!" Garcia exclaimed, giving her a big hug.

"This is where their futures start," said City Councilor Grisel Silva, a member of the Class of 1991. "I wish them well and want to see them come back and contribute to the city of Lawrence."