Springfield grads look out on the road to their dreams

On a sunny Friday evening at Springfield High School’s Donald I. Gurney Field the 2018 class marched together as one unit for the last time before parting to go their own ways.

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Madelyn Stagner stands to be recognized

Ben Cox receives the Members Advantage Community Credit Union scholarship

Tristan Cyr stage-whispers

Springfield grads look out on the road to their dreams By KATY SAVAGE ksavage@eagletimes.com SPRINGFIELD, Vt.— On a sunny Friday evening at Springfield High School’s Donald I. Gurney Field the 2018 class marched together as one unit for the last time before parting to go their own ways. About 88 students received diplomas after speakers encouraged the graduates to be kind to others and remember where they came from as they take their next steps. Valedictorian Samantha Mirra encouraged her classmates to find their dreams and pursue them. “Life is too short not to,” she said. Mirra spoke of regret and failure. “You should try new things—even if you think they are something you initially can’t do,” she said. “It will take courage to try something when you are uncertain of the outcome.” Mirra got some laughs from the audience when she spoke about how “bad” the class was, highlighting some of their shenanigans in the high school parking lot, like grilling a beavertail and parking horizontally to take up more than one space. Mirra said all of her classmates will have something in common when they leave that evening—they will all have graduated from Springfield High School. “You don’t want to look back on your life and say, ‘what if,’” she said. Kevin Anderson, who is retiring this year after eight and a half years of teaching driver’s education, was the keynote speaker. He spoke of the terror and mishaps that comes with teaching first-time drivers. He mentioned stories of students putting on the wrong directional signal and not being able to turn on the windshield wipers when it rains. Anderson formerly worked for the Vermont State Police for 29 years before becoming an educator. Anderson said he became a teacher to make a difference in someone else’s life. “Now it’s your turn” he told the graduates. The graduates had mixed emotions after they flew their hats in the air and began to exit the field where the ceremony was held, hugging friends and family along the way. Sam Cox, who plans to attend Lyndon State College next year to study music business and audio production said it was scary to think about the years ahead, but that’s a good thing, he said. “That means there are a lot of opportunities ahead,” Cox said. Hannah Beaulieu, who plans to go to Champlain College to study business administration in hopes of becoming an event planner someday, was elated. “It’s an incredibly feeling,” she said. “I feel grown up.” Top2018News