Eastern Regional High School bid farewell to the Class of 2024 at its June 14 commencement.
Family, friends, and faculty gathered at Frank J. McAleer Memorial Stadium to honor the hard work and achievements of the graduates. The ceremony commenced with a flag salute and the Pledge of Allegiance from Diya Ramesh, class vice president.
Valedictorian Evan Garber then took the stage to address his peers.
“ … Seven hundred and 20 days, that’s the amount of time we spent at Eastern,” he noted. “Not that anyone’s counting.”
Garber addressed broader lessons learned by his class that go beyond academics.
“Besides just learning about the periodic table in chemistry class, memorizing dates of the Revolutionary War and learning conjugations in Spanish or Latin class, Eastern has taught us so much more,” he noted. “The most useful thing we have learned is to get from one end of the school to the next in six minutes.”
Following Garber was salutatorian Aden Falk, who shared insights on leadership and success.
“I learned that leadership is a relationship,” he stated. “As you pursue your goals and passions, remember to make friends, start conversations and care for people.”
Class president Aaden Brooks then addressed his fellow graduates and reflected on their shared journey before introducing Dr. Robert Tull Jr., Eastern’s principal. School Superintendent Robert Cloutier then formally accepted the Class of 2024.
Diplomas were handed out by members of the Eastern Regional board of education. As each student walked across the stage, cheers erupted from the crowd. More than 80 graduates were recognized for their academic excellence.
The ceremony concluded with the Eastern anthem, performed by the Eastern Chorale and the Viking Band.
