Dean Tech had 76 graduates in the Class of 2011, 54 percent of which will attend college.
HOLYOKE – Valedictorian Winnarath Son said the Dean Technical High School class of 2011 should use the pride at completing four years to turn what’s in their hearts into reality.
“I’m going to tell them a message that today, it all paid off. Pursue your dreams, you know? Set goals and eventually, it will all pay off,” Son said.
Dean on Friday graduated 76 seniors, 54 percent of whom will be attending college, officials said.
Son said he will attend Springfield Technical Community College to study electrical engineering.
The Dean salutatorian is Deyanira Trujillo.
Dean Principal Linda Rex said the Class of 2011 deserves credit for being the first to deal with massive, state-ordered changes. The state determined Dean was among 35 Level 4 schools statewide. That means chronic underperformance in academics required changes in leadership, state oversight and the anxiety among teachers and other staff arising from such impending change.
Winnarath SonStaff and students worked hard to teach and learn despite the uneasiness, she said.
“They had to step up to the plate, and for the most part, they did that,” Rex said.
Also, Rex said she was proud of the graduating seniors for settting the tone for other students by following the new uniform policy. Students were supposed to wear black or navy blue pants and a black, gray or white polo shirt without markings.
“They led the charge on that,” Rex said.