Five days before graduation a tornado damaged the school's Springfield campus.
MacDuffie School graduates Emily Grzelak and Benjamin O'Neill-Abel gave the senior address at the school's 121st Commencement at Trinity United Methodist ChurchSPRINGFIELD – For seniors of The MacDuffie School, their final year and graduation has been a dramatic time of change.
First, there was the announcement that the school would be moving to Granby. Then, five days before graduation, a tornado hit, seriously damaging the campus while many students were inside.
But Sunday, the 42 graduates dressed in long white gowns or white pants and blue blazers showed their resilience as they talked and joked about past adventures and their senior year before they collected their diplomas in a ceremony at the Trinity United Methodist Church.
School Trustee Michael Serafino told students that they have proved they are adaptable and are prepared for the many changes they will see in the future.
“You will certainly, absolutely, positively remember your senior year,” he said.
Students Emily Grzelak and Benjamin O’Neill-Abel kicked off their senior address by ducking behind the podium and doing a skit with pig hand puppets. After the laughter died down, they alternated line by line to give a commencement address.
“This is our day, and we deserve the best graduation ever,” O’Neill-Abel said.
Grzelak talked about being in the school with other seniors when the tornado hit, calling it the scariest night of her life.
“I wouldn’t have wanted to spend it with anyone else,” O’Neill-Abel said.
English Department Chairman Alun Polga peppered his speech with dozens of jokes, telling students they worked very hard, except for the past five or six weeks of school and thanked the class for electing him as their very favorite teacher of all time.
“What the tornado did not realize is the force is strong at MacDuffie,” he said.