Senior class president Darius "DJ" Peyton said the next Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey or Steve Jobs could be among the graduates.
Amherst Regional High School Senior Class President Darius "DJ" Peyton addresses those attending the school's 2011 commencement at the Mullins Center.AMHERST – Amherst Regional High School Principal Mark Jackson told the 269 graduating seniors Friday night that he felt it has been a privilege to know them.
Speaking at the Mullins Center at the University of Massachusetts, he said the class has demonstrated a maturity and patience and he believes they will be able to bring that into the future “to participate in a democracy and work cooperatively.”
He offered an addendum to the Golden Rule: If graduates notice that their neighbor has picture of President Ronald Reagan hanging over their fireplace or a Mitt Romney for president lawn sign, remember that “none of us corner the market on wisdom.”
And he believes the class will be “able to manage disagreements with others” respectfully.
Students clad in maroon caps and gowns not only applauded his remarks but began the first beach ball volley of the night, an exclamation point to their joy and approval as they batted balls of all sizes back and forth.
Valedictorian Victoria Elena Oliva Rapoport talked said some of her classmates had “a relatively easy time of it. We faced minor obstacles, such as trying to stay off Facebook in order to actually get homework done. Others overcame more serious adversity – from family illness to difficult economic situations to personal struggles.
“We’ve watched one another deal with these challenges with courage and perseverance. And through the years we’ve been together, we’ve learned just as much from each other as we have from our textbooks,” she said.
Darius “DJ” Peyton, the senior class president, spoke without a written text before him and told the class they have witnessed history – everything from the election of the first black president in Barack Obama to the Red Sox ending the 86-year-old curse and winning a World Series.
“We need to continue to make history” and he admonished the class to keep in touch and to network. He said with Facebook and Twitter, “we’re leaders of the new school.” And he said the next Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey or Steve Jobs could be sitting out amongst them.
“Don’t forget who you are, don’t forget who you can become,” he said.