I cannot tell you how much I've enjoyed and appreciated spending time with some of our seniors these past several months and I'd like to take a moment to mention a few of these students who gave me a sense of what the class of 2023 is all about so Kira Vijay and Lyman thank you for courageously coming over to 19 Carter during budget season to talk with me about some of the changes you feel need to be made at tohonto I took away a great many ideas from listening to each one of you and then there are the students from the nature of being course who let me tag along with them on the field trip a few weeks ago to the Barry Center for Buddhist studies not only did I learn about the teachings of Buddhism that day through the deep and meaningful questions these students asked but I also learned that Taylor Swift really is that amazing and I think that Mr Pacheco would finally have to agree with that there were the senior class officers Paul Lauren Sarah Vijay and Sydney who shared with me how excited they were to celebrate all the wonderful senior events coming up they reminded me all about how so much time in school had been robbed from them these past few years and that they simply looked forward to being together and celebrating their senior year with one another and there was Caroline last one on the Dance Floor no surprise there who spoke so powerfully at our school committee meetings this year she opened up a dialogue that has never happened before and led us to take steps forward to make our district better intelligent insightful joyful courageous this is the spirit of the class of 2023.
I might just jump in and kind of just, you know, ask questions along the way, see create discussions and, you know, see what we can get because I always I always feel like it's better to bounce ideas off of everyone. It kind of helps support the group um who's interested in the subject. All right. So, uh, summer break can be really special. Um, I know back in the day when I was when I had summer uh summer vacation, I always enjoyed it because it was so much fun. It's beautiful weather. Um, more time to be outside, you know, because the time ends a little later. I mean, the you know, the day ends a little later. And um, you know, let's not be afraid to keep it simple, too. I think, you know, I think the pressures of like making sure that our kids are constantly active or entertained is um, you know, I think it's relatable to everyone.
that leads me to ask all of you to consider taking away three suggestions from me as you leave here today the first suggestion is to honor the gift of friendship on this day a little more than a few years ago my friends and I were too excited about our own Futures to even comprehend what this day meant as we separated and said our goodbyes some of us left our town without looking back While others stayed behind to build their lives marry and raise families and work on local businesses even after all these many years however my high school friends and I still keep in touch some remain like family to me we meet up at reunions and largely send our emojis on social media to celebrate special occasions and even sometimes very sad ones we laugh about music and shows and things that belong to our error our time and to one another there's something about these old friends these high school friends that life experiences beyond that time can never replace these people have known you before you become that person you have decided to show to the rest of the world they're going to remember and they're going to remind you of the dumb remarks kind remarks funny remarks you made and the crazy things thoughtful things serious things you did and the way it all went down before graduation day trust me it's a humbling experience to be remembered in these ways so before I go any further friends in the class of 2023 take a moment to look to the right and the left of you and I want you to share a gesture of kindness with each of the people sitting next to you I promise you're going to remember that when you come back old and gray at your 25th class reunion second suggestion is that as you move through your life consider taking time to do some soul searching along the way what matters to you who matters to you you can decide to live your life searching for what makes you happy be on the next job the next place even the next person or you can find what gives your life meaning by looking within yourself honestly and authentically from time to time the third suggestion be a good person in this world be kind take care of yourself and those you love and care about be humble and learn to be grateful for the little successes as well as the big ones that come your way whatever you choose to do to your best be your best and please come back and visit us or maybe you're going to even choose to stay and live here how many in this audience have returned back to this area to live or maybe have never left can you raise your hands raise your hands people who have lived here or come back look around you there's more than that this is always going to be home base and we need Future Leaders in these great communities to keep them alive and fresh and ever growing with new ideas and possibilities in closing I'm going to leave you with the words of the great music legend Tina Turner who passed away a few weeks ago Miss Turner was admired for her musical talents but also for strongly overcoming a great deal of suffering and adversity in her life I was struck by these particular words from a larger message she had once written we all have it within our power to make decisions and take actions that elevate us every day we express who we are and who we wish to become through our thoughts words and deeds choose the positive path in everything you do spread positivity and kindness that's the way so we celebrate you class of 2023 for the many gifts you've brought to your teachers your school and most especially to your families in the words of Tina Turner you are Simply the Best [Applause] thank you and now I'd like to welcome our interim principal Sally Ann stukles [Applause] Carol superintendent Costello school committee chair Topman interim assistant principal Ford the class of 2023 faculty family and guests good afternoon and welcome to Tonto regionals 2023 commencement exercises at the beginning of the school year I realized that my first year at Tahanto back in 2016 was also the class of 2023's first year at Toronto and now here we are seven years later it's your last year here as well as mine I'm so appreciative to have the opportunity to watch this group of students grow in a multitude of ways as they progress from grade to grade each year over the past seven years this class spent their freshman year in the midst of a pandemic experiencing a shutdown and remote learning moving on to hybrid learning and social distancing during their sophomore year and continued mask wearing for part of their junior year and are now finally having a normal year and an exciting year it was as our football athletes became School champ state champions our seniors performed amazing exhibition presentations the drama club had its first musical in 10 years there was a school-wide refresh day and there were many many senior celebrations such as homecoming prom Spirit weeks senior sunrise and I could go on and on as this was my first graduation speech I thought long and hard about what Life Learning advice I could pass on to you all in doing so I thought about my own life and how despite the many joys that I've had and still experience in life just like all humans experience life certainly does have its natural ups and downs during the difficult times I often resort to certain mindsets to help me conquer the difficulties and I hope that sharing these strategies with you will resonate with you someday when you need it the most so first let's talk about the concept of being grateful as the great Roman philosopher Seneca once said in all things we should try to make ourselves be as grateful as possible for gratitude is a good thing for ourselves in a manner which in which Justice commonly held to belong others is not gratitude pays itself back in large measure I hope that you will wake up each morning and think about a few things that you're very grateful for maybe it's your loved ones or an exciting job that you just got or maybe it's your good health when you can focus on the things that bring you joy and happiness in your life it puts things into perspective and it makes the challenges that we all experience less daunting I highly recommend that you tell your loved ones how much you love them on a regular basis and give them copious amounts of affection whenever you come into contact with them because the time we have with loved ones it is priceless and it's the most treasured thing that you will ever have don't let your friendships and family relationships drift apart in a way because your life becomes so busy take the time to actually book a lunch date with a relative or take a walk with a friend in your calendar so that it actually happens and remember that you have to find balance for these things no matter how busy your job or home responsibilities make you your loved one should always be your first priority time shared with loved ones creates memories that are a gift that you will always cherish and those can never be taken away secondly I recommend acceptance you're not going to always like all of life's twists and turns but you can find peace and acceptance accepting situations and how you will deal with those challenges is what ultimately matters you can control others or certain situations but you can control how you react to them or it take the hardship says learning experience that makes you stronger find the positives in all situations as quoted by Ryan holiday and Stephen Hanselman from a book that they co-wrote acceptance isn't passive it's the first step in an active process towards self-improvement and it's okay to find peace and acceptance and to let that lead you to healing and resilience next there's mindfulness again from Seneca as the quote let us prepare our minds as if we've come to the very end of life let us postpone nothing let's balance life's books each day the ones who put the finishing touches on their Lifestyles each day are never short of time so to add to that I say leave each day as if it were your last and the next time you take a walk make sure you feel the breeze as it blows through your hair feel the warmth of the sunshine on your face listen to the rustling of leaves or the birds singing their songs feel the earth below your feet and notice how the body is reacting live life as an entire experience of all your senses too often we push through the day just trying to check tasks off the list and we forget to enjoy all that this great Earth has to offer in its natural beauty mindfulness also includes taking care of yourself as we grow develop an age it's important to treat your body and mind like the temple that it is so although moderation is of course key remember that every time you put something in or on that Temple you want it to be those things that provide nourishment to your body and soul to align with our kindness campaign I simply recommend that you remember that kindness is free and only ever leads to positivity you can pretty much guarantee that you'll have a good day if you're doing good things for others also remember the kindness is most effective when it's sincere and build out for the right reasons lastly simply remember the phrase the character is who you are where no one else is paying attention accolades are definitely something to be proud of for sure but knowing in your heart that you have contributed to something worthwhile is in itself very rewarding even when there is no recognition for it from others taken from my recent speech at the National Honor Society I quoted tulsifer who once said character is not something that you buy it's not a commodity that can be Bartered for it's not a quality suited for only the rich and famous rather character is built upon the foundational community of love honesty and compassion for others I'm excited for all of you as you Journey continues after you leave here today and I know that this is really not a goodbye because it's my greatest wish that you'll keep in touch so remember to book it in your calendar and that way it will happen class of 2023 congratulations may you have peace health and happiness as you continue your journey thank you [Applause] foreign class valedictorian Lauren Watson [Applause] good afternoon faculty family friends and most importantly the class of 2023 for those of you who don't know me my name is Lauren watu and it is an honor to stand before you today as a valedictorian of talent's class of 2023.
Like it's like it gives us a little bit of anxiety, but for the most part, kids are pretty simple when it comes to keeping them entertained. Um, and I think the main focus that, you know, Kyle always sells is creating memories with your families. Um, you know, again, thinking about things back in the, you know, childhood memories of first days of summer, holiday celebrations, maybe themed weeks or nights, family trips that people have had, arts and crafts. I tell you, my favorite activities as a child was always just hiking and just being outside with my parents. Um, which is why we always say keep it simple, you know, um, focus on things that your kid really enjoys and maybe branch off from that. Um, see if there's other ways or activities that you can, you know, incorporate during your summer vacation. Let's see here. Okay.
I would like to start by expressing my gratitude to our dedicated teachers mentors and parents whose unwavering support has LEDs to this day through all the craziness of Zoom classes AMV cohorts and masking their dedication and resilience have allowed us to continue our education and prepare for the future and despite all the challenges throughout our years at Tahanto we have been taught the importance of believing in ourselves it's one of the reasons we made it to graduation day however as we embark on the next chapter of Our Lives I want to challenge us to go beyond just believing in ourselves Ralph Waldo Emerson said to be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment but let me tell you my fellow graduates the most powerful thing you can do is to be unapologetically yourself in a world that often tries to fit us into predefined boxes it takes courage to be authentic it takes courage to embrace your quirks your individuality and your own personal Journey but it is in those moments of authenticity that we find our true purpose and create a meaningful impact on the world around us so as we leave the familiar Halls of the hunter High School I urge you to remember the value in being yourself pursue your passions relentlessly even if they seem unconventional or go against the grain Embrace failures are Stepping Stones towards growth and never let setbacks deter you from pursuing your dreams stay true to your values even when it feels easier to compromise and most importantly surround yourself with people who appreciate and uplift you for who you truly are lastly I would like to thank the staff and students of the Hondo for fostering an environment which allows people to be holy themselves thank you to all the teachers that make their students feel safe and comfortable and all the students that have supported each other these past years I would also like to give a special thank you to Mrs Hutchinson for stepping up for us this last year and being an amazing class advisor and since no graduation speech is complete without a quote from Dr Seuss I'll leave you with these words to remember today were you that is sure than true there is no one alive who is youer than you now I'd like to introduce my friend Anton salutatorian Autumn Bella [Applause] good afternoon fellow graduates is Stephen faculty proud parents and distinguished guests it's an honor to stand before you as the salutatorian of the class of 2023.
Thank you, Kevin. Just saw that. Um, yeah, and maybe science events. Um, I know that in Alamita there's a there's a few, you know, uh, events that are happening out there, um, that are based off science. And if anyone's interested, I can definitely send up people resources of what I've, you know, flyers that I've received as well. All right, so um, we're going to go ahead and jump into strategies to support your child during the summer. Um, excuse me. And then, all right, so vacation time. Uh, we want to use familiar tools, strategies to support our kids. Um, it's tried and true. Maintaining structured routines, and schedules are definitely helpful uh in being able to support your kid through the summer. A lot of times um you know especially in ABA in the ABA world we use a lot of visual schedules and we kind of just teeter off those visual schedules uh during the summer when and then we we see it time and time again that um keeping consistency and routine even if there's no school is still fairly helpful to um to our kids.
school has always been the place intended for learning to start each year with this intent in mind teachers at Tahanto hand out a syllabus detailing the things we should expect to get from their classes when we began freshman year English we knew from Mr Whitehead's syllabus that we would read Romeo and Juliet by the end of freshman year we knew from Mr Whitehead not only about the capulets and the montagues but also that there's nothing that a pot of coffee can't fix Mr covino's syllabus said that we would learn about quantum mechanics as we learned about s p orbitals we also learned that laughter is the best medicine we were told by Mr Dougherty that he would teach us to be better readers and writers we left his classroom not only knowing that water is never water but that our life is given meaning by the connections we make with the world around us Franny promised us that we would be able to perform hypothesis tests at lightning speed when we left her class we leave not only with the acronyms panic and Phantom burn into our brains but also the knowledge that she loves us and that she's always cheering us on there are countless more teachers we've each encountered during our time at tejanto teaching us small unexpected lessons that will serve us well as the remaining part of the ever-growing toolkit that we use to navigate Our Lives the truths that we never expected to learn are the ones we may find the most value in as we move forward we thank you for being our teachers in every way when I arrived at dahonto as a freshman I didn't expect that I would also meet teachers in the form of my peers I feel so fortunate to have been taught the power of a big smile by Sarah Mendoza and Meg Edwards I'm thankful to have learned the incredible weight that great R can carry from Lyman Abelson and how to be brave while cliff jumping with Lauren wall 2.
Uh, has anyone ever tried using a visual schedule before? Um, how has that helped anyone at this point? Kind of just ask throwing the question out there. See if anyone will answer. Okay. All right. So, uh, so for the most part, uh, routines and schedules are really important. Um, and again, it doesn't have to be super elaborate pictures or anything like that. It could literally be like a whiteboard and you can draw stick figures or whatever it might be, but something to indicate on how the day is going to go. Um, that's why we always say keep it simple. Whatever you have at home, try to use that. Um, and so, you know, being able to write down a routine, write down a schedule, you know, making sure that 8 am every day for summer is wake up time, right? and you know getting ready for the day by 9, breakfast time, you know, all that stuff can get um put into your routines and your schedules and it can kind of help the kid, you know, um it's a proactive um approach because you're giving your kid a heads up as to what to expect for the day.
I'm grateful to have been taught how to love people with all my heart by Lexi German Carly choquette Olivia Latorre and Emma Quirk each member of this class has been an invaluable teacher to their peers and I'm confident that we will carry these lessons with us far beyond to Hunter in the words of Taylor Swift the scary news is you're on your own now but the cool news is you're on your own now congratulations to all my fellow members of the class of 2023. I'd now like to introduce student council president Shanley Evans [Applause] thank you Autumn and thank you to everyone here today from friends and family who made the drive faculty who have been with us every step of the way and fellow graduates who I'm sure are so excited to finally hear me stop talking about student council my name is Shanley Evans this past year I have had the honor of serving as the Hondo student council president along with the Massachusetts Association of student president however one of my biggest senior year responsibilities quickly became a pleasure because of the incredible student leaders Within dejanto the energy of this Council brought for the year propelled us through our busy fall after sixth grade orientation we were able to host our first indoor homecoming since covet and it was a great success with higher Titans and Revenue along with this we had our homecoming Spirit Week pep rally and Haunted Hallway I am extremely proud of all the members who stepped up to chair these events and create something exciting for the student body going into the winter months we held our annual staff Appreciation Week council members paired up and worked to create unique and thoughtful gifts for every member of our staff with each day acknowledging a different branch of staff this is probably one of my favorite events of the year as our teachers and administrators contribute so much to the student body and have had the opportunity to thank you thank them in this way it was very special along with staff appreciation we held our winter Spirit Week in pep rally before holiday break which got everyone involved and energized in the last final week my involvement in student council started my freshman year which began with the Class of 65 individuals sitting next to me today compared to other high schools that's considered what others have described to me as so tiny and I'm often asked how have you been around these same people for four years don't you want to rip each other's throats out well occasionally but what I love about the individuals graduating here today is the community we've created and the time spent with every one of them from the crazy trips down the mountain with the ski club to the U.S history classes where we watch horrifically as Mr Pacheco played DBQ music over Zoom the Lions football games where we cheered our hearts out the Gatherings of the movie out fundraisers the intense gym class volleyball games the pep rallies Spirit weeks homecomings and everything in between the high school moments experience would not be special without the people I have gotten to know in each of them we are small but I believe that is what allows each and every one of us to grow and change with the recognition of how we impact our relationships with each other the Massachusetts Association of student council's leadership theme this past year was leading in the spotlight we emphasize the importance of uplifting others as you grow to Greater positions not to diminish your individual light but to create a brighter more impactful one with others this is the advice I give to my graduating class today rely on yourself but don't be afraid to depend on others the connection you create will help carry yourself through so much more than you may realize I couldn't have gotten through all these years without all of you and I wouldn't have a cheese achieved the speaking position without you as a student body being there to attend the pep rallies dress up for the spirit weeks or dance together at homecoming so thank you I have every individual that walks a stage today to think and I wish nothing best for the each of your futures thank you [Applause] I would now like to introduce the faculty address Mrs Aguero [Applause] good afternoon and it's so nice to see so many familiar faces to celebrate today congratulations class of 2023.
It's not just going to come out of nowhere. Um and then using visual supports where possible. So, the difference between that is, you know, visual supports are more like um making sure that there's maybe some prompts that might be needed for your kid to understand that, hey, we're not going to school, but we are going to have like table time and making sure that at the table there's like, you know, some visuals prompting to help them understand like what is to be expected at the table time. Um, and then getting buy in early. So buyin is basically um getting your kid to really enjoy what is about to happen. So talking about it with your kid. Um, if your kid is non-verbal, maybe presenting pictures of like things that are interesting to them and kind of getting them excited for the summer, you know, getting them excited for these activities that you would want to plan to present um during your, you know, summer routine.
I am so very proud of each and every one of you I have found that there are perennial truths in what I teach in biology whether it is the wonders of nature or the awe-inspiring complexity of life itself I was teaching in a college lesson recently and I was explaining biodiversity is absolutely essential the network of living things in an ecosystem must be incredibly diverse so that it is sustainable and resilient against the many disruptions both human and natural that the systems will come up against and then I had a personal aha moment these usually cannot Escape my students as I can be passionate at times this was one of those truths that transcends a unit in biology yes yes diversity is key we must all surround ourselves with people who are unlike us so that when we come together as a group we are a collection of a wide range of experiences and backgrounds and we are far more capable of solving problems and moving forward in Innovation than if we stayed within a vacuum of our own experiences or ones like ours so graduates as you prepare to head out into the world I invite you to seize opportunities to talk with people who are unlike you surround yourself with people who see things from a different lens whether it be different ages different social economic backgrounds different cultures our differences are as varied and as real as we are these differences are gifts that are brought to the community table and can be shared with the group to create a more Bountiful experience from which we all can be fed and celebrate your own diversity think about who you are and what you can bring to the table whether your experiences seem simple or extravagant you are you have a precious perspective that is Uniquely Yours and you will be able to help others understand life through your lens a philosopher Edward Mercer explains as old sayings tell tell us the whole is greater than the sum of the parts a fancier way of saying this is with the term emergent properties used in science systems theory philosophy Urban studies and even art emergent properties refer to those properties that are entirely unexpected and include emergent phenomena in materials and emergent behaviors in living things they arise from a collaborative functioning of a system but do not belong to any one part of the system and so it is with our lives groups of people who come together from diverse perspectives are far more capable and resilient than the individuals we are better in community more vibrant more productive more creative Embrace opportunities to share and learn for People You Meet along the way and may these years after dejanto be ones filled with promise and Hope although you are all bound to face trials and tribulations I hope you will have surrounded yourself with people all different types of people who will support you and encourage you and keep you thinking and growing be well class of 2023 I am excited for the journey that lies ahead of you [Applause] and now for our next faculty speaker Mr Shannon [Applause] [Music] good afternoon and congratulations class of 2023.
Um, and then preparing your kid for upcoming events and family trips ahead of time. So, this these are things like if you're planning on going to Disneyland, um talking about Disneyland, watching videos about Disneyland, um getting them really ready, not really ready, but getting them ready, you know, of what to expect, um reading books about Disneyland or like reading books about Disney characters and telling them like we're going to go see Mickey Mouse and Minnie. So, all these things, it's kind of just um you know, priming them and getting them ready for what to expect later. Um if there's going to be a lot of walking, maybe going out for walks for long periods of time that are appropriate for for the kid's age, um before going on a trip that's going to require a lot of walking. Um it again, it's prep getting them ready for what to expect in the future.
I am so very proud of each and every one of you I was just reading Mr Claire's speech it starts something like that though let's put our hands together again for the class of 2023. [Applause] congratulations it's an absolute honor to stand up here and take part in The Faculty Commencement Address alongside of the fabulousness aquarium for those of you who do not know me my name is Mr McGinty and I'm one of the art teachers here at tahonto while it may come as no surprise to most of you I do not consider myself to be a scientist however I do consider myself to be an activist and I would like to take a moment to draw a parallel between biodiversity and generosity discussing the essence of what it means to be human as Miss aguera has just done is not only thought provoking but incredibly meaningful in a moment I would like to take you through my thoughts on the matter and how they relate to the fine young people sitting before you today class of 2023 I know I am speaking for a lot of Staff parents and peers when I tell you that we are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished I think that one of the things that has created such a meaningful connection between your class and the rest of the school Community is the palpable kindness and generosity that you give to others it is only my third year as the art teacher here at Tahanto you all have accepted me respected me and treated me like family you've created a sort of inclusive microcosm a little world where you constantly welcome people in you lift others up and you work as a unified group to reach your goals circling back to the topic of biodiversity it discusses the variety of life in the world biodiversity AIDS in mitigating climate change ensuring food security fighting disease and supporting communities generosity showing kindness towards others or giving good things to others freely and abundantly has the ability to catalyze social change you may be asking yourself how those two things relate in short they both teach us something about the human condition that we need one another I have no doubt that I'm looking into a room that contains future doctors lawyers athletes artists mechanics electricians police officers teachers I could go on your options are endless you really can do anything that you want to I know that you will lead great lives where you will make a difference in this complex world but one way that you can make a difference the second that you step foot out of this gymnasium is by being kind compassionate and generous individuals class of 2023 you have all made a difference in my life with your generosity please carry that in your heart and continue to keep building that microcosm that family of diverse individuals by inviting others in as Amelia Earhart once said a single act of kindness can throw out roots in all directions believe it or not those roots then grow their own trees be a part of that historical movement be the change you wish to see in the world and everything else will fall into place again congratulations you will truly be missed here at Tanta [Applause] at this time we will now begin the certification of diplomas all right exciting part next all right to Acting Superintendent Miss Costello and school committee chair Michael tottman I am pleased to certify that the graduates before you have completed all state and local requirements for a diploma from tejanto Regional Middle High School with superintendent Costello school committee chair Michael tottman assistant principal Cara Ford school counselor Eileen Rodman and Senior advisor Laura Hutchinson please come to the table for the presentation of diplomacy thank you Vijay Anand keshaven [Applause] Lauren May watu [Applause] Lauren is the class of 2023 valedictorian she has also the recipient of the superintendent's award the George a Pendergast scholarship the Francis sharp booster club award the Janice and Dickie Guild scholarship fund and the Clinton hibemian scholarship Autumn Bella [Applause] Autumn is the class of 2023 salutatorian Paul Nicholas Sear Paul is the recipient of the Debbie Ann Johnson Memorial Scholarship Sydney Ray Sosha Sydney is a Matthew J Phillips scholarship award winner [Applause] Sarah May akube Mendoza [Applause] [Music] okay Shanley Kate Evans Shanley is the recipient of the student council scholarship a PTO volunteering scholarship and a Boylston Lions Club service award Catherine Elizabeth McNulty [Music] Caroline Grace McKenzie Caroline is a recipient of the PTO volunteering scholarship a Katie shalifo 5K Memorial Scholarship and a Boylston Leo award runner-up [Applause] laughs ready foreign Emmett Abelson [Applause] partive anandaraman [Applause] Brady Alexander babineau Brady is a recipient of the tejanto Regional High School scholarship [Applause] ranjani bachali [Applause] Elena Diane Burrell [Applause] Elena is a recipient of a Matthew J Phillips scholarship Amanda Rose Bergman [Applause] Amanda is a recipient of the Matthew J Phillips scholarship the Moses read scholarship the Mabel Felton scholarship and the Janice and Dickie Guild scholarship fund Abigail Bradford Abigail is a recipient of the Myrtle Thurston Memorial Scholarship and the amsim John W Burkhardt Jr usn Memorial Scholarship [Applause] Samuel karius [Applause] Victoria Elizabeth Paris [Applause] Caitlin Natalie Castillo Caitlyn is the recipient of the Clinton Savings Bank charitable Foundation scholarship [Applause] Carly May showcat Carly is a recipient of the Francis sharp booster club award and the Katie shalifa 5K Memorial Scholarship Benjamin Stephen Cormier [Applause] Rick darnabid [Applause] Paul B Dowd [Applause] foreign Maurice Edwards [Applause] Margaret Ann Edwards [Applause] Jessica Jordan Forbes Jessica is a recipient of the Francis sharp booster club award and the Katie shalifo 5K Memorial Scholarship Erin Jocelyn Gallagher [Applause] [Music] Alexis Jane German [Applause] Alexis is the recipient of the tejanto principles award and the Moses Reed scholarship [Music] [Applause] Kira Gustafson Elm [Applause] at this time I'd like to call up school Committee Member Lori Hart to officially present her daughter's diploma Rebecca Marie Hart Rebecca is a recipient of the PTO volunteering scholarship thank you Robert John Humphrey Robert is the recipient of the Matthew J Phillips scholarship the Katie shalafel 5K Memorial Scholarship the Boylston Leos award and the Boylston Police Union scholarship Garrett Thomas Hurley [Music] Alexis Marie Ingalls [Applause] Andrew Michael Larusso [Applause] Olivia Ann Latorre Olivia is a recipient of the Matthew J Phillips scholarship [Applause] Benjamin Alexander Lavallee thank you Haley Jessica long [Applause] Patrick Kennedy Marion Emma Madeleine Medeiros [Applause] Sebastian Francis Mineo [Applause] Ava L Noel Ava is a recipient of the Katie shalifo 5K Memorial Scholarship and the Boylston Scholastic award srikar s Paula [Applause] Elise Catherine peretsky [Applause] Rhys powers [Applause] Elizabeth prokowska [Applause] Shannon Elizabeth Quinn [Applause] Emma Kate quirk [Applause] [Music] Aviana Rodriguez [Applause] James Riven fruit Rook [Applause] James Michael schenko Jr [Applause] Angela Santos Souza [Applause] Samuel B Stila Samuel is a recipient of the Matthew J Phillips scholarship the Francis sharp booster club award and the Boylston Police Union scholarship [Applause] John Patrick Sullivan [Applause] Junaid tofique [Applause] La Liga Montana Thomas [Applause] lalika is a recipient of the Matthew J Phillips scholarship the tejanjo banking program scholarship [Applause] Melanie Kane toles [Applause] Melanie is a recipient of the Robert P Goulet Memorial Scholarship and the tejanto Regional High School scholarship [Music] [Applause] Eva Turnquist [Music] [Applause] Bella Patricia verdini [Applause] Bella is a recipient of the PTO volunteering scholarship David villani [Applause] [Music] Cali Georgia and wolf [Applause] congratulations to the class of 2023 [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] ten years ago we started a tradition here at tejanto where all seniors hand a rose to someone who has helped them get to where they are seated today at this time I will ask all the seniors to please give their Rose to that someone special [Applause] foreign [Applause] [Music] amazing [Applause] okay I would now like to ask the class officers to come forward for the presentation of the class gift s [Applause] what's up so our class gift is not only a painting by local artists that wishes to remain anonymous but also several easy chairs that will help make a comfortable seating area to replace the old couch that was in the humanities Wing thank you everybody for supporting us throughout these years [Applause] all right [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] thank you
Uh, does anyone have any questions about this so far? Okay. All right, we'll move on. All right. So, uh, talking about maintaining routines, uh, routines can help create predictability and regularity. I think all of us have some form of internal routines, right? We get up, we get ready for work, we go to work, we come home, and you know, it's Monday through Friday. We have a pretty set routine. And kids the same. They have a pretty set routine of what to expect Monday through Friday during school time, which is why creating a summer routine is going to be really helpful uh to help maintain that regularity for your kid. So, setting up daily and weekly routines are helpful. Uh, maintaining consistency as much as possible. Um, we get it. Life happens. And sometimes, especially in the summer, like if if the day doesn't happen, it's it's totally fine.
It's not the end of the world. Um, I always like to call it reset time. So if it doesn't happen, you know, being able to have the the opportunity to maybe move things around on, you know, a set schedule um would is also just as okay, um as you know, having a consistent routine. um preparing in advance, you know, getting the pictures ready. Um or like I said, maybe figuring out specific like symbols or icons to indicate like what's, you know, what that activity is going to be and what to expect next. Um and again, going back to making it fun and simple, right? I said if you guys have a whiteboard, like a little whiteboard laying around, great. If you guys have a notebook, that's totally fine, too. Just writing. If you guys just have pieces of paper laying around, I say by all means, you know, whatever gets the message across to your kid um is what's important, right?
And then provide reinforcement. So, that one is really important because you want to make sure that there's incentive to follow through with things. um whether it's something tangible, right, like iPad time or an ice cream cone at their favorite ice cream shop or um you know, just uh being able to buy a new video game or something. But, uh other times it could be just activities like just being able to go to the park after when it's cooler in the day or going swimming. um or if they're swimming, uh being able to complete the tasks of swimming and then get a little prize after. But um yeah, because I mean for the most part, lots of summer activities are super fun, but for some people it's not. So, um, making sure that we have a tang, not necessarily just a tangible reinforcer, but, um, something reinforcing nonetheless at the end of an activity that isn't common in their every day, um, to help, uh, create that intrinsic motivation for later.
Any questions on the visual supports? As you can see, there's different examples here. Um, and pretty simple. So, you have like breakfast time, getting ready, making the bed, outdoor play, and you know, then they get to choose from their choice board. Um, another one too, visual supports, is they have it in calendar form. So, like monthly, which in this picture there's a lot of activity going on, but for the most part, you you could see that there's, you know, there's little pictures, visuals to indicate that something is going on um on that day. And then you just have an original choice board uh with just a bunch of activities that are highly preferred that kids would love to play with and um yeah so they could choose from those things and do an activity. So sky's is the limit on how you want to present um you know a visual visual schedules and visual supports.
Okay. So for take for getting buy in early um like I said you want to include your kid in planning ideas and letting them choose their activities. Um and again you know there's going to be times that of course you guys have to take the lead as adults right as a parent. Um, but I always tell I always tell parents like it's uh an uphill battle when you make when you choose an activity and you kind of know that no one likes it and so everyone is kind of miserable. My mom's done that a few times in her in her life when when when I was young, but um which is why it's important to make it a group effort as to planning like thing activities and things that you want to do as a family um with your kid. So, um, and allowing them, like I said, to take the lead in their summer activities.
So, what is it that they like to do? They like, you know, if they like to play, um, board games, you know, maybe helping them create like a a like a board game club during the summer. This is for our older clients. Um, for someone younger, if they really love like sensory stuff, you know, like sensory toys or playing with um, shaving cream or things like that, um, you know, looking for science type of activities in in your area would also be something uh, to consider. Um, and then building a calendar and having them add to their bucket list of things to do. So maybe make a list of things of like, hey, what is something that we want to do for this summer? Like what are what what's like, you know, the one thing you want to get out of the summer. And you know, of course, there's going to be things that can be done.
There's going to be things that probably won't be done, but um for the most part, at least you have an idea from straight out of your child's mouth, right? Like letting they they're literally telling you what they want to do for summer. Um, and then including Oh, yes. All right. We have a question. Yeah. Um, do you have advice on little as well? My son is only three and a half and we barely started ABA therapy, so all of these recommendations he's still adapting to. Oh, well, um, yeah. No, three and a half baby. Um well, welcome to the ABA world first off. And yeah, so all of this is definitely um for a three and a halfyear-old, we we want Let me go back to let's see. Uh so for a three and a half year old, we wanted to do something kind of similar to a choice board.