By Meghan Foley
Hometown Weekly Staff
After a one-day delay due to the weather, Medfield seniors celebrated their graduation on May 31st. Attendees gathered in the bleachers and on the high school’s turf field, where the scoreboard was set to 20:26.
The ceremony began with Ava Morrison singing the National Anthem before Class President Samuel George gave his welcome speech. After greeting the crowd, George thanked his parents and twin sister Elizabeth before speaking about what he believed made the class of 2026 special. He listed success from the athletic to theater departments, but then Medfield High as a whole when he spoke about a difficult semester:
“I was not sleeping, and after restless night after restless night, I’d walk into school each morning carrying a lot. But by the end of the day, I’d somehow always leave feeling uplifted. Whether it was through someone waking me up during first period wellness, or a teacher checking in and saying hello, I felt looked out for at a time when I really needed it. So many people made themselves available to help me with schoolwork and activities, and it showed me that I wasn’t alone. The support of this community is what got me through such a challenging time, and that’s what I think is special: People here show up for each other, in both the celebratory times and the difficult ones.
I’ve heard the Maya Angelou quote a few times this week,” George said later, “that ‘people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ And I will always remember the way that you guys have supported and uplifted me throughout my time in Medfield.”
Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey J. Marsden gave the Opening Remarks, recounting how he had first begun his job in 2013, the same year the graduates started kindergarten, and speaking about a book he’d read called What’s Going Right by Paul Conti. “At a time when the world can feel consumed by what is broken, divided, or uncertain, this book asks the powerful question of all of us: What if we spent more time paying attention to what’s actually going right? As I look out to the Class of 2026, I think there’s a lot going right with our kids.”
Senior Essayist Cassidy Kolovos reflected on her experience designing posts for the Medfield Futures Instagram account, which announces seniors’ intended schools and future, uploading their senior portrait paired with a photo of them from childhood. Looking ahead to after high school, Kolovos said:
“I offer two practices I hope you take with you into your futures: authenticity and gratitude.” Referencing her English teacher Mr. Reynolds, she expanded: “In a discussion about AI and its impact on our approach to academic writing, he told us how lucky we are to ‘have someone real hate what we’re doing’ … He didn’t mean that we’re lucky to receive hate, but that we’re lucky to receive hard-hitting feedback on our real work from a real person. Today, as we’re constantly picking each other apart and putting ourselves back together to maybe be the second best version, we need something real to make a serious difference in our lives.”
In her Message to the Class of 2026, Michelle Kirkby of the Medfield School Committee advised: “So today, graduates, as you prepare to start your own transition into a new chapter, I want to share three things I’ve learned right here that I hope you carry with you. First, connection matters. … Second, the small moments are the big ones. … And finally, you do not need to have everything figured out today.”
Senior Speaker Matthew Dickson told his peers: “I truly believe that being yourself is the greatest thing you could begin to do today.” At the end of his speech, Dickson concluded by saying: “If you do what you love, you’ll find your own definition of success. Commit to your process and embrace your truth. I say this because if there’s one thing my parents have taught me it’s to be happy. … Success is only determined by what you believe it to be.”
“Celebrations matter,” said Principal Robert Parga in the final speech of the day. “They give us an opportunity to pause, reflect, appreciate, and come together as a community. … In a world increasingly shaped by technology and artificial intelligence, there is still nothing that can replace people coming together in-person to celebrate. No app, no screen, no algorithm can duplicate the feeling of pride, connection, and joy that we all feel today.”
Following the six speakers, the graduating seniors were called one by one to cross the stage. After throwing their caps, the graduates went back inside the school to get their diplomas, which had been kept inside due to concerns about the weather, then returned to the parking lot to meet up with their families and celebrate.
Congratulations to the Class of 2026!
