Westwood High School class of 2018 graduates

By Daniel Curtin
Hometown Weekly Reporter

Students of the class of 2018 walked across the stage in front of family, friends, and proud members of the community last Sunday to become the latest group of graduates of Westwood High School.

Though their time as high school students has come to an end, Officer William Sheehan knows the friendships and bonds formed at Westwood high will stay with these students as they transition to their post-grad lives.

“These students will stay in touch and will continue to be involved in each other’s lives going forward. I can speak for myself and say people from my graduating class continue to see each other as often as we can,” Sheehan said. “It’s a special relationship you have graduating from Westwood that it doesn’t end on graduation day.”

In Principle Sean Bevan’s speech to the class of 2018, he talked about how members from the class of 1953 still remain in touch, even 65 years since their graduation, and how the experiences and lessons gained while at Westwood have stayed with them.

“I have concluded that those things that you share are more powerful and enduring than those things that make you different. In my correspondence with the members of the class of 1953, they talked about shared values and a sense of community, of mischief and fun, and a commitment to working hard for important goals,” Bevan said.

In his address to his classmates, John Stebbins, one of four co-valedictorians, mentioned the importance of standing up for what is right and the impact that student leaders can have.

“We are graduating in a year in which students are some of the most courageous and effective leaders that we have,” Stebbins said. “There are times in history, as your parents and grandparents know, that there is no choice but to burn brightly. And now is one of those times.”

Dean of Students at Westwood High School Amy Davenport looked on with pride as the class of 2018 crossed the stage and will remember the contributions they made during their time at Westwood high.

“I’ll remember them for their diversity, there a really unique class united by being together but they all bring their individual talents to the table and they have been awesome to work with for four years,” she said.

Collin Timmerman, a graduate of Westwood High, was in attendance to support younger sister Riley Timmerman as she graduated.

“It was really weird because I was here [graduating] four years ago, but to come and see her go through that moment was a source of a lot of pride,” Timmerman said. “It's awesome to see my whole family make it through the whole school system.”

Students from the class of 2018 will be the newest representatives of Westwood as their journeys take them all over the commonwealth, the country and the world. Class president Elizabeth Kelly spoke about roads and journeys that lie ahead of them but to not forget where their journey began.

“We’re all about to travel down our own paths, ones that might not intersect. But no matter how far we spread across the globe after today, we will always be connected by the memories and experiences we shared in Westwood.” Kelly said.