North Brookfield High holds 160th commencement; 20 students receive diplomas

North Brookfield Junior‑Senior High School awarded diplomas to members of the Class of 2025 at its commencement ceremony, where school leaders, students and families gathered for speeches, scholarship announcements and the formal certification that graduates met state and district requirements.

Superintendent of Schools Tim McCormick praised the graduates’ resilience and urged them to “lead now,” saying, “The world is out there waiting for you.” Principal John Diorio closed the ceremony by formally certifying the graduates. "I am proud to certify that the members of the class of 2025 receiving their diplomas have met all requirements of North Brookfield Public Schools, as well as the requirements of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," he said.

The ceremony recognized academic leaders and scholarship recipients. Dayton Ford delivered the valedictory address as valedictorian. Asher Beaupre, the salutatorian, also addressed the class. The school presented the Julianne Karen Memorial Scholarship to Bridal Hutchinson; the Mike Keenan Memorial Scholarships ($1,000 each) to Asher Beaupre and Claudia White; and the John and Abigail Adams scholarship to Aidan Rodriguez.

In remarks reflecting on the graduating class, McCormick highlighted several students by name and noted individual post‑graduation plans mentioned during the ceremony, including Jamal Jackson’s enrollment at Job Corps to study carpentry and Dayton Ford’s planned attendance at Assumption College on a merit scholarship. Class president Anthony Polanco spoke about the class’s tight‑knit community and encouraged classmates to “step into the world with courage and curiosity.” Valedictorian Dayton Ford reflected on shared uncertainty about the future and said the class leaves with a “boat full of memories.”

The ceremony included readings, poems and awards presented by class advisors Meg Hanson and Margaret Hanson and members of the school committee. Several students were called to receive named scholarships awarded by the school and community donors; amounts were specified for the Mike Keenan Memorial Scholarships ($1,000 each) during the presentation.

Principal DiOrio concluded the program by certifying that the graduates had met both district and Commonwealth requirements for a diploma, and then presented the class to attendees. The event served as an acknowledgement of academic achievement, scholarship awards and next steps for the graduates.

A full list of graduates and individual award recipients was read aloud during the ceremony.