Walking out of their school for the last time as students to the applause of family, friends and teachers, Merrimack’s seniors made their way from the gymnasium and onto the Student Memorial Field, where they walked under arches that read Believe, Inspire and Go Forward – words befitting of the speeches delivered by the schools principal Sharon Putne, valedictorian Sophia Kim, salutatorian Abigail Shaefer and class president Caitlyn Moran.

While addressing her classmates, Moran drew parallels of the students journey through 12 years of schooling and their accomplishments of making it to graduation with the song “Come Sail Away” by classic rock band Styx.

“The song talks about reflecting on our past as we prepare to set sail on our journey,” Moran said in her opening where she quoted the lyrics, “I’m sailing away, set an open course to the virgin sea, I’ve got to be free, free to face the life that’s in front of me. I’m the captain so climb aboard we’ll search for tomorrow on every shore.”

“We are all the captains of our own boats in our next stages we can take hold of our ship and direct our sail where we want to go,” she added.

Students listened to the speakers, whose topics ranged from Moran’s homage to Styx to Merrimack valedictorian Kim’s parallel to migrancy.

“It is an illusion to think the world can stay the same,” Kim said in her speech, “the idea that we are all migrants in time has never been more relevant in our lives than it is right now.”

“We are about to experience the changes that come when so much that we know we don’t know anymore,” she added about their future after leaving school.

Upon receiving their diplomas, Merrimack High’s newest alumni are primed to begin the next leg of their journey. Some graduates will directly join the workforce, enroll into trade schools, others will embark on a career in the Military. Many of the students will seek to continue their education, with some students being accepted into colleges and universities across the country, including University of New Hampshire, Purdue University, Brown University and Rutgers University.

Newsletter