On Wednesday, June 25th The Calais School was proud to announce our graduating class of 2014. Six high school seniors and eight 8th graders participated in the commencement ceremony, celebrating their accomplishments and time spent at Calais. Proud parents, siblings, grandparents, friends and staff joined the celebration of student achievement.

Calais School Executive Director David Leitner’s opening remarks encouraged all students to find and follow their passion despite what others say. He shared his wisdom about how to lead a successful and fulfilling life—follow your passion early on and never let the naysayers dictate what you can and cannot do:

You may have heard people try to describe you as ADD, autistic, depressed, anxious or learning disabled. These labels might be helpful in trying to describe HOW you function but it does not describe you as a person or define what you are capable of. The car that goes 65 miles per hour is just as capable of driving to California as a car that goes 100 miles per hour. You may get there 3 hours later…but who cares??

Each senior gave a thoughtful speech sharing their Calais School experiences. Seniors thanked their family, friends, teachers, and counselors for their support and each student took a moment to thank the people that made a particular impact on them. Their stories were often funny and heartfelt. Many students gave shout-outs to the friends who made a special impression on their lives and shared their personal stories of struggle, growth, and achievement.  Matt B. told the audience,

Feeling accepted was very difficult for me in any school I was in…. I thought to myself, why should this school be any different?

He went on to say, “I’ve changed so much over the past year and a half…. Calais is a perfect fit for me.” Chaz D. shared, “When I am anxious, I walk very slowly and when I first started here I was the slowest kid in the school! As time went by I started moving a little faster and now I am the first person to enter my homeroom in the morning!”

Many students spoke about the workplace and social skills they cultivated. Katie M. shared,

“The Calais School prepared me for the future by showing so much about my own talents. I have learned how to be more independent in the classroom, to be responsible on the job, how to interact with others, and make lots of friends.”

The Calais School band and featured soloists helped the students and audience celebrate the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. Joy C. led everyone in the “Star-Spangled Banner” and John James N. helped close the ceremony with a moving rendition of “You Raise Me Up.”

We are all thankful for the opportunity to work with truly inspiring, thoughtful and dedicated students. We are so proud of our graduates and what they have accomplished here at Calais and will accomplish in their lives.

 

Congratulations to the class of 2014 and best wishes for a bright future!