By Geena Monahan—For the North Star Reporter
Dressed in navy and gold, members of Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School’s Class of 2026 filed onto the athletic fields and reflected on four years marked by change, growth and preparation for life.
“If anyone is concerned about the future of this world left with a generation of younger workers, I’d like to invite you to a day here at Tri-County and you will see, like I do, that we are in very good hands,” Superintendent Karen Maguire told the crowd and 243 graduates on May 28.
Maguire noted that the Class of 2026 experienced a high school career unlike any other as major construction projects transformed portions of the Franklin campus around them.
“You’ve gone to school during the middle of this building process,” she said. “Sometimes that meant noise, dust, detours and disruptions. It wasn’t always easy to learn in a place constantly changing. But it taught you that you can thrive in the midst of change.”
She encouraged graduates to remember the people who helped them reach commencement and to carry a spirit of service into the future, while praising the practical skills developed through their vocational programs.
“There’s something powerful about creating something with your own hands,” Maguire said. “Whether it’s a motor that runs, a meal that nourishes, a program that solves a problem or a structure that stands for decades.”
School Committee Chairman Jonathan Dowse, a member of Tri-County’s Class of 1981, reflected on his own graduation with the school’s second graduating class and urged students to remain confident in their abilities.
“The only thing that can truly hold you back is yourself,” Dowse said. “If you put your mind to something, there’s nothing you cannot do.”
Principal Dana Walsh centered her remarks on a phrase that she said had stayed with her throughout the year: “Wherever you go, there you are.”
Drawing on her background as a social worker, Walsh reminded graduates that the lessons and experiences gained at Tri-County would remain with them long after this day.
“You have learned to push yourself, to try and try again, and accept both failure and success,” Walsh said. “The core of your vocational identity will go with you.”
Valedictorian Rebecca Hall, an engineering technology student who earned the highest GPA in the class, reflected on the 1,461 days that made up the graduates’ four-year journey, reminding them how much can change over time.
“No matter how you break up the time, every second of the past four years has had moments that formed each of us into who we are today,” said Hall, who will attend the University of Connecticut this fall to study biomedical engineering.
Hall credited Tri-County’s close-knit community with helping students navigate uncertainty, noting that many found a sense of belonging through their shops, sports teams and extracurricular activities.
“We know what it means to work hard every day,” Hall said. “We know what it means to make the most of each day, because you never know where it might take you.”
Class President Kahlil Mateus, who plans to study biology at UMass Boston, encouraged classmates to remember both the people who supported them and those who were unable to be there to witness the milestone.
“We have made this long journey, not alone, but together,” Mateus said.
He urged graduates to embrace challenges, learn from adversity and continue pursuing their goals.
“None of us are perfect,” Mateus said. “But what each one of you sitting here can say is you didn’t give up.”