This year’s top two students were a pair of siblings, Nischal and Simran Tamang, who immigrated to America with their parents from Nepal. Their story was recently featured on WCVB Boston, and can be read and viewed here. Below are the speeches they and Class of 2024 President Sal DiDomenico delivered at commencement ceremonies this past Saturday, June 1 at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
“Unlocking Tomorrow: The Freedom of Moving Forward” by Valedictorian Nischal Tamang
Good morning EHS students, staff, family, and class of 2024. It is my honor and privilege to stand on this stage in front of this wonderful audience and give this speech.
First, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the EHS teachers and staff for helping my classmates and me overcome numerous obstacles and adversities throughout our journey and reach this point in life. I also want to express my sincere gratitude to my parents, who are the building blocks of my life. Ever since we moved to the US when my sister and I were 9 and 10, my parents have constantly supported us as we adapted and grew in a new environment. Like many proud parents and guardians in the stands today, they have made countless sacrifices in their lives to support us; whether it is leaving their lives in Nepal and starting from scratch in America with minimum English, or working seven days a week for 10 to 12 hours each day so that we could afford whatever we needed. It is thanks to their sacrifices and support that I am able to proudly stand here today, and it is their greatest lessons that they taught me that have built me into the individual that stands in front of you. So, this moment is not only mine but my father’s, who despite the pain aching labor and countless hours of overtime, always finds the right words to brighten the room with his hilarious nature, and my mother’s, whose kindness fills the room and makes me forget about all the adversities. Thank you both for being the best parents.
I would also like to thank the class of 2024 for sharing these past years of high school with me and creating unforgettable memories and building unbreakable bonds. It truly felt as if every one of my interactions with this group of students helped me gain a greater understanding of myself as well as the environment around me. This group of students is not only one of the smartest and most hard working groups, but also one of the most resilient groups to have walked the halls of Everett High School. As we all know, Covid struck the US when this group of students were nearing the end of their eighth grade year, and as a result, were forced to transition from middle school to high school through online classes in a time of great uncertainty and unrest. This was a rough start since online school was just a weird experience. Every student was just a black box with their name written on it. We weren’t able to physically talk to one another (I mean, I don’t count those Zoom breakout rooms since the students rarely unmuted their mics or turned their cameras on), and many high school activities such as sports and clubs were canceled. Even so, when school became in-person again, we came into the school as excited as ever, eager to meet new friends, learn new topics, and try new things–like football in February and eating socially distant lunch in the gym. The resilience and optimism of our class helped us push forward through some of the greatest challenges that were thrown our way.
I don’t know if I can emphasize enough how supportive our teachers were throughout that year, and over these past four years as a whole. It is thanks to their passion for teaching and desire to assist and connect with their students that helped each one of us stay motivated, grow, and achieve our goals. The connections that we made with our teachers helped us look forward to a school day, even if we didn’t always love getting up in the morning. Whether it was spending time after school discussing the middle east in Mr. Bailey’s room, enacting the different scenes of Julius Caesar in Mr. O’s class, or bugging Mrs. Brogna for more Calculus help, these precious moments that we shared with our teachers motivated us to continue and revealed to us that there were more people uplifting us and wanting us to succeed. They believed in us, which helped us believe in ourselves.
However, I am not going to act like everything went right for everyone, every day. There are memories from these high school years that each one of us will hold dear in our hearts–but there are also those moments of regret that will linger in the back of our minds. “I wish I had joined this sport or club,” “I wish I had talked to this person,” “I wish I had passed instead of shooting in that one game,” or “I wish I had taken that class more seriously.” No matter who you are, you are bound to have one of these “wishes” or regrets. But the truth is that these events of the past cannot be changed. As one saying goes “is it the past because it cannot be changed or can it not be changed because it is the past?” (I’m kidding, I made that saying up). But going back to the topic, I ask you, what is the point of looking back on these regrets if you can’t do anything about them? Well, that’s why: because it is best to forget it and move on, unlock the tomorrow that awaits you and approach it with excitement and an open mind without the lingering thoughts of those regrets.
Luckily for us, this is the perfect moment to start approaching life with this new thought, because this is not only a graduation but the beginning of a new adventure, a new chapter of our life with an uncertain but exciting future. Whether you are attending college, enlisting in the military, attending a trade school, or something entirely different, a variety of new experiences and opportunities are waiting for each one of us. So, as you take your diploma today, I want each one of you to take this opportunity to leave those past regrets behind and to look forward to your future. I want your diploma to be a symbol of your promise to continue being resilient and move forward no matter the adversity thrown your way, to erase those regrets and embrace those opportunities that await us as we move forward into all of our tomorrows.
I wish you all the best of luck. Thank you.
“Resonance: The Power of Presence” by Salutatorian Simran Tamang
Good morning faculty, family, friends, and fellow graduates. Thank you for joining us in celebrating this monumental milestone. My name is Simran Tamang and I am honored to be standing here today as the Salutatorian of the Class of 2024. I want to start off by thanking my teachers, coaches, and all EHS administration, faculty, and staff for providing me as well as my fellow graduates with an unparalleled education over our four years of high school. I want to especially thank my mom and dad, and my family in Nepal who have sacrificed so much for my brother and me to be able to receive a quality education in America and pursue our dreams.
My parents left the comfort and safety of their little village in Nepal to venture into America, an unfamiliar land where the language, customs, and traditions were different. Stepping foot into America, we traded in our grand celebrations of Dashain and Tihar for mellowed celebrations of strange western holidays. My parents courageously took on jobs outside their fields of expertise–my dad went from serving in the Nepali army to working as a delivery man, and my mom from being a farmer to a barista, all the while lacking English fluency. Their resilience and unwavering strength and determination as they worked every day of the week and attended night classes twice a week at Bunker Hill to learn English has been an inspiration and testament to their tireless dedication to their children. I am beyond grateful for their example and the lessons of courage and hard work they have taught me. So, to Mummy, Baba, तपाईंले गर्नुहुने सबै कुराको लागि धन्यवाद. If you’re not from Nepal, that was me saying thank you for everything to my mom and dad!
High school has been quite the experience for all of us here, in good ways and bad ways. Whether we’ve formed friendships that last a lifetime, developed an unforeseen love for an activity, or grown a strong dislike towards certain subjects, the last four years of our lives will be a core memory that we’ll surely tell our grandchildren. All about “When I was in high school, we would panic if we lost our AirPods and rejoice if the school lost WiFi.” Or, “When I was growing up, we knew something was a fact if we had seen it on Tiktok.” Or, “Back in my days, President Swift was just a singer, in fact some of us even saw her on the Eras Tour.”
But I want to recognize one (serious) thing in particular. High school is such an important time in our lives because it’s the time when we discover our identity. We figure out who we are, and who we hope to be. Some of us have found a sense of belonging on stage, performing in Augusta and Noble, or singing in the holiday concerts. Some have found our niche on the field, playing football or soccer, or even on the courts, playing volleyball or tennis or participating on the Mock Trial team. And there are also those among us who are still searching, still figuring out who they are, their likes and dislikes, figuring out a balance between what they want and what they need. And that’s completely fine. That’s good. Growth is good. Change is good. But whether you’ve discovered yourself or you’re still searching, I want to encourage each and every one of you to be proud of who you are, to take up space, to be unapologetically you.
Throughout high school, not being able to grow up in my home country and be as connected to my culture and traditions as I would like, I began to realize the power of my presence and the importance of my identity as an immigrant from Nepal. To preserve the culture and traditions that my parents and I had to give up when we came to the United States, I now strive to take up space as a Nepali, proudly showcasing my Nepali heritage and culture wherever and whenever I can.
At the college you will be attending next fall or in the jobs you will be holding in the future, let your presence be known. Walk confidently into a room full of strangers, keep your head up, voice your opinions, let people know the correct way to pronounce your ethnic name (Sim-run and Nis-ch-al), and wear your cultural garments with pride. Let your presence resonate as you find your way through life. Start today if you haven’t already. Yes, it’s graduation, but it’s not too late. In a little while, when you walk across this stage, walk with confidence. Let your presence be felt, and maybe those few short seconds will resonate long into the future. Savor the moment. We’ve earned it. I wish you all good luck in your future endeavors, and I hope that you exceed all of your expectations in life!
धन्यवाद 2024 को कक्षा!
If you’re not from Nepal, that was me saying: Thank you EHS Class of 2024!
Class President Sal DiDomenico
Superintendent Hart, Mayor DeMaria, Mr. Lynch, City Councilors, School Committee members, State Representatives, that Senator guy behind me, special guests, parents, the best truck driver in America Charlie the custodian and most importantly the Class of 24: Four years ago, we began high school behind a computer screen. Nobody could have predicted the path of our high school journey. But regardless of starting high school like no other class before us, we made the most of it. It’s been quite the ride, but we’ve tackled it together and made our mark.
Over these four years we have been through a lot together. We survived a pandemic, got through online schooling, we even wrote essays alongside Chat GPT (We all used it at least once or twice…some of us a couple thousand – we can all have our own opinion on who that was). We’ve formed bonds that will last a lifetime and shared experiences that will forever have a place in our memory. From rushing to do projects at the last minute to playing an intense basketball game at gym, to the good times we all shared, each moment has forever left a mark on all of us.
As we say goodbye to high school, let us carry with us the lessons we’ve learned, the strong friendships we’ve forged, and the memories we’ve created together. Let us cherish the moments we’ve shared and look forward to the adventures that lie ahead. And let us never forget that no matter where life takes us, we will always be united by the bond of our high school years.
For most of us we will be independent for the first time, we will be attending new classes with different people. We will have to make new decisions for ourselves like what courses to take, what job opportunities to pursue , and how to get around taxes–shout out to Mr. Peach!
Being your class president has been a great honor and I am thankful that you trusted me with this position. As you all know, I promised that every senior would have a free prom. And after months of fundraising I was able to raise over 50 thousand dollars to make this crazy idea a reality. The money that was left over from this fundraising will go towards funding scholarships in the name of our Class of 2024 to help fulfill the dreams of future EHS graduates. This will be our way of paying it forward and ensuring our class will also have a presence at EHS for years to come. I consider these things to be my biggest accomplishments throughout high school.
My parents and brother have been my biggest cheerleaders and the best support system I could ever ask for. My whole family has always been by my side overcoming any challenges I was facing and supporting everything I wanted to accomplish. Thank you all for being right behind me always.
I would also like to thank Mr. O’Brien and Mr. Sachetta. They were my biggest supporters throughout my time at Everett High School. They have shown me that hard work pays off, and in times of uncertainty they always offered me unwavering support and were always there for me to talk to. They were always there for me when I needed help and I will forever hold dear the profound friendships we share. These two people have changed my life in a way words cannot even begin to describe. Thank you for everything done for me.
When we graduate and leave here today, I want everyone to not forget this pivotal moment in our lives that has set us up for success. Never forget the teachers that guided us through high school, our support staff, the people that are invested in your success, and the friends that you have made. I will forever treasure the friendships that I have made and I am proud to have started at the Keverian School. We must all never forget where we came from. Wherever you go in life, remember Everett. Remember where you started. Remember the community that you grew up in.
Do not hold back–follow your dreams and don’t let anyone knock you off your course. As Walt Disney said, “Your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them.” That is absolutely true and I can’t wait to hear about the many success stories that will come from our class. The sky is the limit and I know we have the drive and determination to make our dreams a reality.
Thank you again and Congratulations Class of 2024! I look forward to coming together as a class at our five year reunion. Best of luck to you all