Martins spent a portion of his speech giving props to his good friend Kenton Tran, whom he just narrowly beat out for the position of valedictorian. (Christopher Wright)

Good Evening Everett and Good Evening to the Graduates of 2026!

I’d like to begin tonight by thanking the students, families, and faculty of the Everett Public Schools. Thank you to Superintendent Hart and your entire administration. Thank you to the Mayor Robert Van Campen, the School Committee, and all of you in attendance. This is a special night that required all of your love and guidance to be made possible.

I’d also like to thank my parents for their daily hard work to support me and my brother. On behalf of the class of 2026, I want to thank every parent, all the aunts and uncles, grandparents, friends, and mentors who have supported all of us—you share in our achievements and we appreciate you more than we can say.

I’d also like to give special thanks to the STEM teachers who have greatly supported me throughout my high school journey, including Mr. Munoz, Dr. Backlund, and Dr. Seiders. Thank you also Mr. Cheever for teaching me how to approach challenging math problems, and Ms. Dunn for teaching me how to plan ahead to achieve goals in life. Thank you also to every other teacher who helped me or another student in their education.

Tonight I can’t help but to simultaneously look forward to our futures and back to what got us here. When you think about it, this is the last time we will all be together. Do you remember everything you went through—the good, the bad, the exciting, the boring, the totally embarrassing—to get here? Think about it. I remember how I got to where I am right now. It was in my sophomore year. Kenton Tran had the audacity to start the Robotics Club at Everett High School as long as Mr. Paradise would agree to help. With Mr. Kvietkauskas’ and Dr. Kraemer’s guidance, the club continued. Kenton brought together a group of people that would later become my close friends, and I’ll always have fond memories of this club for that reason. He recruited me, Ali Raza, Ritchy Samedy, Elvis Nguyen, and Gabriel Flores.

How many of you found some of your best friends at the activities at Everett High School? When I look back at the group Kenton pulled together, I realize that what we were doing for fun and the chance to hang out together, was really just the beginning of us realizing our futures. Ali is going to Boston College in the fall to study Topology where he’ll calculate the symmetry of toruses, otherwise known as donuts. Hilarious that he needs B.C. to do that when all of Everett can figure that out for 2 dollars at the Dunkins next to Walgreens.

When I look at Ritchy Samedy, I’m glad I became friends with him when I did because after 4 years at UPenn, he’ll probably only speak to people who manage hedge funds and reminisce about the time they made their “first million.”

And then there’s Gaetano Foster. If you only judged him by the way he tosses turkeys, you’d be way off. This is a man that’s capable of standing on tables in computer science class screaming about reprogramming “Five Nights at Freddy’s” to “Five Nights at Silver’s”! Shout out to Mr. Silver. Way to go Gaetano. By the way, before you leave tonight, you need to pay for all of the chairs you smashed!

It says a lot about Kenton Tran that he could pull together a robotics team on 3 hours of sleep. I think he knew he was M.I.T.-bound back then, and I’m glad he was like that, too because it was the Robotics Club that sparked my curiosity for understanding the hardware that makes programming possible. This led me down an interesting path towards electrical engineering, which is what I’ll study next year in college. So Kenton, thank you. You started something real that actually impacted others, and more importantly, it brought friends together.

Each one of you has a story like this. Each story is unique, but all of them led to this moment here, right now. This is a time to celebrate. Congratulations to all my classmates—you have worked hard, had amazing experiences, and learned from your teachers, families, and friends. Now it’s time to chase the future that interests YOU! This is your time and your opportunity to create the future you want.

Thank you and good luck to the class of 2026!

Tran, who will attend M.I.T. this fall, spoke of the valuable lessons to be learned from failing. (Christopher Wright)

“Don’t Be Afraid”

Distinguished guests, administrators, unforgettable teachers, proud parents, and most importantly, all of my peers–who have grown alongside me ever since freshman year.

If you don’t know me, I’m Kenton Tran and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to speak with you all today–even as I’m battling a bad case of stage fright right now. .

Now that you know that, I do want to make a[nother] confession [about a time when I was scared]. On the first day of freshman year, when we were all young and clueless as to what high school had to offer, I remember looking for my English class–room 5 thousand something– and simply walking everywhere and not finding it. I literally examined every hallway. Maybe even twice. I could NOT find it. Which, looking back, is easy to see why. 

I wasn’t even on the fifth floor.

Eventually, someone pointed me in the right direction (Up!) and I walked into Ms. Fallon’s room thirty minutes late, feeling as embarrassed as ever. To be honest, I was just praying that nobody would be staring at me, judging me, thinking to themselves: “Man I’m glad I’m not that guy.” 

I also remember this exact feeling of anxiety when it came to taking harder classes. “What if I can’t do it? What if it’s too hard, or the workload too much? What if I fail?” Speaking to my friends who are seated somewhere on this field, I know that I wasn’t the only one. Or maybe for you it was the fear of trying out for a team, or a role in the play, or just walking into the cafeteria not knowing any of the 500 kids around you. 

So the question I have is: Why were we all so scared?

I mean, sure, it didn’t feel great getting 50s and 60s on a test. But the more 60s and 50s that I got, the more I began to see what EHS education really offered. 

EHS teaches grit and resilience through ways in which I should have picked up sooner. I’m sure that some of you recognized this long before I did but I eventually stopped seeing grades as the only measure of success. Instead, I saw them as a step toward improvement. I remember sending hundreds of emails to Ms. Brogna or Dr. Seiders asking about math questions, staying after with Mr. Simpson until he fell asleep on me anytime I was having a hard time in physics, and badgering Mr. Fineran and Mr. McDonough for essay writing tips.

I stopped being afraid to admit I wasn’t always the best. I started realizing the value in showing up and remaining consistent.

Whether you want to be a barber, or a plumber, a physician or a musician–or even being the best Overwatch player–success comes down to showing up and giving it your all. 

Obviously, there will be risks, but why be afraid to take them? I’d bet that 10 years from now, you’ll look back on high school and be glad you gave it your all, or you’ll wish you had. Although there are failures or setbacks–like failing a test that I literally studied all night for–there is no need to be afraid. Failing means seeing that there is room for improvement–and it definitely will not prevent you from achieving something seemingly as untouchable as MIT or Harvard.

We are here today having completed our journey through high school. We have earned the title as the class of 2026. Everyone here has proven that they can achieve something when their mind is set to complete one goal, like getting that diploma.

And now that we’ve done that, don’t be afraid to do even more: dream bigger, work harder, earn even more. I can’t wait to see what all of us can do. 

If there’s one message I want to leave, it is to: Chase your dreams and never be afraid to do so–no matter how impossible it seems.

Pham’s speech focused on the positives the Class of 2026 experienced in their four years of high school (Christopher Wright)

“The Class That Learned to Begin Again”

Good evening, faculty, staff, families, friends, and most importantly, the Everett High School Class of 2026. We did it! My name is Danica Pham, and I have had the honor of serving as your class president and speaking with you all tonight.

Before I begin, I want to thank my family who made it all happen. To my dad, thank you for being my personal chauffeur, working countless hours, and still showing up for every single event. To my mom, my best friend, thank you for believing in me and for supporting every crazy idea I had, even when I doubted myself.

And to my four insane siblings for keeping our house loud and full of energy. To my older sister, Kimaura, thank you for setting an amazing example for me, and to my three younger brothers, Maddox, Jaxton, and Lenox, thank you for always keeping life chaotic, entertaining, and pretending to be interested in the random stories I came home with every day. 

And finally, thank you to both of my grandparents who immigrated here from Cambodia and Vietnam. Your sacrifices, strength, and love are a huge part of why I’m standing here today. Without any of you, I would not be who I am. 

And on behalf of the senior class. I want to thank everyone who helped make this moment possible for all of us. To our teachers, custodians, lunch staff, coaches, families, and friends, thank you for supporting us, encouraging us, and standing by us every step of the way.

So when I started thinking about what I wanted to say tonight, I remembered something from back when I was at Lafayette School. We had an assignment that asked, “What would you do if you became president?” At the time, it just felt like another worksheet, nothing serious, just an eight-year-old girl with big dreams. 

On that paper, I wrote down three things. First, I wanted to become rich. Second, homework should be banned. And third, to help people in need.

Looking back now, I think little Danica would be pretty surprised to see me standing here as class president speaking in front of all of you. And honestly, in some ways, I think I did accomplish those goals.

When I was younger, I thought becoming rich meant money. But now I understand that the real kind of wealth comes from memories, experiences, friendships, and the people you surround yourself with. And in this class, I truly do feel rich in all of those things. 

And as for the “no homework” idea… Well, I quickly realized that was never going to happen. Somehow, no matter what, there was always another assignment waiting for us. Especially during senior year, when senioritis became very real. But I guess that lesson taught us something too – success comes from continuing to work hard, even when we really don’t want to.

Now, my third point of helping people in need is something I carry with me every single day. One of my biggest goals as class president was making sure everyone felt included and connected, and that our class felt more like a family than just students sharing the same graduation year. Looking out into this crowd tonight, I truly believe we accomplished that together. 

We grew up during one of the strangest times imaginable. In middle school, we were separated from each other and forced to connect through screens instead of classrooms. So to all of our teachers, thank you for surviving our screen time and phone addictions. Despite everything, we became the first class to finally experience high school normally again. No masks, no distancing, just us.

Honestly, we made the most of it. Even if “normal” for us meant having lockers on the fourth and fifth floors, while the underclassmen got the easier ones downstairs. It felt unfair at first, but looking back, I guess we made sure we got our daily workout in. And if you had asked me back in the winter when graduation was, I probably would’ve said we already graduated. But seriously, thank you to all those snow days and blizzards; we somehow got so lucky that we didn’t need to make those days up!

That’s the funny thing about high school: the smallest moments often become the most memorable. Checking the lunch specials, last-minute Canvas submissions, spirit weeks, and football games once all felt permanent. But before we knew it, they became our last. Our last first day, last spirit week, and the last time walking these halls together.

For me, one of the best parts of senior year was capturing all those memories. From our senior sunrise to our spirit weeks to the countless TikToks and videos we filmed together, I wanted us to have something we could look back on years from now. Even if that meant I would have extra editing to do, every video was worth it because it captured the energy, laughter, and spirit of this class. Shoutout to marketing, who allowed me to continue my passion. I hope all of us will always have something that takes us back to these moments. 

Okay, I promise I won’t keep you guys here forever, so I’ll leave you with this.

As I stand here today, I want to remind you that every dream you have is worth chasing. Every passion, every wild idea that has been living in your heart, that is where your next chapter begins.

Over the years, I’ve learned that our purpose in life is often shaped by the people around us. There were moments, especially during senior year, when I felt defeated. Facing rejection from dream schools made me question myself and where I went wrong in the process. But during those moments, I found something greater: the people who stood beside me. The friends who became family.

And that’s what community really is. It’s the people who help shape you through laughter, struggles, memories, and even the hardest moments of your life.

Even though I’m only 17, I’ve experienced grief and loss. This Friday marks 12 years since I lost my uncle Chenda while finishing kindergarten. Even at that age, I remember realizing I would never get to go back to Bonkers or Plaster Fun Time with him again. But moments like that remind us that the people we love never truly leave us. We carry them with us through memory, love, and the way they shaped who we are.

And now, standing here tonight, I realize that my community at Everett High School will be one of my hardest goodbyes. While I may not have known every single graduate personally, each of you still became part of something that changed me. You trusted me to lead, represent, and be your voice, and that is something I will carry with me forever.

So, Class of 2026, thank you. Thank you for the memories, the laughter, the chaos, and the moments that made these four years unforgettable. I know every single one of you is capable of achieving something incredible. So as we walk across this stage tonight, hold onto your dreams, hold onto your people, and never forget the moments that made you who you are today.

I know you’ve all heard the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words.” So I thought I’d take this opportunity to get one last picture together before we all go our separate ways. Class of 2026, smile and say cheese! 

Now let’s celebrate. Congratulations!