Standing at the podium on the Conant Middle High School stage, valedictorian Denton Montgomery shared some nuggets of wisdom from a trusted source – fortune cookies.

He cracked open three, and read out the fortunes: “The roots of our education may be bitter, but the fruits are sweet,” followed by, “When one door closes another opens” and lastly, “If you can’t be kind, at least be vague.”

It was the capstone to Montgomery’s speech to the class of 80 graduates during the Conant Middle High School commencement, held in the Franklin Pierce University gymnasium on Friday night. The ceremony included senior Jaedin Bryan, who has performed the National Anthem for most important school events, giving one last performance.

Senior class President Lucy Dupuis, Vice President Taylor Shea, Secretary Izabelle Rollins and Treasurer Quinn Kelly presented the class gifts – moneyboxes engraved with the class year – for each of the middle and high school classes and National Honor Society.

Montgomery looked back on his class adapting to their eighth-grade year, interrupted by COVID, and being the first class to brave a senior capstone project.

“And of course, we’ve made friendships that hopefully persist long after our time at Conant. Now, we look to the future. As we prepare to receive our diplomas, and go our separate ways, let’s take a moment to appreciate everything and everyone that led us here,” Montgomery said. “Eighteen years, give or take, have just gone by, and for many of us, this will be the biggest changes of our lives. Is that scary? Absolutely. The status quo is about to change forever. But it’s also a new opportunity to explore and grow.”

The class co-adviser, Jenny Meskauskas, was selected as the guest speaker, and said the Class of 2025 was special to her, as it was the first group of students she had taught all the way through middle and high school. 

“From the very first day I met you all as small, timid sixth-graders, right up until now as confident, passionate, wildly creative seniors, many of whom now tower over me, I’ve gotten to watch you grow into the incredible people you have become day by day, year by year,” Meskauskas said. “And saying goodbye is going to be one of the hardest things I’ve had to do, because you have been more to me than just students. You are the reason I teach, and why I love what I do. You all will forever hold a special place in my heart. You’ve made my classroom a place of laughter and learning, and you certainly made sure there was never a dull moment in our room.”

Meskauskas gave the class their annual motto, a quote from author C.S. Lewis: “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”

“And I believe that for you, with all my heart. This chapter, the one we’ve written together, it’s just the beginning,” Meskauskas said. 

Class President Lucy Dupuis, who gave the class farewell speech, said that while the class is looking to the future, it’s also important to appreciate the now.

Dupuis told of a lesson that she has learned in her job at a group home for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. One client, she said, would get “so caught up in what’s happening tomorrow or next week, it will ruin their day.” The advice she often gave him was to focus on the now, Dupuis said. 

“One night, I asked the client something on the lines of what he was planning on doing the following day, The client looked at me, and said, ‘Lucy, worry about today, and worry about yourself.’ He was right, even though it was my job to worry about him, I was worried about tomorrow,” Dupuis said. “Too easily, we shift the focus from the present to the next week or the next year. We hyperfixate on the weekend or summer vacation, instead of enjoying the bleak days of winter, but in doing that, we rob ourselves of today.”

Dupuis said now, poised at the next step in their lives, her fellow classmates should keep that in mind.

“As we start to enter the real world, with so many scary things, I hope this brings you comfort. I know there are more gray skies and clouds ahead, but focus on today, that is what is going to get you through.”

In her speech, Salutatorian Izabelle Rollins agreed with that sentiment.

“While we all are about to go our separate ways we are all among each other for possibly the last time. Our moments together are fleeting. Many say that time is a thief, but we should look at it as a gift. We are lucky to be in this life, so my greatest advice to you is to live it,” Rollins said.

Rollins encouraged her classmates to, rather than play it safe, fully experience life and seek out their dreams, even when it is hard.

“Create your own purpose. Some may be fearful that their greatest dreams in life will fail them, but let me assure you that you will never lose in life – you will win, or you will learn. Everyone will always be more comfortable in the place they know, in their own world, surrounded by their own bubble. And I say pop the bubble,” Rollins said.

Whether popping that bubble meant traveling the world, bungee jumping or skydiving, Rollins said that it should also meant they were “living and not just simply existing.”

And part of that, she said, was surrounding yourself with people who matter to you.

“What I’ve found throughout my 18 years of life is that it is much better to experience it with those that you love. My time in high school has taught me that while not everyone stays, you have those who join you for the journey,” Rollins said. “Relationships with those who matter are going to be the most-significant part of your life. Those people will be the people who you laugh with, cry with, sing in the car with and live a good life with.”

As a final goodbye, Rollins added, “The beauty of life is that you get to choose how you live it, so make it count.”

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.