The Lawrence High School (LHS) Class of 2024 came together one last time at the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton for the high school’s 56th annual graduation ceremony June 18.
The seniors gathered underneath the main floor of the arena, waiting for the signal to walk out onto the arena floor. Some fidgeted with their mortarboard caps, while others snapped selfies with their friends.
Following tradition at LHS graduation ceremonies, the Trenton Ancient Order of the Hibernians Pipe Band led the way into the arena. School district administrators, school board members, faculty and staff followed the pipe band.
As “Pomp and Circumstance” played, the seniors walked purposefully onto the court. Their faces showed a range of emotions – from shy and bewildered, to big smiles and enthusiastic waves to family and friends in the stands.
Once his classmates had taken their seats on the folding chairs on the court, class President Benjamin Weeks welcomed his classmates, families and friends.
Weeks urged his classmates to focus on the future. The key to achieving happiness comes from living in the moment and also preparing for the future. The people they care about is what makes life so precious, he said.
“When you leave today, I want you to break free from the idea of working for wealth, fame or power,” he said. “Stop focusing on the past and focus on the present. Start realizing that life is about community and connection rather than isolation.”
Weeks encouraged his classmates to find at least one or two people to whom they can open up to share their emotions and who will support them. It is truly valuable to the student and to the person in whom they confide, he said.
LHS Principal David Adam focused on the past and the future in his remarks, starting with the Class of 2024’s freshman year in September 2020.
“I remember vividly as many of you entered high school as bright-eyed new freshmen,” Adam said. “Who could have imagined how our world, our community and our school would have evolved and changed during the next four years of our time together.”
The principal reminded the students that they have faced adversity at some point in their lives (alluding to the COVID-19 pandemic), but through grit and determination, they rose to meet and exceed the challenges. They have grown and matured.
“We have come to the point where we turn the obligation of decision-making and vision for your future over to each of you,” Adam said. “We look forward to seeing where your life’s journey takes you.”
Class Salutatorian Arjun Tatavarthi thanked his teachers, his friends and his family for making him what he has become and who were always supportive of him.
“I am up here speaking to you because I am the salutatorian, a metric that was determined by grade point average (GPA),” he said. “But don’t let that fool you. It does not mean that I am the second-best student at LHS. I believe there is a whole lot more to being a student than what a mere GPA decides.”
Tatavarthi pointed to the diverse clubs that allowed students to explore their passions and discover their talents. Each student shines in ways that no GPA could ever truly capture, he said.
Hard work is one of the main reasons for being named salutatorian, Tatavarthi said. Hard work allowed him to achieve his goals – but the road to success is not always smooth.
“The road to success is always under construction,” he said. “There will be detours and roadblocks. If you keep pushing with the same determination that got you to graduation, there’s nothing you can’t achieve.”
Valedictorian Farhaan Shroff told his classmates that as they prepare to leave the Cardinal Nest behind, they must acknowledge that while they do not know what the future holds, they do know how they leave an impact on others.
“As ‘adulting’ begins to creep up on us, I encourage each of you to carry forward the lessons and memories we have shared at LHS,” he said. “Our impact on this world is defined not just by our achievements, but by the kindness, empathy and support we offer to others.
“As we sit shoulder to shoulder one last time, let us remember what Maya Angelou said – ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ Thank you and congratulations.”
Superintendent of Schools Robyn Klim told the seniors that graduation is the first significant milestone in their lives. The path forward is each senior’s one to shape, guided by curiosity, questions and the willingness to explore, she said.
“As I reflect on my first year as your superintendent, I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to serve and support such an exceptional group of students – the Class of 2024,” Klim said.
“You have enriched our community with your resilience, aspirations and achievements. As you venture toward the next chapter of your lives, carry with you the lessons learned and the memories made. May you always move forward with purpose, passion and pride,” she said.
Then, one by one, the 294 members of the LHS Class of 2024 lined up and walked across the stage to pick up their diploma – and a handshake – from Adam, Klim and school board president Michele Bowes.
After the last senior had received a diploma and was seated, Adam asked the Class of 2024 to rise. Weeks, as class president, led his classmates in moving the tassel on their mortarboard caps from the right side to the left side – signaling their graduation.
A sea of red caps filled the air as the seniors tossed them skyward, and the LHS Class of 2024 was history.
Lawrence High School seniors look over their freshly minted diplomas (
The seniors listened to featured speakers as they waited to pick up their diplomas
The seniors waved to family and friends in the stands as they walked out onto the CURE Insurance Arena floor.
Lawrence High School seniors decorated their caps with some creative messages. These seniors made certain not to be confused with each other.
