BFUHS graduates reflect on their four years: Stonehead, rubber duckies, COVID and Jada

Bellows Falls Union High School celebrates the Class of 2023 during a commencement ceremony on Thursday, June 15, 2023.

WESTMINSTER — What did four years at Bellows Falls Union High School mean for the Class of 2023?

Sadness for a lost classmate, pride in finally winning Winter Carnival, taking risks in buying an absurd piece of plastic junk, and resilience in the time of COVID, according to the well-received speeches from the class’ honor students Thursday night.

Honor student Caleb Ghia captured the attention of the gathering seated on Hadley Field Thursday night, with his story about an $80 piece of plastic junk, a replica of a sacred Easter Island Moai head, that he dubbed Stonehead. It turned into a great adventure his senior year, as other students wanted to share his joke.

Ghia said Stonehead expanded his connections not just within the school, but within Vermont, as Instagram made Stonehead famous, and Ghia was along for the silly ride, meeting lots of people.

With Stonehead sitting on the graduation platform with him, Ghia said Stonehead taught him many lessons.

“Through this crazy purchase, I was able to meet so many people and be a part of some bizarre circumstances that I never would have encountered had I never taken a leap of faith and taken a chance on something I found funny,” Ghia said.

“I am pushing for everyone to take chances because you never know, there might just be a Stonehead waiting for you, on the other side,” he said to laughter and applause.

Honor student Julianna McDermid lead the crowd in a minute of silence for classmate Jada Spaulding Doyle, who died in a car crash two years ago at the age of 16.

“I believe all of us know a certain someone who embodies all of these features as a quality friend,” said McDermid, who said Spaulding Doyle was a “genuine human being” who wanted to make people better, “to lift people up, to be part of something bigger than ourselves, to reassure someone when they are down.”

“This person has given our class a quality bond that will last our entire lives and it continues to strengthen over time because of her energy. We know her as Jada,” McDermid said, her voice breaking.

“There is no question that Jada’s presence shines down on us today. I believe Jada would want us to celebrate graduating and beginning a new chapter in our lives, bringing her with us,” she said.

Salutatorian Jake Moore also mentioned the loss of Spaulding Doyle. And he said he tried to avoid talking about COVID, which had a profound effect on their years at the high school.

He said the pandemic “challenged, yet did not define our years at BFUHS.”

“We adapted, persevered and came out on top,” Moore said.

But if there was one part of school life where the class showed the most resilience, Moore said, it was in its efforts during the annual winter carnival.

“Last place for three straight years ... not a good look,” said Moore.

But 2023 was different, he said. “Displaying our well roundedness by winning numerous events from the car push to trivia, and of course another pie-eating contest victory from the hungriest guy I know,” said Moore.

“Whether it’s a chocolate pie or a job interview, we have proven we have what it takes to be successful,” said Moore. “We have the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties, we are resilient,” he said.

Class Valedictorian Mary Wallace, who will attend the University of Vermont as a Green and Gold scholar, left a rubber duckie under each of her classmates’ chairs, she said, as a reminder to have fun.

“We’ve dealt with a pandemic during our time here, and we’ve seen a plethora of staff turnover, and we’ve dealt with loss,” she said.

“Despite all that, despite our ‘average’ existence, I admire our ability as a class to create a sense of community and enthusiasm in the face of bad luck and low expectations,” Wallace said.

“We’ve held revolutions and hid 400 tiny rubber ducks in the school building, so underclassmen, good luck with that,” she said, noting she had put rubber duckies under her classmates seats as well.

“Although I’ve been a stressed out teenager, it has been the happiest of stresses,” she said.

“We should challenge ourselves. But we should like being challenged,” she said.

Other honor students who spoke at graduation were Grace Waryas, third honor, and Austin Mallan. Other members of the top 10 were Cameron Gage, Gavin Joy, Isabel Perry and Noah Simino.

Class President Caden Haskell, who both welcomed and closed graduation, gave some heart-felt advice: “Spread kindness, give your love, be empathetic, laugh, cry but always be that helping hand. Take every moment dearly and share these precious moments with others, enjoy it all.”

Haskell was honored with the one award given out on graduation night, the Bellows Falls Alumni Award for his embodiment of “a true Terrier” in the words of Heather Murphy, the alumni president.