Photo: Jennifer Swanson

Parents and grandparents, siblings, cousins, uncles, aunts and friends gathered at the URI Ryan Center  Friday to see the students of Exeter-West Greenwich High School Class of 2009 receive their diplomas.

In a sea of black and red gowns, students prepared to finish one chapter of their lives and begin new ones. A memorable night, especially for the retiring principal Denise Boule, the graduation was a proud moment for all those present.

The night began with a standing ovation and roaring applause for Boule and for the hard work and dedication she has shown as high school principal for the past 10 years. The respect and gratitude the students speakers of the night showed for their dedicated principal was a true example of the “EWG Family” that Boule, her staff, students, and the community have created. As Boule said, “Learning is not just about taking a test; learning is about teaching others what you know by demonstrating your knowledge.”

The principal’s words were clearly exemplified by the deeds of the class of 2009. An impressive class, the students showed great community dedication with all of their accomplishments. In her address, Boule  named just a few of the many students of the class and their commitment to community service and awareness.

The “Beachscapes” composition performed by the school’s band, a performance of “For Good” by the school chorus, and a special performance of “Flying for Me” by graduating senior Anthony Ricutti, also showed the level of accomplishment the students achieved.

Looking back at the past, many students feel they will miss this step of their lives, but are looking forward to the future.

Graduating senior Jessica Rowan said, “I get sad that high school is really over, but I’m ready to move onto college.”

Rowan’s sentiment was echoed by many of her classmates. Jessica Smith said, when asked what she would miss the most about her experiences at EWG, “I’m going to miss my teachers; my teachers have always been there for me.”

The level of commitment and closeness between the students and administrators was obvious Friday.  Many of the students, while receiving their diplomas, embraced some of those administrators and staff members that held major importance to them during their high school careers.

As for advice for their younger classmates, the graduates had several sentiments: “Try hard and follow your dreams”; “Try your best, and try to get all your work done”, and “Keep up with your work.”  These were all sentiments offered by Jessica Smith, Lisa-Marie Schmidt, and Benjamin Kupa, respectively.

Dr. Geismar, school superintendent, also offered advice to the Class of 2009. “Stay true to the values that have helped get you here today,” he said. “Work hard, be honest, be fair to other people and respect them, and take responsibility for your actions.”

As Leah Small, the class valedictorian said, “This is a time of change, a time of new beginnings, and a time of new experiences.”

While one chapter of these students’ lives close, another begins. With a memorable send-off from all of their teachers and administrators, particularly Boule, these students felt a sense of pride and accomplishment regarding their time at EWG.

As Zachary Barrett, the class salutatorian said, “Graduation is one short step in the road of life.”