Delaney Woods , valedictorian of the Dirigo High School Class of 2022, tells her fellow graduates Friday that while they have different dreams for the future, they will remain connected through the roots of the Dirigo community. Bruce Farrin/Rumford Falls Times
DIXFIELD — “We have the world in front of us and we can achieve any goal we set our minds to,” Delaney Woods told her classmates Friday. “I know this because we’re all sitting here now, having set this goal all those years ago.”
Woods, who delivered her valedictory speech during the Dirigo High School graduation, was one of 35 members of the Class of 2022.
In a farewell to the graduates, Woods said, “We have gone through so much over the last few years, but we all had one goal in mind — to leave a mark on Dirigo High School, and we did that.”
She also noted, “We are your Class of 2022 because we put in the hard work, dedication and effort to get to where we are today.”
Woods said, “This journey has been different for each one of us, but we could not have done it without our family, friends and teachers constantly supporting us every step of the way. For the future, we all have different dreams for our lives, but we will remain connected through the roots of the Dirigo community.”
Class president and salutatorian Abbigail Thibodeau said their time at Dirigo High School has been hard and challenging, “but thankfully I’m graduating with some of the strongest and most hard-working people I have ever known.”
“You have truly blessed me as a person by installing new hope in humankind … Your collective sense of humor is pretty amazing,” Superintendent/Principal Pam Doyen told the class. “I’m not sure a day went by when I didn’t smile or laugh because of one of you.”
Members of the Senior Choir sing Billy Joel’s “Vienna” Friday evening during the Dirigo High School graduation ceremony. Bruce Farrin/Rumford Falls Times
The class also displayed some of its musical talents.
Alyvia Perreault sang Taylor Swift’s “Never Grow Up,” followed by the Senior Choir performing Billy Joel’s “Vienna.”
All around the stage where the Class of 2022 was seated were 35 planters filled with petunias from the Briar Patch in Mexico, purchased by the school for the graduates.
Following the ceremony and after sharing hugs and tears, most of the students boarded the bus for their Project Graduation trip to Six Flags in Agawam, Massachusetts.
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