TURNERS FALLS — Beaming seniors in navy blue caps and gowns passed through a handmade wooden arbor recently on their way to the graduation tent during the Franklin County Technical School’s 42nd commencement.
Fittingly enough, that arbor was crafted by one of the seniors’ very own classmates, Dakota Deane, of Ashfield, who completed the carpentry program.
After the procession, Principal Shawn Rickan called the family of Connor Powers to the stage to accept his honorary diploma. Powers, who was enrolled in the electrical shop and on the varsity baseball team, died in November after a car crash, but the school still wanted to award what he earned before his death.
Rich Kuklewicz, a member of the FCTS School Committee and also a Montague selectman, was the first guest to give a speech. He acknowledged that the more time he took up with his speech, the less time there would be for celebration later, so he kept it short.
After a quick speech, he left grads with some advice: “Be the best that you can be.”
Superintendent Rick Martin expressed his pride in this special class.
“Wow, the kids in this audience have done a great job representing Franklin County Techcf School over the past four years,” he said. “You’ve come together like no other class I’ve seen before.”
The speeches gave way to the awarding of diplomas. The following students from the North Quabbin region received their diplomas:
Electrical: Jabob Desbiens of Erving; Brandon Jenks of Orange; Karaghen McBurnie of Orange; Dylan Robinson of Orange; Jaxon Rollins of Erving (National Honor Society);
Automotive Collision Repair and Refinishing: William Berry III of Orange; Michael Dobias Jr. of Erving
Carpentry: Devin Marz of Orange
Machine Tool Technology: Christopher Ludwig of Orange; Cameron Richardson-Ellis of Erving
Culinary Arts: Elizabeth Chappel-Perkins of Warwick; Joshua Stuart of Orange
Programming and Web Development: Charlotte Shepard of Fitchburg
Welding and Metal Fabrication: Cody Picard of Warwick
Cosmetology: Cheyla LaFountain of Orange; Hannah Lyman of Warwick; Haleigh Paul of Athol
Health Technology: Lindsey Watson of Orange