DANVERS – 14 seniors from Peabody are among 268 who recently graduated from St. John’s Preparatory School. In addition, Peabody students Christian Kaminski and Christopher Shea are among those who are in the top 5% of their senior class in academic performance.
At the school’s 114th Commencement ceremony, Graham Kramer, senior-class speaker who hails from Marblehead, talked about starting their high school journey at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, in “what could have been the most confusing time ever,” only being able to see people face-to-face in their sophomore year.
“Although distance was enforced, somehow we became closer as a class while simultaneously being forced to stay apart,” Kramer said in his speech. “During my first year at SJP, even though I couldn’t see any faces, I saw kindness, I saw nervousness, and I saw commitment all in the eyes of my classmates from showing up to those early Zoom meetings to making sure masks were on straight for games.”
With COVID-19 being the “bad”, Kramer also talked about the “good” with his catchphrase “we know good,” highlighting the accolades of fellow classmates in the fields, courts and stages.
“Throughout our time at the Prep, we have won dozens of state championships, received rewards and accolades for fine arts, dominated in robotics, and so much more,” Kramer said, adding other achievements such as students winning a stock market game, performing a production of The Addams Family, and placing second in an intramural basketball league.
Valedictorian David Kane, also from Marblehead, urged his fellow graduates to live life more openly, without adhering to an “outline” or “to-do list,” talking about how recent college rejections made him accept that his plans are constantly evolving.
“No outline can predict our lives after high school, no matter what we try or do,” Kane said. “Surprises happen and things change. The more I try to plan, the more disappointed I find myself in surprises.”
The following students from Peabody graduated from St. John’s Prep this year:
Tirenioluwa Michael Asenuga
Thomas J. Desmond
John Thomas Droggitis
Shamus Stephen Flaherty
Nicholas Anthony Gregory
Rani M. Haddad
Nico Ilardi
Joseph Michael Isidro
Christian James Kaminski
Terence Robert Lee
Shane Rose
Zachary Craig Saporito
Christopher Michael Shea
Yianni Nectarios Vamvouklis
