 Welcome families caregivers staff other members of our community and most importantly our eighth grade students. I am so honored to be here with you today to celebrate our eighth grade students. Entering my first year at Main Street Middle School I was struck by the caring students that entered into the doors each morning. This group of amazing and clearly resilient students have been leaders in our building in our community. Each of the students have flourished in different ways and this year I've been lucky enough to hear and see so many ways in which they have grown academically, athletically and socially this year. From their wacky French stories, their amazing identity posters, their passion projects, the Vermont History Day projects, early morning jazz rehearsals, dodgeball tournaments and dance parties in the halls. It's been an honor to watch and a pleasure to watch you learn, lead, create and care for each other this year. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for a great year. I cannot wait to hear about what you are able to accomplish in high school and beyond. This evening you will hear from two of our eighth grade students. We do have a change because of our electricity issues. Unfortunately we will not be having our musical performances this evening. So I know our students are incredibly disappointed from that and I'm kicking myself for not having recorded the rehearsals today. But we do have two speeches from two of our students. It's my pleasure to call Ila Robacheck to the podium to share her speech today. I apologize for my language but the idea crossed and it's not the teachers or the classes or the building concerned about the doors on the outside of the second floor of the building leading to the abyss of pavement and stomped grass that surrounds us. But that's not really either. It's more just this age. It's hard even if nothing else difficult is going on. But for us there have been a lot of difficult things going on. Sure some of them might not have been the end of the world though they did feel like it. For example in fourth grade you may remember the playground was being redone and we were forced to stay in the cage as we called it. A little fence on the street. Then before it was finished we came here. We were told that we could go back for one year during our fifth grade year to plan the playground. But before we got the chance a real tragedy struck. The almost literal end of the world COVID-19. Yes COVID the world pandemic came and as you probably are already aware it disrupted a lot. For me all of sixth grade was spent online and though I did not learn much academically I did get some good memories of stress with scissors. Good times good times. I'm sure my parents remember. Then seventh grade was still not normal. We not only had to wear masks but pretty much everything was messed up. Lunches were even split up into the classrooms and I always remember that I was in Miss Harper's room. We watched several videos starting out of course with the B movie. Then at some point moving to Mrs Harper's favorite octanauts. We even watched the first few seconds of a Barbie movie before we all went crazy and stopped. The most normal year but it still has not been that great. We have not had a course teacher for who knows how long and after all the time of social distancing and not seeing people we are still getting used to being back to normal. So yeah we've been through a lot from not getting a new playground to a world pandemic but here's the thing in the words of Sophocles. There's no success without hardship. Yeah we've been through ups and downs so many might look like waves on an ocean and we just sank so low on that ocean most of us probably almost touched the bottom but that only means that a huge wave is coming that's going to lift us out of this ditch you may find yourself in and sure the way up might not be smooth. There are multiple layers of waves in an ocean. They go in different directions and is a confusing swirl of water and feelings but look at those who are older than you. They already made it through this time in their lives and they turned out mostly okay. We just have to turn out mostly okay too and I'm sure we can and yeah as I already said the words middle school strike fear in the hearts of the bravest of people but for a middle school MSMS is pretty all right especially because of our amazing teachers who I'm sure we all will be grateful for. Teachers really do shape their students and the experience students have in school. So having good teachers makes a huge difference. Luckily for us we have more amazing teachers ahead of us. We even have a chorus teacher knock on wood. So don't be scared about going into high school. It's just going to keep getting better. Next our students have an opportunity to choose and select a staff member to share a speech and this year they chose our new humanities teacher Melissa Piscotelli. Good evening. It is an honor to speak on behalf of the Main Street Middle School 8th grade 2023 graduates. My name is Melissa Piscotelli and I teach humanities. This year has been very special in so many ways. As I ruminate about this class here's what comes to mind. Strong critical thinkers full effort scholars, talented athletes, accelerated musicians, dancers and artists, student leaders, young environmentalists, theater performers, mentors, problem solvers, young adolescents who are ready to change the world. I've been so impressed with the drive and determination they have to exceed the standard while balancing all their aspects of their lives. They are caring and pathetic, tech savvy, gregarious and intrepid, sensitive and sometimes a bit sarcastic. But that's the beauty of the young adolescent, constantly transforming each and every day. I've watched them persevere and handle hard better in the academic, social and emotional aspects of young adolescents. They prevailed through COVID and learn how to adapt to the changing world around them. They have an array of skills that will guide them to success at MHS and in life. Some highlights from this year include our trips to Cosmer Point in Burlington, athletic games, the dodgeball tournament, the staff first eighth grade basketball game, which ended in a tie, school dances, the sustainability initiatives, Vermont History Day, Up for Learning, the Canada trip, the Little Mermaid, the talent shows, ski trips to Bolton, March Madness advisory challenges and the morning dance parties in our hallway. I will miss the spirit and spunk of this class, but look forward to seeing and hearing about the positive impacts all of you will have at the high school level. You are the future of this city and the state of Vermont. We believe in you and will always be there to support and guide you on this journey called life. When this class was in sixth grade, they heard the young poet Laureate Amanda Gorman deliver an inaugural address to our country. She ended her poem with these words of wisdom. When day comes, we step out of the shade of flame and unafraid. The new dawn blooms as we free it, for there is always light, if only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to learn, laugh and overcome obstacles together. You have taught us so much. On behalf of the entire staff, we are so proud of your growth and success over these past four years. Continue to be the light and shine bright in the city. And one last reminder, stay gold and don't forget to watch the sunset once in a while. You will be missed for sure. Best of luck graduates. Thank you. First of all, thank you for the patience of all of you. We made it here. We have light. Everything has worked out. So thank you very much. And we're just happy we can have this night continue. So it is now time to present all of our eighth graders with their certificates. So eighth graders, just as a reminder, you will come up this stairwell, and then you will go down right over here on these and then walk yourself back around the stage. Yep, please. And eighth graders, I'm not going to shake your hand this time. High fives to all of you so I can concentrate on the next speaker. I would like to introduce our next speaker, who would be Maya. Come on up, please. Faculty and friends. Thank you all for taking time out of your day to celebrate this eighth grade class. I'm going to begin with a quote. American author Wayne Dyer states, we must accept the end of something to build something new. I tend to struggle when everything's end, whether it's the departure of a cast I have been a part of for a long time, or ending the TV show I have grown attached to. I've never been able to immediately let go. I know that we aren't all best friends. We've had our differences. But this group of students have conquered so many things. I'm not going to be a part of this. I'm not going to be a part of this. But this group of students have conquered so many challenges together. As you know, our fifth grade year was cut short due to the pandemic. But what was once normal became a two year quarantine. I think this major struggle made me realize just how much the teachers at MSMS truly care about their students. I remember as our 2020 school year came to an end, Ms. Parker drove around town delivering Italian ice to each person on our team. She was able to keep connections, possibly even strengthen them through the shared experience that no one could have expected. During the summer between fifth and sixth grade, my mom informed me that she was disappointed I was unable to finish my school year with Ms. Parker and Ms. McGuigan. I find it amazing that they were able to create this strong of a positive impression even after our year was cut short. We didn't get a normal sixth grade year either. We were stuck in our classroom for the whole day with the same people. And I remember at that time I would only wear hoodies with my hood up and my mask on. It felt as though we were all isolated despite the fact that we were stuck in the same classroom day in and day out. Sixth grade was the year I was able to connect with my closest friends. It was also the end of a friendship I truly cherished and still miss to this day. COVID had many impacts on children our age. It caused a lack of communication between our grade. Communications were often awkward or inconclusive, which impacted our ability to create stronger friendships. Most of us were only able to see one or two friends for the majority of those two years. We like to say that life today is back to normal, but the truth is that it will never be the same. I think the thing that I will miss most about middle school is my seventh and eighth grade class, 8D. We have been together for two years at this point and it's weird to think about continuing school and ending up in a classroom where I don't see all of their faces. Some of my favorite school memories have resulted from this group of students, like when one of my classmates had gotten stuck in Michigan's recycling bin or the body systems project some of my friends and I were impressively committed to. But I think my favorite memories overall consist of all the times that students and teachers alike have had each other's back. Ms. Harper and Ms. Piscatelli stand out to me as teachers that will do anything to come for their students. Both can read their students like an open book and once they realize something is wrong they're immediately to the rescue with tissues and candy bars. I don't think there is anything more comforting than realizing that a teacher truly cares about you. The friends I've connected with this year have equally had my back. They all truly love and get each other despite some differences we have encountered. There are countless occasions where one person is upset and the rest of us are right there supporting them through it. Comfort for us comes in all shapes and sizes and being able to laugh with each other is just as healing as a pat on the back. Even though one of my best friends is moving away I will constantly look back at these friendships and remember them as one of the best parts of eighth grade. When we were 10 and 11 years old we wrote letters to our eighth grade selves. My sixth grade teacher Ms. Atiyah was kind enough to give me my letter early so I could reflect on it. As I read back I was met with embarrassing memories and jokes of how I acted in sixth grade. In my letter I wrote about what I thought were some very serious topics that had been going on at the time. I've completely forgotten many of these events and incidents. In hindsight they seem unimportant. Sixth grade feels so far in the past though it was only two years ago. I've since forgotten the inside jokes I believed I would never forget and I found my confidence in my academics as well as myself. All I can say in conclusion is forgetting is not something that I recommend. Remember the small things that happened. These small memories can create the fabric of our experience. Even if it was one funny thing that a teacher did or a project that you did really well on it will make you happy that you have this experience and alas it leads to realization that another phase has ended. I'm grateful to have been a part of the Main Street middle school learning community. Everyone has been genuinely kind and empathetic. I'm looking forward to beginning a new chapter in my life at Montpellier High School. I'm sorrowful to see this chapter end, but I know it has prepared me to do great things that will make an impact and that I care about. Thank you. I wish I'd been able to share more memories with these students. I know that they are ready to spread their wings as Solans here at MHS. As you reenter this building this fall as the freshman class I hope each of you will continue to be curious, kind and grow into the leaders the world needs and we know that you all can become dramatic cause. We rehearsed that. Principal Gingold, I now present to you the MHS class of 2027. Good evening everybody. Class of 2027 congratulations. Today you're leaving as Gators, but you're really becoming Solans at this moment. So if you could all stand up please and follow me out.