Under sunny skies, families, friends, and the Island’s broader community filled the Tabernacle’s benches in Oak Bluffs on Sunday, overflowing onto the surrounding fields to celebrate the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School’s class of 2025.
Students, donning white gowns and hats with colorful stoles, representing Island, national, and academic pride, hanging around their shoulders, began filtering into the field surrounding the Tabernacle in the early afternoon.
And at 1:30 pm, students and faculty — in a long, organized line, and ushered in by the classic “Pomp and Circumstance” — proceeded through the cheers, roars, and claps of proud onlookers before sitting down for their final high school requirement: graduation, the gateway from classroom to real world.
Graduate and emcee for the ceremony Josephine Powers opened the ceremony alongside guest speaker and graduate Kathleen Da Silva.
In her remarks, Powers drew parallels between her class and symbolism surrounding some of the Island’s native birds that personify strength through individualism, community, and the importance of believing in oneself.
“Seagulls are another bird on Martha’s Vineyard. I’m sure most parents here would be horrified to know my grandfather goes out of his way to feed them, just furthering their reputations,” said Powers. “Something I didn’t know about seagulls, though, is that their flight patterns were believed to be the key to navigating harsh waters; they are associated with fearlessness, survival, and freedom, all things this class has a lot of value in.
“My advice for you all: Fly away, but know you will always have a community, a home, a nest, to come back to,” she added. “Know your own song, believe in yourself, and you will achieve great things.”
Da Silva reflected on the class’s unity and willingness to embrace their differences. “Despite each of our differences, friend groups, interests, or even the languages we speak, the class continues to come together to help and support one another,” she said.
While the graduation was a festive occasion, many of the students, in their parting words to their fellow grads, spoke to the passing of their classmate, Waylon Sauer, who died in an accident in 2023.
Both Powers and Da Silva said that the school community deeply felt Sauer’s loss, and they praised fellow graduates for their unity and resilient spirit through tragedy.
Salutatorian Borden Vincent spoke next, expressing gratitude to faculty, friends, family, and Sauer for inspiring him to be the person he is.
“He could find the perfect balance between watching NBA highlights while still finding enough time to finish the homework due next period,” said Vincent about Sauer. “Waylon and I sat next to each other in many classes and frequently talked about college, as we shared the aspiration of attending an academically prestigious university. These discussions helped me find out about participating in research, which has been instrumental in the opportunity that I have today.”
Class President Tanya Silva followed, reflecting on the class’s journey and some of the memorable achievements made by the graduates. She spoke of Cal Darcy’s Freedom Fighter Project, a student-started and -run charity with the goal of supporting veteran housing on the Island; Annabelle Metell’s “Break the Silence” capstone project about mental health; and the Waylon Sauer Memorial basketball tournament and scholarship fund, organized by Kert Kleeman and Silva herself.
“Not only has this class achieved many accolades, but you all have grown as human beings,” said Silva. “You all have grown up to be responsible, mature, empathetic, dedicated, and caring people, and to me, embodying those qualities is more important and valuable than any award.
“You are so much more than your GPA, your SAT score, and what you did or didn’t do in high school. Who you will be and what you are capable of becoming is not determined by these numbers, but they are determined by your characteristics and attitude,” she added.
Superintendent Richie Smith, in his parting words to students, shared a personal anecdote about friendship and the value of being a small but mighty community; he also praised the Island’s tight-knit qualities.
“To this day, I have a soft spot for the underdog, and I have an even softer spot for the small and mighty,” Smith said in his advice to the graduates. “In a world that constantly tells us we need to be loud to be heard, huge to be seen, or famous to be remembered, we forget that some of the strongest forces come in the smallest packages or in the smallest acts. Seeds are small, and they grow forests. Moments are small, and they shape lifetimes. The beauty of small acts lies in their accessibility — anyone can make a difference.
“So congratulations to all the mighty graduates from the class of 2025,” he added.
Smith also gave a special thank-you to Principal Sara Dingledy for her nine years of steady leadership. Dingledy is stepping down as principal for a position in the superintendent’s office.
“She cared deeply, faced tough challenges head-on, and did what was right for students and staff even when it wasn’t easy,” Smith said. “She sparked an important conversation about student focus and staff capacity, and she never backed away from doing what mattered.”
Unique to graduation this year, the high school had two valedictorians awarded the Superintendent’s Award for Academic Excellence — Arianna Edelman and Avery Mulvey, who have been lifelong friends.
Edelman spoke first, sharing what she loves about the experience of growing up in the Island’s tight-knit community. “We are all connected by the special experiences of growing up on the beautiful Island of Martha’s Vineyard,” she said. “The sense of community has brought us much joy, and is also a great source of support during the hard times.
“No matter what we are feeling, let’s take a moment to realize how amazing an accomplishment it is to be standing here,” she added.
Valedictorian Avery Mulvey took the time to thank as many people as time would allow her, teasing that they may have to start playing music to cut her short, similar to in large award shows.
“My first thank-you goes out to all our teachers, especially those senior teachers who had to put up with us the past few months because apparently we thought February was the new June,” said Mulvey. “You are smart, inspiring people. The harder you worked, the harder it made me work. I loved learning from you and I will never forget everything you did for us.”
As she continued, in a comedic moment, the sound of music gradually grew, signifying it was her time to end, but she still rattled off a couple more thank-yous.
“And I am sure I speak for everyone when I say that the friends we made here on this Island have shaped who we are today, and distance and time won’t ever change that bond,” said Mulvey.
Last were Kert Kleeman and Emily MacMillan’s closing speeches, in which they honored Sauer.
“Today is a day filled with joy, reflection, and hope for the future, but it is also gouged by the absence of someone who should be here celebrating, laughing, and smiling alongside us … and while he may not be here physically, he is here in spirit, in our hearts, in our stories, and in the love this class continues to carry for him,” said Kleeman.
“Waylon’s infectious smile, warm personality, contagious energy, and curious mind are still here in spirit,” MacMillan said, recalling a joyful memory of Sauer playing “Party in the USA,” by Miley Cyrus, at full volume in traffic.
“As every single one of us walk across the stage and accept our diplomas, we carry Waylon with us,” said MacMillan.
Kleeman and MacMillen closed their speeches by presenting a posthumous degree to Sauer’s family. His father, Daniel Sauer; grandfather, Jefferey Madison, and siblings accepted the diploma.
The ceremony culminated with the distribution of diplomas, with families erupting in cheers as each graduate crossed the stage.
After receiving their diplomas, graduates rose in the center of the Tabernacle, removed their caps, and tossed them into the air. “The Spins,” by Mac Miller, played as graduates processed onto the grass to celebrate with family and friends, who danced and smiled in the sun.
“Every year we say, ‘What a wonderful group of kids,’ and this group is exactly the same,” said Superintendent Smith to The Times. “They’ve suffered loss, they’ve been a resilient bunch, not only in their own accomplishments, but through their support for one another.”
