Class leaders impress classmates, graduation crowd with comedy, emotion

by Dan McClelland

The Class of 2022 leaders- Valedictorian Emma Robillard and Salutatorian Libby Gillis- both offered novel and sometimes comical comments to their classmates Thursday in a gym packed with proud family members and friends.

This year's event, after emerging from two unusual graduations in the pandemic, was held on a Thursday evening, not the Friday evenings of recent graduations.

Senior Class President Libby Gillis was the first speaker introduced by Principal Cynthia Lauzon.

“Good evening students, parents and faculty and whoever else is here. Before I get into this whole speech thing, I'd like to offer a shout out to my grandmother (Rita Littlefield), who is celebrating her 90th birthday today.”

Loud applause erupted in Mrs. Littlefield's honor.

Libby said her grandmother actually graduated 72 years ago that day on her 18th birthday...”so that's pretty cool!”

The speaker also told her classmates to applaud for themselves for making it to graduation, which they did loudly.

She said it was hard to believe that graduation day arrived for them. “I have this vivid memory of being handed this paper in elementary school which listed our name and the number 2022 next to it. Many of us asked: 'what does 2022 mean?' To which our teacher replied: 'that will be the year you'll graduate from high school'.”

“We were all fascinated and dumbfounded by this information. I don't know about you guys but at that moment I was thinking 2022 would be more like a robot or self-driving car type of situation. -And not really a global pandemic case scenario. Nevertheless, here we are.”

“I was originally going to say you guys in the crowd were lucky you weren't listening to me through your car radios right now, but now we're in the sweaty gym, I'll leave that up to interpretation.”

“We've had a good run here at Tupper Lake Middle High School...we had the yo-you situation and then we didn't have the yo-yo situation. There was square dancing in the middle of all that...then we went to Great Escape and that was pretty much a wrap in my book.

Instead of offering advice to her classmates Libby, saying she felt very under-qualified for that task, showed a video tape on the large screen at the end of the gym, where she had interviewed “some of the more qualified people” her and her classmates look to for advice every day in school. It featured some serious, some funny remarks from Superintendent Russ Bartlett and other popular faculty and staff members at the high school.

Libby concluded her speech with one piece of advice, which spanned just four short words and which she said “have gotten her through just about everything. She quoted the words of fictional character Michael Gary Scott of NBC's The Office: “That's what she said.”

A handful of the graduates, all members of the chorus, joined the chorus for the singing of the class song, “I Lived,” made popular by the band OneRepublic.

Valedictorian Emma Robillard greeted her classmates and the audience this way: “Hey...I find this so surreal...that this is happening right now.”

“I don't know about the rest of you, but for me it hasn't always been that easy getting to this point. Right now I'm up here giving this big and important speech, but there were moments when I was literally hanging on by a thread! I definitely don't feel very qualified to be giving any of you some sort of life-changing advice!”

“So instead of doing that I've decided to share with you some of the things that I have learned over the years about the people who mean the most to me.”

“I'd like to start off by mentioning my favorite teacher and possibly the most kind-hearted human I have ever met: Mrs. Mitchell.”

“From Mrs. (Laurie) Mitchell I have learned that by listening to people you can make a world of a difference. She cares about people and wants to see them succeed, which is why she is so loved by everyone. I can't even begin to explain the impact she has had in my life and I want to take this opportunity to thank her for everything she had done for me since I first stepped foot in her classroom all those years ago.

“In the future I hope to help people like she has helped me!”

“I have also been blessed with some really great friends, some of whom are graduating alongside me today. A few, however, have already moved their tassel from left to right.”

She mentioned one in particular: Ava Cuttaia. “Ava has believed in me since seventh grade and it is because of the continued confidence she has had in me that I started to believe in myself. Ava is a true friend who is always proud of my accomplishments- both big and small. I hope she knows how proud I am of her!”

She next recognized her family members “who all mean the world to me.”

“There is absolutely no way I would be up here today without you guys. It is you from whom I've learned the most.”

She began with her grandparents Connie and Mitch Robbilard, “who I call Nani and Pa.”

She said they have lived across the street from her house her entire life. “Sometimes after dinner one of my favorite things to do is to walk over to their house to watch Family Feud with them. And they always make me popcorn...every single time. Pa taught me how to drive. He stood in the rain when I took my road test. -And Nani has made me scrapbooks filled with every single moment in my life. They do these things because they love their family and would do anything to see them smile. -And they really motivate me to do the same.”

“I shared a room with my little sister, Lyla, since she was born and it's hard to believe in just a few short months I won't be sleeping in the bed next to hers. Despite fighting with me constantly, stealing my clothes and giving me little to no privacy, she's been a great roommate!

“In our 12 years together she's taught me that forgiveness isn't necessarily a weakness. Unlike me she is loud and sassy and never afraid to give my parents a little attitude. Although I don't always show it, I enjoy having a spirited person like Lyla in my life. -And I feel blessed to continue to watch her change and grow and to take the world by storm.

“And to Lukey, my baby brother, the Maverick to my Goose,” I've have learned from him that laughter is often the best medicine. “Most of you have probably heard his famous giggle. He is also brave. Seriously, I don't think there is anything Luke is afraid of. He causes me a lot of stress and worry, but having him around, makes me feel safer in some weird and unexplainable way.”

“With his infectious laugh and daredevil attitude he has the ability to turn any situation into a good time. Being around him I realize that life should be fun. Otherwise, it's just plain!”

“Lastly of course are my parents. The attribute I admire most about my mother is her faith. In the last few years I have watched life deal her some tough cards. She has never doubted for one second that God would get her through it. She is hands-down the strongest person I know. She stands up for what she believes in and never bites her tongue when she is passionate about something. She has always encouraged me to do the same and I love her for that!

“And now for the grand finale: my dad. Most of you know him as The Legend, Marky.”

There was a big burst of shouting “Marky” from the crowd.

“See what I mean?” she grinned at the crowd.

“My dad is responsible for my sense of humor and great taste in music. He has taught me so much but what stuck with me most is when he told me: 'the world meets no one half way.' He might have stolen that from a Sylvester Stallone movie, but it's true nevertheless. If there is something you want in life you have to work hard for it. He always says that in the end it's not someone's last name that got them success, but it was their hard work. Thank you, Dad, for pushing me to work my hardest! I love you!”

This was Emma's advice to her classmates: “Care for others like Mrs. Mitchell. Find friends like Ava. Love your family like Nani and Pa do. Be loud like Lyla. Laugh like Luke. Have faith like my Mom. -And work hard like good old Marky.”