Tupper Lake High School Class of 2026- nearly 50 strong- graduated Friday

by Dan McClelland

Forty-eight members of the Tupper Lake High School Class of 2026 marched proudly into a warm gymnasium Friday evening to the loud applause of very proud parents and family members. Among them were 17 who studied at BOCES and at least four exchange students, most of them honor students.

The graduates were greeted by the annual processional, performed well by the members of the Tupper Lake High School Band, under the direction for the last time by retiring music teacher, Laura Davison.

Class member Maggie Burns led the hundreds in the gymnasium that evening with the “Pledge of Allegiance,” after observing the annual Acknowledgement of the Land.”

She told the crowd: “Their heritage is our heritage!” When making decisions, these native peoples handed the care of the world over to future generations. 
”We honor this legacy today as we inspire and challenge and help support all students.”

She asked everyone to remain standing for the duration of the pledge of, the national anthem performed by the band and chorus and the Alma Mater sung by the chorus, under the direction of Elizabeth Cordes.

Next to the podium was Senior Class Member Brock Fleishman who delivered the welcome remarks.

“Good evening, everybody. It's an honor to be up here to make the opening remarks in front of all of you. 
I’m certainly grateful to my classmates who nominated me.

“I know none of us want to endure the heat of the gym longer than we have to, so I'll get straight to the point of the speech. 
Once you throw your caps in the air, you will be done. The next exciting chapter of infinite possibilities will begin. But you have one shot and one opportunity to seize everything you ever want. 
So don't waste it”

“Don't live a life where society tells you how to live. 
Don't let anyone say, you can't do that, or think realistically, because you know what? There's a 99% chance that the person who said that said it because they're sitting at home miserable and regretting the life decision that they made to get them to that point. If you have a job that makes you miserable when you come home, are you really living a successful lifestyle? 
Or are you just going through the motions because someone said you should? So that's why I ask you to never settle for anything less than your definition of success. Whether that's going out and being a multimillionaire. Or maybe you're coming back home to Tupper Lake and settling down with a family of four. 
Whatever you deem as successful, I want you to go live that dream!

Don't get me wrong. Not every day is going to be sunshine. 
There could be bad days. There be days when you fall flat on your face and just clean out fail. But everyone gets bad days! 
You know what? There's always tomorrow. Tomorrow holds so many wonders and opportunities. 
You'll forget about the bad things because you're living in a world where the past doesn't define us, but what we do when we bounce back does.

“If you're given $1,000 and then you drop $10 in a lake, are you going to be freaking out because you lost $10? Or will you be grateful that you've got $990 left, and you're going to spend it to the fullest? 


“So, if I could leave you with one thing. The meaning of life is to be active. If you can say on your deathbed that you lived a happy life, did what you wanted to do, saw the sites that you wanted to see, and lived the experiences that you wanted to live, then you did a good job. 
You won the game of life! Thank you all!

Master of Ceremonies Principal Chris Savage, back at the podium, told the graduation audience “tonight is the celebration years in the making. For your families, this moment feels like it arrived far too quickly. It seems like just yesterday we were taking your first steps, lining up for the school bus and heading off to school with a backpack that seemed almost as big as you were. 
For your teachers, it feels like the moment. It seems like only yesterday I had many of you in my fourth grade class. And I imagine for you, it probably feels like this day would never arrive. 
But here we are. The diplomas are ready, caps and gowns are on, and the countdown is over.

“So tonight, I'd like to speak about wings. 
Spread your wings and fly. It's a familiar phrase, but when I was reflecting on what I wanted to say today, I decided to think a little bit more deeply about that. Because wings aren't something you receive tonight when someone hands you your diploma. 
They've been growing your whole life. Every challenge you’ve overcome, lessons you’ve learned setbacks you've endured, friendships you've built, every time you fail and chose to try again. Those experiences became the feathers of your wings. 
And the people who encouraged you, challenged you, believed in you, refuse to let you quit, become a framework that made those wings strong. Your families, your teachers, your coaches, friends, community. And now comes the part that can feel both exciting and impending. 
You have to trust those wings

Some of you are heading to college. Some are entering a workforce, pursuing military service, technical training, apprenticeships, opportunities that haven't even revealed themselves here. 
The destinations are different, but the challenge is the same!

“Trust yourself enough to leave the ground. The truth is that very few people ever feel ready life’s next chapters. 


“Life has a funny way of having us take the next step before we fell fully prepared. Courage isn't having all the answers. 
Courage is looking forward when you don't.

“As you leave Tupper Lake, you'll discover that the world is much larger than the place you always call home. You'll meet people whose experiences are different than yours, who have new ideas. You find opportunities that challenge you and perspectives that will broaden your understanding of the world. Welcome those experiences. 
Stay inquisitive, listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions. Allow yourself to grow the strongest wings. They are not rigid. They adapt, they learn, they grow! 


“Graduation has a way of pulling us in two directions at once. Part of us looking backward, remembering childhood, friendships, victories, and disappointments, and all the moments that brought us here. And another part is looking forward towards careers, college, travel, families, all the possibilities that lie ahead.

“And while everyone around you was talking about your future and reflecting on your past. I want to remind them of something important. Life is happening now. 
Not next year, or when you’ve earned a degree, or get a promotion or buy a house, not when you finally figured everything out...it’s happening right now.

“We spend so much of our lives preparing that we sometimes forget to live. We think that life is a series of highs and lows, but in reality, it’s lived in the spaces in between. 
We tell ourselves that happiness, success or fulfillment is waiting somewhere out of the future. But life isn’t waiting for you someday. Life is happening now and there's power in that.

“Tonight is not simply a bridge between your past and future. It's a part of your life itself. Don't rush it away. 
Embrace it. Remember the faces in this room, the feeling of this moment, and the people who helped you get here? As your wings carry forward, remember that they are not only meant to lift you, they are meant to help you lift others. 
Encouraging people. Supporting them, stand up for them. Use your talents, your education, and your opportunities to make life better with someone else. At the end of the day, your success will not be measured solely by what you accomplished. 
It will also be measured by the impact you have on the lives of others. The kindness you show, the character you demonstrate, the differences you make!

“Class of 2026, I hope this is your dream day. 
I hope you take risks, have adventures, that you discover strengths and talents you didn't know you possessed. I hope you find work that challenges you and people who inspire you. And I hope you always remember where your roots began. 
Not because they will hold you back, but because they will remind you of who you are. The community will always be a part of your story. These mountains will always be part of their story. 
And this school will always be part of that story.

“I've watched you grow. I've seen your perseverance, your kindness, and your resilience, and I've seen enough to know that you are more prepared than you were once. 
Tonight, your families, your teachers, and your community celebrate everything that you've accomplished. Tomorrow, the world begins to discover what we already know. You're strong. 
Your wings are ready. And this moment, right now, is yours! Congratulations, class 2026!”