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Conrad Languth of Brewster admitted Sunday to getting choked up at the thought of his son Samuel graduating.
NORTH EASTHAM — Conrad Languth of Brewster admitted Sunday to getting choked up at the thought of his son Samuel graduating.
Standing outside Nauset Regional High School gym a few minutes before graduation, Languth, a mason, said he’d missed out on fully using his natural math and science skills, but that his son planned to pursue those studies at Cape Cod Community College this fall.
“He’s just a good, happy, wonderful kid,” Languth said.
He was among the estimated 1,500 parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters and other family and friends who gathered for the ceremony.
“I’m sort of nervous,” said senior Alyssa Rodriquez, 18, of Brewster, worrying a little about her choir performance during the ceremony. She’ll study psychology in the fall.
“I’m ready to graduate and get on with life,” said senior Russell Chipman, 18, of Brewster, who will take general courses at the community college.
“Excited,” said senior Kyle Kochanowicz, 18, of Brewster, who wants to become a policeman.
Nearby, school psychologist Lisa Abbott of Brewster recalled her own graduation from a high school in Rhode Island, in a class twice as big as Nauset’s 253 seniors. Abbott will retire in a few weeks after 31 years on the job. She said every graduation at Nauset is emotional for her.
“They work hard,” Abbott said of the students.
In the gym, Chelsea Van Ness of Brewster sat among family members, each holding a kindergarten photo of graduate Haley Anne Van Ness on a stick like a Popsicle. Haley has a contagious laugh that will be missed, her sister said.
“She’s just such a joy to be around,” Chelsea Van Ness said.
Just before 2 p.m., the faculty of the high school filed into the gym. Then the graduates marched to the front. Parents stood and clapped. They snapped photos, and held bouquets of roses.
In his speech, salutatorian James Martin McLeod urged the graduates to let their fears go, in the language of Twitter, a social networking site.
“Do not be timid, do not be shy, do not be afraid to trend,” he said.
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