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Graduating Mount Everett Class Ready to be 'Cornerstones'

Mount Everett's class of 2013 graduated on Saturday at Tanglewood. More photos can be found here.

LENOX, Mass. — Mount Everett Regional School's class of 2013 may have been one of the smallest, but its member have already made a lasting imprint on the school community.

Not only did the class of 45 reel in many accomplishments for academics, arts and athletics, but the graduates will always be remembered by academic adviser and former teacher David Hastings and Southern Berkshire Regional School District Superintendent Michael Singleton as benchmarks in their educational careers.

"The class of 2013 has touched my life. And you've touched the lives of all of the faculty and staff in this school district. You inspired us with your dedication to each other and to our school and I thank you for that," Hastings told the class during graduation excerses on Saturday morning at Tanglewood. "We will miss you, class of 2013, and we will stand on the docks and wave sadly and lovingly as you sail off into the sunset on your respective adventures, confident that the who you are will make all the difference in the end."

Hastings moved on from being a teacher four years ago to become the director of curriculum and professional development and, next year, will take over as superintendent. He always stayed close with the class he taught at the Sheffield high school.

"Some of us were lucky enough to have him as our math teacher our freshman year before he retired to work in administration. But his contributions did not end there. He always volunteered for the class in meetings and as a chaperone for fundraisers and other events," salutatorian Erik Derwitsch said. "I know I am speaking for my entire class when I say I am proud that our very own class adviser and former teacher, Mr. Hastings will soon be the superintendent of our school district."

Derwitsch said collectively, the class "set a high standard" for academic excellence with the class ranking in top for the state, which future classes will now have to live up to. But now, the class needs to break apart and become successful on their own.

Salutatorian Erik Derwitsch said the class members need to succeed as individuals now.

"Our challenge now is not to succeed together but to succeed apart, to succeed individually. To not be the brick that blends in with the rest of the wall but to be the cornerstone that strengthens the wall," Derwitsch said. "I know everyone in this class is capable of that. Each member of this class of 2013 over their time in high school has developed a unique set of skills and talents. High school has honed and refined them and after today, they will be ready to be put to use in society."

While the class may have been one of the smallest to graduate from the school, valedictorian Catherine Twing said it is their character that matters most.

Twing spoke about casting judgment on others, saying there will be people in the world who don't look past the first "untrue" impression. But her classmates need to look beyond that, as they have already done during their four years at Mount Everett.

"There will always be someone there to tell you their opinion but as long as you focus on who you are, you'll do fine. In my opinion, what makes Mount Everett great is our school spirit. I don't think rah-rah blue and gold spirit because I know many of us lack in that department. What I mean is the general pride in our school and our achievements," Twing said. "Even when people said we weren't good at things or we were too small to be successful, we still liked ourselves."

And shortly following Twing's address, the class received their diplomas and set off to face the challenges the world presents — challenges Principal Glenn Devoti promises will "happen to each and every one of you." But, Devoti feels the school has prepared the graduates well to "move forward in this world."

As the Mount Everett Wind Ensemble played the recessional so ended Singleton's superintendency.

"I can't think of a better senior class to go out with," Singleton said.

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