Members of the Class of ’24 entered Marblehead High School with weightier matters on their minds than remembering their locker combinations.
Over the summer, scenes from protests that often turned violent after the murder of George Floyd played on a constant loop on screens.
The rhetoric of a hotly contested presidential election had just started to ramp up, though few could predict what the boiling point would look like on Jan. 6.
And of course, initially the Class of ’24 did not “enter” MHS at all, at least in the truest sense, though remote teacher introductions eventually gave way to masked classes and one-way passing through the hallways.
We may not know the Class of ’24 as well as its teachers or its parents. But we have seen enough to know that it is a special one.
In the classroom and beyond, this year’s seniors thrived. It’s no wonder that so many great institutions of higher learning, including three Ivy League colleges, have rolled out the welcome mat for Marblehead students.
Once upon a time, senior projects were simply an excuse to break out of MHS for the final weeks of high school. But this year’s senior projects are notable for their ambition and, in many cases, spirit of service. Whether volunteering with veterans, organizing community events — or writing words in these pages — these projects had a positive impact beyond MHS’ walls.
Many of the senior projects had an artistic bent, and the Class of ’24 has shown itself to be an exceptionally creative class as well. Wyatt Foley cast many of his classmates in his locally filmed movie, “Currently a Paperboy,” which packed seats at the Warwick Cinema. The spring art exhibition was simply stunning, and the spring musical “The Prom” drew rave reviews.
There were successes on the athletic field, too, most notably the boys hockey team’s state championship, the town’s first since 2011. But there were other triumphs as well. The softball team dedicated its season to its longtime assistant coach, Todd Norman, who died suddenly the morning of the opening game of the season. The team lost just three regular season games, claiming the Lynch Division title and earning a home state tournament game.
And of course, the right team won the annual girls flag football, a.k.a. “Powderpuff,” game.
That all this and more happened against the backdrop of the residual effects of the pandemic, yes, is a credit to the class’ resilience, as speakers noted at graduation ceremonies May 31. But the challenges the Class of ’24 was forced to confront also seem to have fostered something else: an appreciation for true human connection.
The 210-plus members of the Class of ’24 have seen the alternative — people as two-dimensional facsimiles of themselves — and know that it is a cheap substitute.
That should serve them well in their next destinations, including college campuses that may once again erupt in protests, if not over the war in Gaza then some other outrage, here or abroad.
If they never lose sight of the humanity of those with whom they disagree — and that includes administrators trying to balance the right to freedom of speech with the preservation of safe learning environments — they will be much-needed positive forces in their new communities.
In this regard, we have seen this class’ capacity in action. When conversation over a banner policy at their school veered in the direction of endorsing negative associations with the phrase “Black Lives Matter,” students offered the reality check. Whatever else that slogan might be, it is deeply meaningful and affirming to their peers and should not be banished from the halls of MHS cavalierly, members of the Class of ’24 urged.
In a world full of social media platforms making money by driving engagement through outrage, sustaining that humanity-first perspective will be a constant challenge. But so far, so good.
The Current wishes all the best to the Class of ’24 and knows that, wherever they go, they will continue to be the shining Marblehead lights they have shown themselves to be.
