Graduating seniors go back to their roots

DERRY — The excitement was palpable as students lined the halls of Derry Village Elementary, leaning to sneak a peek at the tall and red-clad graduating seniors.

An announcement rang out over the speakers at Derry Village, 28 S. Main St., encouraging the young students and their teachers to cheer to celebrate the visiting Pinkerton Academy graduating seniors.

As soon as the announcement finished, the kids jumped to attention and began cheering and clapping for the graduates.

Dressed in their graduation regalia, they smiled brightly at the young students, giving high fives to the kids on both sides of the hall.

“It’s like practice for graduation tomorrow,” said graduating senior Hilarie Cullen.

Cody Santomassimo, another 18-year-old senior, said he remembered what it felt like to be one of the kids in the hall, to be surprised at how tall the soon-to-be graduates were, and how it felt like meeting a celebrity.

“I remember shouting things like, ‘I’ll never wash my hand again!’” Santosmassimo said. “It was like a flashback to when we were kids there.”

The graduates also stopped to give teachers they loved a quick hug, before continuing with the procession.

“It’s so special to be back,” said Arianna Carter, a 17-year-old graduating senior. “It’s emotional and powerful, for sure.”

Leigh McPhee, a 29-year veteran teacher at Derry Village, reconnected with former room neighbor Joyce Waterhouse, who retired from teaching at Derry Village. They excitedly spoke about which students would be walking through the procession and how proud they were of the kids.

“I can’t believe it’s been 12 years,” McPhee said to Waterhouse.

Even though seniors going through their old elementary schools is a tradition for all elementary schools in the district, this is the last year Derry Village seniors will get to participate.

At the end of this school year, Derry Village is being permanently closed. The school board voted on it in 2023 and has upheld that ruling multiple times since then.

The school, which was built in the 1960s, needs millions of dollars of repairs, the board said, and it was determined to be more cost-effective to close the building and divide the district into the four remaining elementary schools.

Madison Lague, an 18-year-old senior, was emotional after the procession, saying it was a mix of nostalgia for the past and sadness for the lack of future for the building.

“There were a lot of firsts here for me; my first best friends were made in these halls,” said Lague. “With the school shutting down, it’s hard. Especially seeing all my old friends again in the same place as when we were little.”