For Rosie Cummings, her time at Pembroke Academy was defined by the semesters she spent working with the unified sports program.

Starting at Pembroke as a freshman, Cummings described herself as shy, befriending teachers over other students. But during her senior year, when she joined the unified program that promotes social inclusion through sports, she came out of her shell. 

“Over the four years, I learned that everyone’s so in their own head, that you just need to be authentic and be kind and be confident and you’re fine,” she said.

This sentiment was echoed by the graduates and teachers speaking at the ceremony on Thursday evening at the Fisher Cats stadium in Manchester. Coming in, the class of 2025 seemed to be quite a handful, but over time, they grew as a group and as individuals, leaving a positive impression on the school staff.

Class president, Owen Stewart, addressed this transformation in his speech and applied it to their future endeavors. 

“You can have all the talent, all the potential in the world, but it doesn’t matter if you never make that move,” he said. “We are always waiting for what seems to be the right time. If the past four years have taught us anything, it is that we shouldn’t spend our time waiting for life to change, for the next big thing to come.”

Throughout the ceremony, a strong sense of community filled the baseball field and the stands where family and friends sat. 

The valedictorian, Lily Reeves, spoke of how far the graduates had come, and despite all the challenges, they found family.

“This uniformity: the identical caps, gowns and diplomas, is not about sameness. It’s about unity. It’s a reminder that no matter how different our journeys were, we are equally deserving of this,” she said. 

While their high school experiences vary, so do the graduates’ plans after they walked off the field. They planned to enroll in trade school, go into military service, attend college and enter the workforce. Others said they were still exploring their possibilities. 

Cummings plans on taking a gap year and to return to the school to volunteer with the unified program.

“This actually gives me something to do in my gap year and I get to continue spending time with the people that I love here,” she said.

Cummings wants to pursue fashion and business with the hope of joining the fashion marketing industry.

“I’ve always loved expressing myself,” she said, pointing to some of her tattoos. “I just love customizing myself to exactly how I want to be perceived. I’ve always been really into thrifting. I grew up with my Nana teaching me how to sew.”

Despite her love for the unified program and the friendly staff, Cummings is ready to graduate, just like the rest of her class.

“It’s a weird feeling. I’m excited and nervous for the same exact reasons,” she said. “I’m excited because I get to do my own thing and find my own path, but also nervous because I have to do my own thing and find my own path.”