Graduation Ceremony
The 168th Commencement Exercises in the rich history of Norwich Free Academy celebrated the Class of 2026, Thursday, June 11. The class of more than 500 was honored with the richness of the Academy's time-honored traditions, including an address from Cynara McPhail '76, a member of the NFA Class of 1976 celebrating its 50th anniversary.
To view a .pdf of the event program, or watch the livestream on YouTube, click on the links on the right.
Ivy Orator
Speakers at graduation are determined by participation in the Cadden-Williams Prize Speaking Contest.
Clark Dziavit, Ivy Orator
December the 21st, 1968; a rocket the size of a 36-story building took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida carrying 3 astronauts: Jim Lovell, Bill Anders, and Frank Boreman. At that moment, the crew of Apollo 8 were the first humans in history destined to reach the orbit of the Moon. The three of them travelled some 234,000 miles away to explore our natural satellite. Yet, as Lovell described it, they instead discovered the Earth. During their fourth time around the Moon, they captured what is considered to be one of the most important photographs in human history—our planet, a vibrant blue ball appearing not much larger than a marble, rising over the cratered and desolate lunar surface. For the first time, humans all over the world were treated with a view of the Earth where borders are not visible, where the power of nations seems puny, and where all forms of division, based in selfishness and hate, appear meaningless.
Our home is only one out of eight planets in the solar system, orbiting one star of billions in the Milky Way alone, traveling through one galaxy out of an estimated two trillion in the universe. Here, we are unique by the fact that, as we look out into that great universe, we find no one else like ourselves. We are so cosmically significant; each and every one of us is truly one of a kind. Together we are living on an island in a sea of light and shadow, a blue marble rolling on a perfectly black cloth. We are, as current astronaut Christina Koch pointed out, like a crew. Not passengers on the Earth, but a crew—each of us bonded through the life experiences we share, and each of us an equally important part of propelling our species forward.
Oftentimes we wonder, ‘what is the meaning of life?’ The universe may never give us a response. Instead, the answer is within us. Carl Sagan, a brilliant astronomer and educator, once said “we make our world significant by the courage of our questions, and by the depths of our answers.” Each time we ask a question about who we are and why we are here, each time we cooperate with other people to find the answers to those questions and share them, each time we explore and try to understand our world, we take on a purpose and we discover meaning. High school was an endeavor of such magnitude. We have spent four years of our lives gaining knowledge, thinking critically about the world, and meeting and collaborating with new people. Through those important experiences, we find the best versions of who we are and we find meaning in what we do with our limited time in this universe. We are never going to find meaning in hate and conflict, in greed or in ignorance, or in being complacent with what has already been accomplished—beleiveing that we are somehow done, that there is nothing left to be explored, nothing left to be improved upon, because that is certainly not the truth.
When Apollo 8’s Earthrise was seen around the world for the first time, it accomplished something priceless. That photo of our planet as nature intended it to be seen, borderless and hanging quietly in the darkness of space, inspired a generation to dream. It became a cultural phenomenon to envision the advancements of tomorrow—young people were captivated to become scientists, leaders, explorers of their own right, all of them thinking about our planet as a whole. Earth Day was created, and so was the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act. Viewing the Earth with a cosmic perspective, that is, observing ourselves not as nations but as a single species, sparked a new age of braving unknowns, of being daring enough to learn and form new ideas, and of being humble enough to work together. It is a glimpse at the best version of ourselves—a testament as to what we are capable of as a planet full of people, not a map divided by powers.
Just a few months ago, the crew of the Artemis II Moon mission took a new photo of our home, just like Apollo 8 did. This new photo arrives with us, the class of 2026 all over the world. This time we are the younger generation; we are inheriting the Earth, and we have the chance to steer her in the right direction. To be alive and on this planet is a privilege; we can make the most of our lives by forming new connections and loving each other, by staying curious and pursuing the answers to our most meaningful questions, and, in the face of so much hate, so much destruction and evil plaguing our fragile Earth, by knowing that we are in this together. And that we can overcome those terrible things as a crew; as one planet, as one species, as one humanity.
Class Speaker
Speakers at graduation are determined by participation in the Cadden-Williams Prize Speaking Contest.
Grace Bouley, Class Speaker
Good afternoon, everyone! Standing here, I am so proud of us, the Class of 2026. I am so proud to be standing in front of some amazing students. Even if all you can think about right now is what you’re going to eat after this, or how excited you are to see your families, or when these speeches will end, I encourage you to take a moment, look around, and realize that this is huge, and that you should be very proud of yourself. This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment, so take it in.
While we all come from different walks of life, there is one common trait that binds us. One common trait that each of us - all 500 of us - possess. That trait is talent. I have heard many of my peers talk about how they feel like they have nothing going for them, or that they aren’t good at anything, and every time I hear someone say that, I immediately disagree. The definition of a talent is simple: a natural aptitude or skill. Think for a minute. What’s a talent that you possess? What does your mind immediately go to? Most people would say a sport, singing, or something like being able to solve a Rubik's Cube. But that’s not all that talent encompasses.
Consider the following traits that maybe you don’t normally consider talents, but they absolutely are. Being a good listener, consoling someone when they’re sad, having the natural ability to give advice, being able to love someone in their love language, being good under pressure, knowing what to do in a scary situation. These are all talents, and that isn’t a complete list. Many people don’t realize that the ability to help someone through a hard time can be just as impressive as hitting a really high note or scoring a game-winning goal.
Everyone has a talent, and throughout your next journey, I encourage you to use it. Use it in every way possible, but remember to stay humble. If you can sing, do some free concerts for people. If you can bake, bring some treats to your friends and family once in a while. If you can give great advice, download one of those anonymous venting apps and respond to some people’s worries with advice. There are so many things that you can do, big and little. There are so many ways to help people and make yourself feel fulfilled at the same time. Talent is such a special thing, and if we use ours to its full potential, we can make this world a better place. So if you hear somebody say that they don’t think they are good at anything, remind them that they are, and help them find that special something that sets them apart. If you can successfully do that, you have another talent: compassion.
I said before how proud I was to be standing in front of some amazing students, but we are so much more than amazing. We are talented, we are compassionate, and we can all make a difference in this world. Whether that difference is big or small. So be confident in yourselves. Be confident in your old talents and your newly discovered talents. Help others who are struggling to have confidence in themselves. Share what you can do with others, because I guarantee you that at least someone will think it’s awesome. I would like to end with my favorite quote, which sits on my bathroom counter. Like Brendan Francis Behan said: If you have a talent, use it in every way possible. Don’t hoard it, don’t dole it out like a miser. Spend it lavishly like a millionaire, intent on going broke.
Thank you and happy graduation!!
Class of 1976
Every year at commencement a representative of NFA's 50th Reunion Class delivers a speech on behalf of their class.
Cynara McPhail '76
It is a pleasure and honor to be here today representing my class, the Class of 1976, and honoring the new graduates of the Class of 2026. I am excited to see so many of my classmates here today and I thank the members of our 50th Reunion Committee for selecting me to speak today. I am truly honored.
The Class of 2026! Wow! You and your families are probably thinking where did the last four years go…and I’m thinking where did the last 50 years go? It was 50 years ago, almost to the day, that my classmates and I were sitting on this field ready to receive our diplomas. And here you are today doing the same thing. When we graduated in 1976, the country was celebrating its 200th Anniversary, or the Bicentennial as it was called. To commemorate the event, NFA provided our class with special red, white, and blue tassels for our mortarboards. We were a special class! And this year, 2026, in just a few weeks, the country will celebrate its 250th Anniversary, which is known as the Semiquincentennial. So, the Class of 2026 will always be known as the Semiquincentennial class. Like our class, you are special!
Every time I come back to NFA, I admire the beautiful campus with its stately buildings and landscaped grounds. However, there have been many changes to the campus over the last fifty years since we attended the school. Most buildings have been renovated, some buildings have been enlarged, and a beautiful atrium has been built between the Norton Gym and the Slater Memorial Building. The athletic facilities have also been substantially upgraded. A new gymnasium, Alumni Hall, was built two years after we graduated. We watched our Boys’ Basketball team in the old Norton Gym… and back then there was no girls’ basketball team! And did you know that back in 1976 our track teams ran on a dirt track? It wasn’t until a few years after we graduated that the parents of one of our classmates donated money for the first all-weather track here at NFA. And while we had a natural grass field inside the track, the track now encircles an artificial turf field for football and soccer games.
Although the NFA campus has seen many changes over the years, a few things have not changed. First, the beautiful cherry trees that blossom every May. My birthday happens to fall during peak cherry blossom season. Some of you may remember my dad, Bob McPhail, who was a teacher, coach, and athletic director here at NFA. Every year, he would drag me down to the campus to take photos around those marvelous trees…they sure are a thing of beauty when they are in full bloom. Another prominent and long-standing feature on campus is the Slater Memorial Building, which houses a museum and an auditorium. NFA is proudly recognized as one of only two high schools in the country to have its own art museum on campus. And the Slater Auditorium is an important space on campus for the performing arts, class assemblies, community meetings, and numerous other events. Recently, NFA has launched an important project to restore this historic auditorium. As part of our 50th Reunion, the Class of 1976 has chosen to give a gift in support of the Slater Auditorium Restoration Campaign. Our goal was to raise at least $76,000. As a member of the Gift Committee, I am pleased to announce today that the Class of 1976 has contributed over $80,000 toward the restoration. I would like to truly thank all my classmates for their generous donations.
Class of 2026, I would like all of you to take a moment and look around…look for your friends. Remember this. Many of these friendships will last a lifetime. To this day, many of my best friends are from my high school days at NFA. We made long lasting friendships that have spanned over decades. And this was no easy task for many years because there was no email, no text messaging, no Facebook, no Instagram. We had to write letters and make phone calls. It is now so much easier to remain in contact with each other. I also encourage you to attend the NFA reunions to meet up with classmates and to maintain your relationship with NFA. Even though many of our classmates have moved all over the country, we have all made a concerted effort to keep in touch and make it back to Norwich every five years to celebrate at our reunions. As a matter of fact, it was at our 10th year reunion that I reconnected with my now husband, Jon Kornacki.
You have heard me talk about things that have changed at NFA over the years, but something that has not changed is the education and preparedness we all received while at Norwich Free Academy. The class of 1976 turned out many very successful individuals – doctors, lawyers, scientists, engineers, teachers, college professors, journalists, businessmen and businesswomen, and many other professions. We currently have classmates who are serving on the Norwich City Council, the Norwich Board of Education, and the Norwich Free Academy Board of Trustees. Your class will be just as successful! Many of you are headed off to college while some of you are headed straight into the workforce. You are all stepping out into this world that needs your energy, your passion, and your fresh ideas. Don’t be afraid of the future. It is yours to build. Take the opportunities given to you and run with them. Become involved in your community. Become a leader. Become an advocate for yourself and your interests. But also, always remember and support your alma mater, Norwich Free Academy… it is a priceless pearl.
To the Class of 2026, I congratulate all of you and wish you much success in the future.
