Elementary schools from all three Tri-Town districts held outdoor ceremonies under tents on their respective campuses to celebrate the promotion of and say goodbye to their sixth graders. Rochester Memorial School held its ceremony on June 18, and Old Hammondtown School in Mattapoisett and Sippican School in Marion held their ceremonies on Monday morning.
Each ceremony had its own personality, as do the students of each school, and The Wanderer asked each school to select a student to speak on subjects serious and silly. Here are the results.
Name, age, school: Jacob Pacheco, 12, Rochester Memorial.
Where will you attend in 2021-22?: “I’m going to ORRJHS through the School Choice Program so I can continue learning in the Old Rochester district.”
Favorite class: “My favorite class is Social Studies because it’s the subject I like to learn and it’s fun.”
Favorite school lunch: “Popcorn chicken.”
What lesson did you learn at RMS that you can take with you to the junior high?: “I learned how to solve problems and get through hard times with the help of my teachers and friends.”
What do you want to be when you grow up?: “I want to be a computer scientist.”
Name, age, school: Josh Oliveira, 12, Old Hammondtown, Mattapoisett.
Where will you attend in 2021-22?: Old Rochester Regional Junior High School.
Favorite class: “Probably Math. I like the challenges in it, and I like Mr. (Kyle) Letendre, the teacher.”
Favorite school lunch: “Pizza day.”
What lesson did you learn at Old Hammondtown that you can take with you to the junior high?: “Actually, my fifth-grade teacher, Miss (Laura) Mirabito, told me, ‘You’re going to go places.'” (Josh acknowledged that confidence makes a big difference.)
What do you want to be when you grow up?: “I want to be an orthodontist like my dad (Dr. Neil Oliveira).”
Name, age, school: Megan Kroll, 12, Sippican School, Marion.
Where will you attend in 2021-22?: Old Rochester Regional Junior High School.
Favorite class: “Probably science.”
Favorite school lunch: “Pancakes.” (Editor’s Note: We never got pancakes in school.)
What lesson did you learn at Sippican that you can take with you to the junior high?: “Treat others the way you want to be treated, the Golden Rule.” (Megan said this lesson has been taught since she was in the first grade.)
What do you want to be when you grow up?: “When I’m older I want to be a marine biologist.”
By Mick Colageo