Kellogg graduates told, 'Trust yourselves to climb every hill - and you will'


FALLS VILLAGE — Take them out of T-shirts and sports uniforms and the Lee H. Kellogg School Class of 2007 cleans up quite nicely.

"What a great looking class!" was heard throughout promotional exercises held June 14 in a school gym filled with flowers, balloons and well-wishers that included much of the school’s extended family and beyond.

At Kellogg, the ceremony is more correctly called promotional exercises. Indeed there is no degree to graduate with here. But there has been a lot to learn, much of it well beyond academics.

What may be most notable about this class of 11 is how they have matured, worked through differences and come out better as a whole in the end. All will attend Housatonic Valley Regional High School, where they will be joined by eighth-grade class advisor Alan Lovejoy, who is also heading to the high school to teach science. He received a considerable amount of ribbing about how he just couldn’t bear for this class, which includes his daughter, Molly, to leave him behind.

After the class history, awards and diplomas, Principal Maria Bulson shared three wishes for the class. Her first, a hope that they will find health, knowledge and happiness in life, has a leg up following a childhood of support from family and community.

"Eat your fruits and vegetables, watch out for those ticks, and when you go out into the world, hold hands and remember to look both ways when you cross that street," she said.

She expressed her hope that they would remember and use what they had learned at Kellogg, not just the academics, but things like setting goals and priorities and advocating for their beliefs.

Her third wish, which she said was shared by and the suggestion of school secretary Marlene Nichols, was simply for happiness.

A tradition at Kellogg began with former principal Jack Pozzi, and the book, "The Little Engine that Could." Pozzi awarded a copy of the inspirational children’s tale to each member of the eighth-grade class at the ceremony each spring.

Bulson chose a book inspired by that classic, "I Knew You Could," as her gift to each student.

She read passages, including one from the end:

"There’s more about life that you’ll learn as you go,

Because figuring things out on your own helps you grow.

Just trust in yourself, and you’ll climb every hill.

Say, ‘I think I can!’ and you know what?

You will!"

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