Graduating Seniors Advised to ‘Embrace the Discomfort,’ Remember Community
June 9, 2026
• At Needham High School’s 160th commencement Monday evening, more than 400 departing seniors received diplomas and heard messages from classmates and staff.
Out on Memorial Field, the Class of 2026 gathered together for the final time, before they each set out on the next phase in life. The graduates walked by beaming family members on the hill —who rushed out to take photos — and walked toward their future: college, the military, the workforce and beyond.
Their high school journeys started in 2022, after three years of remote and hybrid learning. Now that their four years are up, the graduates are “well-suited” for whatever path they take, student speaker Marco Barbosa said. He reminded his class that “there’s something special about Needham High.”
“This is a place where we’ve been taught to aim high. It’s a place where the things we’re asked to do are challenging,” Barbosa said. “It is the place where, even though many of us gripe about an assignment or a test scheduled the day before break or a month-long project during the busiest time of year, we do them anyway.”
But rather than focus on achievements, Principal Aaron Sicotte advised the class to consider how they can “leave a legacy of impact.”
“Achievements are boxes to check off. Achievements are bullets on a list. They’re fleeting. They’re superficial,” Sicotte said. “What truly matters are accomplishments.”
Sicotte — who admitted the Class of 2026 “were one of my favorites” — congratulated the seniors on their success in class, in sports, on stage and around the community. That success hinged on their ability to “embrace the discomfort,” which “is where the best growth happens,” he said.
“You have the ability to change the world with your accomplishments,” he said. “And I, for one, am pretty darn psyched to see it happen.”
Karen and Andy Han, parents of graduate Martha Han, said their daughter has had a “fantastic 15 years in Needham Public Schools.” She captained the girls varsity hockey team and played field hockey, which she hopes to continue playing at the club level in college.
Now set to attend College of the Holy Cross in the fall, where she’s interested in pursuing political science, Martha is the last of three in the Han family graduating from high school.
“It hasn’t dawned on us yet,” Andy Han said before the ceremony. “She’s really empathetic and friendly and excited to make new friends.”
Ainsley Risenmay joined NHS two years ago, after her family of eight moved from California, her parents Chris and Roxanne said. Ainsley had a fantastic, albeit abbreviated, time in Needham and has made “best friends here,” they said.
She’ll move back west in the fall to start at Brigham Young University, majoring in wildlife biology.
“We’re excited for her. It was a transition to come out, and everyone’s been so friendly and welcoming,” Chris Risenmay said.
“[Needham] is Americana,” Roxanne Risenmay said.
Simi Basak, Class of 2026 president, shared her own reflections on the meaning of community — it’s not about the school dances or friends, but rather about “what stands by you in the quiet, difficult moments.”
“When you struggle, when you fall, your community is what holds you up,” Basak said. “Really, our community has been built by these small acts of kindness and compassion behind the scenes when nobody is watching.”
This year’s class gift, totaling nearly $13,000, will go toward Room 804, where special education students and others in the student body gather for lunch. The funds will provide sensory tools and new furniture.
“We hope that our gift will serve as a tribute to the community we have created and as a reminder that you are never alone at NHS,” Basak added.
Barbosa and fellow graduate Samantha Meininger both received NHS awards, Barbosa for academic excellence, and Meininger for service. Twelve seniors performed alongside the rest of the NHS Chorus during the ceremony.
In the words of Winnie the Pooh, “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard?” student speaker Allegra Franco quoted. High school, she said, “felt like it would last forever.”
As they spent their final moments outside their high school, it’s the small moments that end up mattering the most, Franco said.
“Those are the things that we’ll miss. Not the homework and definitely not the tests, but the people, the moments, the feeling of being exactly where we are supposed to be, even if we didn’t always appreciate it at the time.”
Instead of imparting his own words of wisdom, Superintendent Dan Gutekanst shared advice from sixth graders at High Rock School.
“Work hard. You can’t live in your mom’s basement forever, so make something of yourself.”
“Don’t worry about the party, worry about the homework.”
“Keep in mind that some things are absolutely not microwave safe.”
“You don’t have to be perfect, but always do your best.”
And, from the younger sibling of a graduate: “Don’t forget about me.”
“They are depending on you,” Gutekanst said, “and if you have listened carefully, they offer messages of courage, hope and love.”
The full Class of 2026 commencement is available on The Needham Channel’s YouTube.
