Sisters Gwyneth and Megan Williams, with mom Linda and dad Gareth in the car, listen to one of their classmate’s speeches during Saturday’s 146th Waterville commencement.
In describing the Waterville Class of 2020, commencement speaker Steve English called them loving, kind, caring, funny and smart.
He left out stubborn.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic called a halt March 13 to all things normal, such as senior year, the 63 members of the senior class lost out on a number of lasts: prom, senior trip, awards ceremonies.
They held their ground, respectfully, on insisting they be together one more time to graduate as a class. Led by High School Principal Nick Rauch and class advisors Michele Perrault, Anna Wanner and Carrie Woodhouse, the Class of 2020 celebrated Saturday as the 146th commencement class of Waterville High School.
The outside ceremony combined the aspects of a drive-in movie, tailgate party and as announcer Matt St. Peter said, a graduation on the green. Two stages - supplied by Clinton Tractor - and a slew of electrical wiring put together by Rich Bloomquist provided a graduation in the round as vehicles - two per graduate - parked around the lawn near the bus circle.
Balloons and posters attached to cars waved in the breeze and the wind carried a few purple and yellow balloons skyward during the 90-minute event. Each graduate had a chair in front of their parking space and sat in cap and gown and facemask during the commencement.
Beeping of horns replaced clapping and the beehive buzz of the drone overhead added another sound effect. Before the ceremony started musician Joseph Vandresar played country songs. WCS alumnae Tessa Hildreth…