Exeter High School grads encouraged to fail, learn and keep going (2024)

EXETER — Exeter High School valedictorian Neiming Wu didn’t want to give the usual graduation speech to his classmates. Instead, he shared the three ways to fail, citing the old saying, “failure is the mother of all success.”

“I’m not really good with motivational speeches,” he joked.

Clad in white and navy robes, baby blue and golden stoles, and cords of many colors around their necks, 333 Exeter High School seniors walked across Eustis Field for the last time as high schoolers at Saturday’s graduation.

In Wu’s message to the class, he said the three ways to fail are to “give up, don’t accept setbacks, and don’t give anything a try.”

He then went through each of them and encouraged his peers to keep going, embrace setbacks, and take risks.

"It is only from setbacks that we learn what to do and what not to do, so we can improve ourselves and hopefully get closer to our goal," he said.

Avoiding challenges and giving up, he said, are the real failures.

"Those who never give anything a try because they're scared are the ones who have truly failed,” he said.

He reminded them their lives are full of potential as they stand “still near the starting line.”

“However, I would not use that as an excuse," he said. "One day, you might look back and regret not taking the risk."

Wu, who will attend UMass Amherst this fall, plans to major in biomedical science with a pre-med track concentration.

Salutatorian Annastina Tan, in her speech, stressed the importance of “acceptance” and “embracing the unknown,” citing that it was those two factors that created her fondest memories, her proudest moments and her greatest achievements throughout the past four years.

“To take the first step is to accept the unknown and to accept the inevitable discomfort,” she said. “Without places of discomfort, I would not have any of my success, academics or otherwise, and I certainly would not be here today delivering this speech.”

This fall, Tan will attend Northeastern University to major in biochemistry and minor in psychology. In the final moments of her speech, she didn’t just advise her peers to take opportunities as they come, but to “chase them down yourself.”

More: Exeter High School names top 10 students in the Class of 2024

Exeter High grads are ready for what comes next

Though graduation was bittersweet, most said they were ready for the next chapter.

Moments before he walked into the field, Aidan Kenison quoted famous singer Ricky Martin to describe his feelings: “Livin’ La Vida Loca.”

“I’m nervous but excited at the same time,” he added.

Kenison said one of his proudest accomplishments throughout high school has been his personal growth, stating he has become more sociable and outgoing.

Kenison said he will be taking a gap year to focus on work. In the future, he wants to become an EMT. He said his “wanting-to-help-someone mentality” was inspired by his mom, who is a nurse.

Ten minutes before the ceremony started, the seniors lined up two-by-two, making last-minute checks such as zipping up their robes and putting on their caps of different designs.

Ellie Kirkland styled her cap with a collage of pictures of her high school friends with the word “UCONN” bedazzled on top in blue and silver.

Kirkland, who has a love for statistics and data analytics, plans to major in data science.

One of her proudest high school achievements, she said, was her time management skills, juggling between sports, extracurriculars and higher-level classes.

Ball: Exeter High will always be home

In his speech, commencement speaker Bill Ball congratulated the Class of 2024 for their adversity, especially starting high school during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he said there are more challenges to come and advised the students not to quit.

“Sometimes you have to pause, sometimes you have to redirect, but we, your family, believe in you,” he said.

Ball, who’s been with the school for 46 years, is set to retire this year as athletic director. He has said he will remain as the school's football coach.

“As you progress, remember, respect can’t be purchased,” he added.

Ball ended his speech by wishing students the best and reminding them that Exeter will always be their home.

More: Bill Ball opens up about 46-year career in Exeter as he's set to retire as AD

“Exeter High School is not a four-year commitment,” he said. “It’s a lifetime.”

Exeter High School Class of 2024

• Ajaya Acharya
• Devin M. Agnello
• Isabel Alvarez
• Dylan Dana Anderson
• Jonah A. Antal
• Sawyer Evan Timothy Barnette
• Derek John Barney Jr.
• Colleen Elizabeth Bartel
• Aiden J. Baxter
• Camryn Beckwith
• Eli Beem
• Isaac Beem
• Aiden Scott Benoit
• George Robert Bergin
• Alison Bernard
• Lauren Bernard
• Ethan John Bernich
• Kristen Bickford
• Ian Patrick Bishop
• Lilyan Marrie Blood
• Anna Hailey Blouin
• Saniyah Neter Bolton
• Declan Edward Bonner
• Sophie T. Bosa
• Michael A. Bosch
• Gabriel M. Bourgeault
• Austin R. Bourn
• Jack Ryan Bove
• William Brent Bowie
• Jayden Winter Braley
• Jacob William Brown
• Kyle Jackson Brown
• Aidan Q. Buehrle
• Annika Burnim
• Eveliina Burnim
• Lilly Michelle Buxton
• Joshua Michael Buzzell
• Robert M. Cambio
• Ava Gabrielle Capparelli
• Harrison Caracciolo
• Jackson Cooper Cartwright
• Stephen Michael Casaletto Jr.
• Maxwell Robert Casey
• Jacob Joseph Cebula
• Harrington Robert Chabot
• Liam G. Charte
• Tyler E. Charte
• Isaiah Bentley Chavanelle
• Ava Rose Chiumiento
• Mia Rae Chiumiento
• Annie M. Christiana
• Lauren Chute
• Holland Rose Clark
• Austin J. Collins
• Leah A. Collins
• Arthur Louis Comeau Jr.
• Kyle Joseph Conti
• Deaglan Martin Conway
• Harrison Conway
• Gabriel Andrew Cook
• Tucker Mason Cooke
• Sophie Costantini
• Isabella R. Cozart-Olson
• Caitlin Alicja Craven
• Edy M. Crawford
• Connor James Curley
• Ava Loren Dabrieo
• John Patrick Dawson
• Ella Marie De Angelis
• Bailey Anthony Decatur
• Jack E. Delea
• Sean William DeLello
• Evan Christopher Delorie
• Ryan William Dempsey
• Brayden Robert Dennehy
• Lucas Andrew DeRosier
• Ella Riley Dillman
• Austin Robert Dion
• John Thomas Dodge
• Nathan Zacharias Dodge
• Ella Audrey Donohue
• Riley Elizabeth Donohue
• Brielle Nicole Dourdoufis
• Leanne Nicole Drown
• Dylan Blaise Drunsic
• Jose DiBonaventura Duarte
• Kate Ducharme
• Olivia Rose Duquette
• Molly Keefe Elliott
• Brigham Dylan Ellis
• Grace L. Ellis
• WilliamEvans
• Jurrien Everett
• John Louis Fabiano
• Eric Tu-Liang Fan
• Maxfield J. Farnham
• Georgia Fernandes
• QuinnFernandes
• Mariel K. Flaherty
• Mark Richard Florence
• Carl Thien Franklin Foster
• S. Aselin Fream
• YasminGagnier
• Ava Ryan Garrity
• Laurel Catherine Gauthier
• Layne M. Gellman
• Ann Susan George
• Alexander Boden Germain
• Maximus J. Givetz
• Michael Brian Gluck
• Lily K. Gordon
• Ann Catherine Gorman
• Alexander J. Goulet
• Clare Elizabeth Grace
• Fiona Margaret Grace
• Giana Kathleen Grasso
• AlizzaGray
• Will T. Grazier
• Blain Michael Greenhalgh
• Zachary David Grim
• PatrickGuindy
• Ella Hale
• Chloe Michelle Hall
• Kassidy Brooke Hall
• Keira Anne Halligan
• Clare Ryan Hannan
• Nathaniel Harding
• Matthew Lawson Hart
• Sydney M. Hauthaway
• Miles Andrew Hazo
• William Connor Helliesen
• Owen Hemenway
• Lauren Riley Henderson
• Camryn J. Herrick
• Amelia Elise Hert
• Oliver Patrick Hillman
• Steven K. Hills
• Bailey Hoch
• Nathan Hughes
• Alexander John Hutaff
• Laura Jane Hyvari
• Ava Mae Iacobucci
• Caroline Marian Ireland
• NatalieJackson
• RachelJackson
• Indee Johnson
• Naomi S. Johnson
• Noah C. Johnson
• AriannaJones
• Dakota Mae Jones
• Shamili Grace Joseph
• Thalia Joseph
• Cameron J. Keaveney
• Shaylyn Roz Keenan
• Augustus Joseph Kelly
• Aidan W. Kenison
• Nevaeh Kephalas
• Curtis A. Kimball IV
• Esmé Corine King Farbstein
• Eleanor Grace Kirkland
• Clara Knab
• Joseph Kenneth Labonte
• Walker Anthony LaBrasca
• Vincent L. LaBroad
• Logan Stanley Laferte
• Shea Roberts LaFleur
• KristenLambrecht
• SabrinaLamkin
• Quinn Alexander LaNigra
• Mary Clare Larkin
• Kaitlyn Elizabeth Lawson
• SummerLeClerc
• Joshua M. Lecuyer
• Nia Sofia Leeser
• Megan Leigh
• Jack Philip Lennon
• Kaylee Marie Leonard
• Davis Benjamin Long
• Catherine Celeste Longcope
• Jovanie Lopez Martinez
• Evan Carter Louie
• Maya Grace Lucas
• Addison Reese Lyles
• Allison Elisabeth MacDonald
• Marlie Morgan Macek
• Manit Mahajan
• Gavin Malark
• Rylee Marchand
• Camryn Rose Marconi
• Skylar Lynn Marek
• Sawyer D. Marquis
• Ethan Thomas Marsh
• Katherine Matson
• Ella Lynn Mattson
• Conlan Joseph Loman McCartney
• Brooklyn Elizabeth McCoy
• Morgan Wade McGibbney
• Bryce Michael McGuinness
• Joshua John McGuinness
• Natalie McKee
• Sarah Ann Melick
• Erik P. Menger
• Nathan Robert Mikulsky
• Beck Constance Silva Miller
• Casey J. Min
• Cameron Chessie Mitchell
• Masun Orion Moore
• Reese Szelma Moores
• Thomas Edmund Morgera Jr.
• Dyson Winter Morse
• Claire Morgan Mosher
• Lincoln James Moulding
• Alexander Elliot Mozina
• Charles Christian Mozina
• Derek Andrew Murley
• Miles Grant Murray
• Myles Stephen Nadeau
• Sophia Catherine Nadeau
• Andrew Leon Nicholas
• Evan Constantine Nicholas
• Halle Bea Noke
• Kelly O'Brien
• Neila A. O'Brien
• Quinn Nola O'Brien
• Zoe O'Kane
• Aimee M. Olson
• Casey Paige O'Neil
• Ryan G. O'Neill
• Lily Kathryn Olulundsen
• Hunter Fredrick Outhouse
• Madeleine Mae Paige
• Tressa A. Parent
• Colin Vincent Parlin
• Jia-Mei Patten
• Alexander Brian Pelletier
• Dhruv Varma Penumatsa
• Shayna Rose Petit
• Rowan Elizabeth Phillips
• Catherine Pindell
• Arianna E. Pompeo
• Rachel Lee Poulin
• Brennen Powell
• Carey Anne Power
• Reid Powley
• Abigail Brooke Pulichino
• Max Henry Radzom
• Zack Kurt Radzom
• Allyson Leigh Regan
• Griffin A. Rice
• Samantha Morgan Rider
• Trinity Rinehart
• Savanna Elena Ritz
• Kaitlyn J. Rocha
• Jack Parker Rodgers
• Brady C. Rogers
• Julien Kenneth Rogles
• Dejah Rondeau
• Alliana Mae Rose
• Jackson Thomas Rowe
• Samantha Theo Saragih
• Sophia M. Sardinas
• Grace Olivia Sarmiento
• Luke Alexander Scherbon
• Taylor Jesse Schwalje
• Caitlin Schweizer
• Bradley D. Scroggins
• KaylaSerafin
• MaxShairs
• Max Wight Sherman
• Olivia S. Shore
• Julia Shupe
• Samantha Catherine Sides
• Ewan G. Simard
• Abigail Marie Simko
• Wesley Joel Smiley
• Aiden Jeffrey Smith
• Tanner Johnston Smith
• John Francis Smyth
• Benjamin Charles Sorber
• Griffin Marek Srokose
• Ava Elizabeth Staniec
• Garen Melissa Steiner
• Isabelle Anne Steiner
• Devin Stone
• Samuel St. Onge
• Megan Goodwin Story
• Molly K. Sturtevant
• Allison Grace Sughrue
• AnnastinaTan
• Samuel David Tapley
• Serena Grace Taylor
• Teagan Rose Theberge
• Alex Thigpen
• Rayna L. Thompson
• William Oliver Thompson
• Sarah Irene Thornhill
• Dylan Todd Thurlow
• Ellie Samira Trabelsi
• Katherine Turner
• Rees Lloyd Tyler
• Josslyn Ulven
• Hari Umapathy
• Nathan A. Vaters
• Madison Ruth Veader
• Alexandra Kristine Veinotte
• Kenneth J. Verhelle
• Madison Verhelle
• Matthew Wallace
• Jackson D. Walsh
• Chad Walston
• Owen Richard Warriner
• Ava Grace Welch
• Annabeth Rieve Wheeler
• Olivia Grace Wheeler
• Dylan John Whelan
• Maia Grace White
• Emerson David Whitehead
• Luke B. Whiting
• Owen Turner Williams
• Dennis Eskinder Wolfe
• Jack Anthony Woodard
• Dylan Woods
• Nieming Wu
• Chase Peter Wyskiel
• Matthew Yang
• Selina Yang
• Alexis Yeatts
• Avalon Yeatts
• Ivy Young
• Margaret Alice Young
• Ella Jo Zagami
• Zackary Zaloga
• Sandy Zheng