‘Your Presence is a Present’: New Liberty Innovation School Celebrates, Honors Class of 2024
NLIS graduates told to be ‘marigolds’
SALEM (June 17, 2024) – The Class of 2024 commencement ceremony of the New Liberty Innovation School, Wednesday, June 12 at the Peabody Essex Museum’s Morse Auditorium, was more celebration than ceremony.
Each of the 13 members of the graduating class was celebrated and spoken of fondly by NLIS faculty and staff. It was difficult to distinguish which side was more moved.
Jamaal Camah, Principal at NLIS and graduate of the Salem High School Class of 1996, opened the ceremony with a challenge to his graduating class, followed by words of encouragement. “You’re at the 50-yard line. Not the 100-yard line, because there is still work to do,” he said. “Your race is not over. You’re still going to go off and continue this journey.
“Your presence is a present,” he added. “Your contributions and impact were seen, felt and matter. I watched you grow tight and as a unit, unafraid to give each other constructive criticism. Remember to always be you, because everyone else is taken.”
The second-year principal also explained to the class what he called the ‘Marigold Effect,’ citing the 2013 essay by Jennifer Gonzalez: How gardeners plant marigolds close to any plants because they protect them from harmful pests and weeds; and how to avoid walnut tress, which are full of toxins that impact the plants around them.
“Marigolds exist in this world,” said Mr. Camah. “They are encouraging, supporting and nurturing. They accept you for who you are. If you can find a marigold, stay close to them, and you will grow. Find a garden of them and you will positively thrive.”
As he did with the SHS Class of 2024 five days prior, Mayor Dominick Pangallo encouraged the graduates to never underestimate themselves and remember from where they have come. “You will have several homes in your life, but Salem will always be your hometown,” he noted.
Salem Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Stephen Zrike reminded the class what led them here: passion. “Channel the New Liberty energy as you step into college and the workforce or both,” he said. “Keep being you. Keep connected to the New Liberty spirit and keep proving all the naysayers wrong.”
The guest speaker for the ceremony was Lenworth Williamson, who worked closely with NLIS students as the Program Director for BUILD, an entrepreneurship program for underserved students. Mr. Williamson, who led Amherst College to the 2013 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament Championship, spoke of his early years as a professional basketball player overseas until an injury curtailed his career and forced him to pivot.
“I was feeling hopeful of my next step until I suffered a shoulder injury which involved nine months of recovery,” he recalled. “I was in a situation where I needed an entrepreneurial mindset. It was a blessing in disguise that led me to where I am today.”
Member of the NLIS Class of 2024 include:
- Kodi Chouinard
- Johanna Coleman
- Kylie Edwards
- Meggan Alcatara Felix
- Israel Acevedo Gomez
- Briana Medrano
- Alexx Munroe
- Miah Ramirez
- Emilee O. Rodriguez
- Mariana Rosario
- Belinda Maradiaga Sanchez
- Simon Tavarez
- Jordyn Leigh Wetson
Four graduates – Ms. Felix, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Medrano and Ms. Tavares – wore purple cords, signifying academic excellence while Ms. Tavares and Ms. Edwards each wore red and white cords signifying four years at NLIS and excellence in science and biomedical studies.
About New Liberty Innovation School
New Liberty Innovation School is a small high school within the Salem Public School district. Our program works beyond the scope of traditional high school education by providing students with small class sizes, and real-world learning opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom, and the ability to focus on topics and projects of interest to each student. In addition to academic opportunities, the New Liberty staff provides students with wrap-around support and coaching, which enables students to fully engage in their learning and make academic and social-emotional progress.
About Salem Public Schools
Salem Public Schools is an urban public school district in Salem, Massachusetts. Salem is a small, diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history. Our leaders and our teachers are all passionate about education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement with equity and social-emotional needs as the lens we view all of our work through. We respect and value the racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity of our students and their families, and have a strong commitment to the Salem community. Salem Public Schools staff serve all of our students, regardless of ability or language. Salem Public Schools enrolls approximately 4,000 students across its eleven schools.
