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Congratulations to the Perkins Class of 2009

Graduates walk down the aisle to the stage

Graduation Day on Friday, June 12 was an inspiring event for not only the graduates but also for their teachers, family, friends, and the entire Perkins community. Of course, the graduates themselves were the most inspiring part of the commencement ceremony. These bright and ambitious students made their mark at Perkins and we look forward to seeing the contributions they will make in their communities and in the world. Learn about each graduate.

On June 10, Lower School graduates took the stage. See photos from the Lower School Graduation.

"Go for your dreams"

When doctors told William Henderson he would eventually lose his vision and that he should think about retiring early from his career in education, he told them he had other plans.

“They did not know about the possibilities of people who are blind … they did not think my dreams were possible,” Henderson said, addressing the Perkins School for the Blind Class of 2009.

Henderson’s vision gradually declined and he found out about Perkins. He met people here who taught him he did not have to give up the things he loved – teaching, being physically active, and having fun – just because he could no longer see. He was in his 40’s when he could no longer read print and began listening to recorded books from Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library. Eventually, he learned to read braille.

Senior Class Speaker Leslie Gruette receives her diploma

“You may think you’ve finished learning but learning is lifelong,” said Henderson, who is the principal of Patrick O’Hearn High School and a member of the Perkins School for the Blind Corporation.

Henderson told the graduates to go after their dreams, surround themselves with good people who push them to achieve, and find ways to contribute.

“You’ve got to get out there, you’ve got to work hard,” he told them. “As our new president tells us, ‘We are the change that we seek.’”

Senior Class Speaker Leslie Gruette told the crowd of teachers, family members, and guests that she and her fellow graduates will carry with them the skills, self confidence, and belief in their own potential that they developed at Perkins.

When she first came to Perkins, Gruette could not do laundry or fold clothes and had trouble with social skills. While at Perkins she learned independent living skills and made many friends.

“Wherever we go in life, we will always remember Perkins School for the Blind,” Gruette said. “Everything we have achieved we owe to the wonderful teachers, parents, counselors and cottage staff who helped us along the way.”

Meet the Graduates

Kristen		Hometown: Westborough, MA Age: 21 Kristen will miss the people at Perkins but looks forward to living with a friend after graduation and to being surrounded by family and friends. Kristen's favorite Perkins memory was eating chocolate pudding and reading books with staff.
Joshua		Hometown: Biddleford, ME Age: 21 Joshua says he will miss his friends and the food at Perkins as well as seat weaving and adult living classes. Joshua is a big fan of the J.K. Rowling "Harry Potter" series.
Jessica		Hometown: Indianola, IA Age: 22 Jessica describes herself as determined, outgoing, creative, and fearless. She loves painting and spending time with family. Jessica looks forward to leading an active life in her Iowa community.
Leslie		Hometown: Sanford, ME Age: 20 Leslie's favorite classes were music and craft production in the Pappas Horticultural Center. Her favorite Perkins memories are the times she spent relaxing with friends. Leslie, the 2009 Senior Class Graduation Speaker, received the 2009 Samuel P. Hayes Memorial Prize for Music and the Reginald Fitz Memorial Award for the student with the highest average.
Levere		Hometown: Lawrence, MA Age: 22 Levere will miss his friends from Brooks Cottage. After graduation, he will go on to Opportunity Works in Haverhill, MA, a nonprofit agency that offers recreational, educational, and employment services to adults with disabilities.
Colleen		Hometown: Methuen, MA Age: 21 Colleen's favorite class was occupational therapy with Sue Shannon. She will always remember the fantastic staff at Fisher Cottage.
Shante		Hometown: Waterbury, CT Age: 21 Shante's favorite class at Perkins was food service. She will always remember strutting down the hallways dancing to music and leading sing-alongs with her friends. Shante received the 2009 Marcy Scott Award for Mobility Skills.
Loretta		Hometown: Southold, NY Age: 21 Loretta will miss her art and English classes and plans to take animal care classes after graduation. Her favorite memory at Perkins was learning to use Zoomtext. She enjoys reading Anime books and studying up on animals.
Christopher		Hometown: Conshohocken, PA Age: 21 Christopher says the most important lessons he learned at Perkins involved building the skills he needed to increase his independence. Christopher won the 2009 Dr. Edward J. Waterhouse Award for the Deafblind Program student who best embodied a zest for life, a commitment to doing any job well, and an ability to go through life with dignity and grace. Read more about Christopher in Perkins Insight focused on Employment.
Craig		Hometown: Greenville, ME Age: 20 Craig says he'll miss everything at Perkins except for the homework. He enjoyed volunteering in the Boston Museum of Science Live Animal Center and hopes to find a job working with animals after graduation. He has already applied for apartments to live in Maine.
Miranda		Hometown: Wakefield, RI Age: 20 Miranda will miss her friends at Perkins and the teachers who helped her. Her favorite class was media production. She will attend the University of Rhode Island to study English and Journalism.
Michael		Hometown: West Haven, CT Age: 20 Michael says he will miss "the easy life" at Perkins, such as buying the food he liked to make and ordering out. Michael volunteered at the Franklin Park Zoo as a tour guide during his time at Perkins. Michael received the 2009 Karen Ringvall Home Economics Award, given to the student who has shown persistent effort and continual growth in independent living skills.
David		Hometown: Newton, MA Age: 22 David describes himself as curious, patient, and forgiving. He loves swinging, singing, waves, and the wind. He looks forward to a future with music, horses, and rocking chairs. David received the 2009 Gertrude Stenquist Sinclair Award, given to the Deafblind Program student who best exemplifies the core qualities of good citizenship such as being kind, helpful, productive, cooperative and honest.
Christopher		Hometown: Gardiner, ME Age: 20 Christopher will miss his friends at Perkins and his favorite classes - guitar and piano. His favorite book is the Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.
Matthew		Hometown: Haverhill, MA Age: 21 Matthew will miss computer class, Language Arts, and working at the Thomas and Bessie Pappas Horticulture Center store. After graduation, he will go on to Opportunity Works in Haverhill, MA, a nonprofit agency that offers recreational, educational, and employment services to adults with disabilities.
Kara		Hometown: Montague, MA Age: 22 Kara says she learned to speak up and voice her opinion while at Perkins - she learned she can overcome any difficulty with hard work. She'll miss her friends, singing in the chorus, being in Theater Arts plays, and joking around with teachers and staff. She is living with a roommate and new kitten in Amherst, MA, working at Riverside Industries and attending a day program. She is staying active with swimming, hand cycling, and making friends.