June 19, 2026 | By Lisa Scagliotti

Note: Harwood’s graduation ceremony was livestreamed and recorded. See the video on the Harwood Media Lab YouTube page here. This post is best viewed on a tablet or computer.

*Harwood Union High School graduated 109 seniors in the class of 2026 on Saturday, June 13. Photo by Gordon Miller*

A high school math teacher tapped to address Harwood Union High School’s class of 2026 summed up his life advice in the form of an equation, while delivering some of the most heartfelt sentiments at Saturday morning’s commencement.

From start to finish, Matthew Leonard choked back emotions as he mainly addressed the senior class, along with approximately 1,200 of their family, friends and teachers gathered under a giant white tent on the school’s front lawn. Bright sunshine and mild temperatures made conditions ideal for the outdoor ceremony, although a strong breeze challenged the students to keep their graduation caps and sashes in check and flipped the Congratulations Seniors! sign over the school’s main entry.

*Harwood math teacher Matthew Leonard gives a commencement address at the June 13 graduation. Photo by Heather Lessor*

“I’m going to give you the key to success that my high school geometry teacher gave me, and it’s in the form of an equation,” Leonard began. “S equals T plus E, quantity cubed: Success is equal to time and effort, trial and error, tenacity and enthusiasm.”

He acknowledged some artistic liberty in the setup, given that a proper mathematical equation wouldn’t use the same letter labels for different elements of the problem. He then walked through each pair of values, sprinkling in references to pop culture.

From “the wisest and perhaps greatest member of Starfleet, Captain Jean-Luc Picard,” Leonard quoted, “‘It’s possible to commit no mistakes and still lose.’ That’s not weakness; that’s life.”

It’s important to learn from mistakes and keep working toward your goals, Leonard said. “You won’t always win. You won’t always be right. And you won’t always get everything you want. But that doesn’t mean you should give up or not try in the first place,” he said.

Referring to the famous characters in the Harry Potter stories, Leonard recalled that “Dumbledore tells Harry it’s our choices that show us who we are far more than our abilities… trust that positive energy to fuel your success.”

Quoting from Charlie Chaplin’s 1940 satirical film, “The Great Dictator,” Leonard stressed that the graduates hold power to influence the world around them. “You, the people, have the power. The power to create happiness, the power to make this life free and beautiful, the power to make this life a wonderful adventure... use your power to create a world of reason, a world that will lead to all people’s happiness.”

As his voice caught delivering his remarks, Leonard explained. “I’m not ashamed to admit that I love my students, and I am pretty sure that I’m not the only teacher or staff member that feels that way,” he said. “We can’t do what we do, day in and day out, without some form of love.”

Leonard shared that he told his students he worried he would get emotional giving the graduation address, but he said that one student reassured him, saying, “That’s OK, Mr. Leonard. It shows that you care.”

By the time Leonard delivered his closing, many in the crowd were wiping a tear of their own, and the audience rose in a standing ovation as he concluded.

“It’s been a privilege to be your teacher. You made my life a little bit brighter,” he said. “And as sad as it is for me to say this for the last time, happy Saturday.”

Introducing the class of 2026, Harwood Principal Megan McDonough listed a string of statistics illustrating the seniors’ accomplishments. In each instance, she asked students to stand to be recognized for their various achievements.

Among the list, she noted that 28 students had received awards and scholarships at a separate ceremony last week; 40 completed some college courses, with 13 attending college full-time this school year; 15 were National Honor Society members; three were recognized in the National Technical Honor Society. Nine seniors did internships or apprenticeships in the community, and 13 attended Central Vermont Career Center programs. Student artists, musicians and those who took part in theater programs took a bow, as well as the 63 student athletes in the class and 28 who traveled abroad to France, Spain, Denmark or Rwanda on school programs.

McDonough teased the class for its perennial lackluster performance in the school’s annual Spirit Week competition, which took a turn this year. “Senior year, you all leaned in, worked together, and got second place,” she said.

*Seniors Lessa Dreimiller and Cashel Higgins. Photo by Heather Lessor*

The principal praised the seniors for their commitment to each other and their confidence to each follow their own path. “As you move forward, partner your resilience with the courage to be unique, and you’ll undoubtedly continue to thrive,” she said.

The ceremony also featured remarks from two pairs of seniors: Nicky Service and Nolan Larkin, and Lessa Dreimiller and Cashel Higgins.

“Time flies whether you are having fun or not,” Service said, reflecting on their high school years.

The two talked about risks they’ve taken so far—Service in deciding to become a wrestler and Larkin choosing the University of Rochester to attend in the fall. They also praised a new friend they made in an exchange student from Spain, who studied at Harwood this year. They plan to visit him in Spain this summer and said they are grateful they all have had a chance to experience each other’s cultures “in an immersive way.”

“We all need to take more risks,” Larkin said.

Dreimiller and Higgins were co-presidents of the school’s National Honor Society this year. Their remarks though centered on friendships among classmates and how everyday support and gestures of kindness would be their fondest memories.

Higgins urged classmates to take the opportunity at graduation to connect with a classmate they may only consider an acquaintance, rather than a close friend, before they dispersed after the ceremony. “Do this now because you may never get another chance,” he said.

The Harwood Way Award

McDonough closed with an award announcement in addition to those given out at the Senior Awards Night ceremony earlier in the week. The Harwood Way Award begun in 2025 honors Dr. Charles E. Harwood (1908-1962), a longtime Waterbury family physician for whom Harwood Union High School was named when it opened in 1966.

Harwood was known for his unflagging dedication to his patients, including making regular house calls and delivering hundreds of babies. “It is said that Dr. Harwood personally delivered nearly every student in this school’s very first graduating class,” McDonough said.

The new award recognizes a senior who follows in Dr. Harwood’s tradition of respecting his community, taking responsibility for their well-being, and being dedicated to his work. The names of the recipients are to be engraved on a plaque near the school’s auditorium.

This year’s recipient is senior Leo Costanza, “a student whose quiet, calm, and steady power has left our community a better place,” McDonough said. “He is someone who responsibly does the right thing when no one is watching.”

In addition to Vermont, Costanza has lived in Costa Rica and Poland and he plans to attend university in Poland next fall, McDonough said.

Assembly Band seniors play a final song together

Harwood's choir sings 'The Irish Blessing'

Musical choices & a class gift

Graduation featured a variety of music. In Harwood’s Highlander tradition, bagpiper Ben Montross provided pipe music as guests arrived for the ceremony. The student choir sang “The Irish Blessing” traditional tune and the senior student members of the acclaimed Harwood Assembly Band performed together for the final time, playing their signature cover of The Tedeschi Trucks Band song, “Midnight in Harlem” with music teacher Brian Boyce joining them on guitar.

Students filed from the school to the graduation tent as the Harwood band played a lively rendition of “Pomp and Circumstance.” At the ceremony’s end, the class departed to a recording of “Rivers and Roads” by the popular band The Head and the Heart.

Another tradition at Harwood graduation is the senior class presenting a departing gift to the school. Seniors Pippa Diller, Haley MacDonald and Taylor Berno announced that the class fundraising income from the past several years would purchase two new picnic tables for the outdoor patio where students like to gather. It also paid for a class day trip to the Get Air trampoline park in Williston. A $1,500 portion will be donated to the ongoing school auditorium renovation project.