HERH graduates celebrate friendships, achievements and bright futures

MILFORD: Proud parents, grandparents, siblings and friends packed the warm Hants East Rural High School AV room as approximately 189 graduates crossed the stage to receive their diplomas, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.

As each graduate was announced, cheers erupted from family members throughout the crowd, with heartfelt shouts of “That’s my sister!” and “He’s my brother!” echoing through the room, adding to the celebration of the Class of 2026.

Chosen by his classmates as valedictorian, Ben Canning reflected on the friendships and memories that defined the graduates’ high school experience while encouraging his fellow classmates to embrace the future with confidence.

“If there’s one thing we can look back on later in life from high school, it’s got to be your friends,” Canning said. “When we started school, everything seemed scary. The classrooms, the teachers, even the older kids were intimidating.

“But somewhere in all those years, we got close to each other, and it became part of our everyday lives.”

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He recalled the moments that made high school memorable, from conversations during class to late-night assignment deadlines and the shared experiences that brought the graduating class together.

Canning reminded his classmates that while many may not yet know exactly where life will take them, each person has the opportunity to shape their own future.

“Something my father always said to me was that you create your own luck,” he told the audience.

“He believed that the harder you work, the better chance you have of achieving whatever you strive to do.”