To the editor:

Graduation is a time of culminations and exciting beginnings. The 50th Portsmouth High School Commencement was an event that brought students, teachers, families, friends and administration together to celebrate all the achievements and the vision of a bright future. 

The ceremony highlighted the close-knit interaction within the school system that has strived to prepare a lifetime foundation for each and every student. There was a balanced graduation atmosphere between friendly banter and serious realizations. 

Senator Whitehouse was the guest speaker and humbly gave recognition to his mentor Senator Pell, who was the Portsmouth High School guest graduation speaker 50 years ago. The gleam in the graduated eyes was so energizing. All the promise and energy shown forth in their faces which solidified my opinion that the Portsmouth school system had done its job.

Future life experiences are both exciting and trying. There is competition to come on all levels. The challenges we know and those in the future we cannot even imagine appear to be surmountable by the graduates. 

As a school board member a tremendous responsibility is having a professional school leader and leadership team. The results that I experienced support that goal. 

Allen Shers

Portsmouth School Committee