WATCH NOW: Congratulations, Class of 2026!

So long River Hawks, your years here have flown

And yet even so you’ve made good and shown

Time, time and again the worth of your class 

The knowledge you’ve gained and the joy that you’ve passed 

To those with the luck to have taught you a lesson

As wide-eyed kindergarteners or tall adolescents 

But past is the past, no time to lie fallow

Instead look ahead with zeal in your marrow 

O’er bumps in the road you’ll clamber and climb 

Wide rivers, fast runs you’ll ford with a spine

Made stiff from your days walking tall through our halls 

And imbued with the faith of a teacher who calls 

With pride in their voice and love in their chest 

“I know you’ll do well, now go forth and test

Your mettle in whichever way that you choose

Designing a rocket or mixing a roux…”

No matter what path you choose to go down

Remember your time in a small Upstate town 

A place where your roots dug deeply and one 

By one your leaves unfurled toward the sun 

Until, standing tall, flowers ready to bloom

You realized there really wasn’t much room

To stretch out and seek a future, so bright 

And so, with a leap, you boldly took flight 

And oh, the heights we know that you’ll breach 

Your goals will be there, well within reach

And as you fly far over mountains and clouds

Past trials and travails and darkening shrouds 

Know we’ll be here, with a kind word or eight

“Whatcha been up to? Oh, really? That’s great!”

So soar like a Hawk! With courage and poise 

And tune out the haters, naysayers, and noise

And carve off a slice of a rich, textured life

And give all you have, till each day is rife

With friendship and family and good deeds completed

With laughter a plenty and ill thoughts depleted

Today we’ll remark on how far you’ve come 

Tomorrow we’ll marvel at all that you’ve done 

And as you stride on, through triumphs or strife

We’ll still have your backs - Avon River Hawks, for life!