SALEM — Cheers, screams and airhorns echoed over the football field as roughly 240 senior students crossed the stage in their final footsteps as highschoolers.
On an unusually warm Friday evening, hundreds of families gathered to celebrate one of the town’s most cherished traditions, as Salem High School held its 2026 graduation ceremony.
A crowd formed at Grant Field, with graduates seated along the turf and loved ones packing the bleachers. Dressed in a mix of blue an white caps and gowns — giving graduates the opportunity to wear one of the school’s signature colors — students were eager to finally get a hold of their high school diploma after four long years of homework and pop quizzes.
Relatives made their presence known with air horns ringing and homemade signs held high overhead. Every parent, sibling and friend were prepared for the milestone, awaiting the callout of their graduate’s name.
The ceremony included speeches from the class’s student leaders, including co-valedictorians Samya Ayoub and Abigail Beelie. Class President Elliana Rivera then took the podium to speak to her fellow senior students, also reflecting on their shared experience through Salem High School.
Principal Jeff Dennis also addressed the crowd, congratulating the graduating class and recognizing them for their accomplishments.
The graduates lined up near the side of the stage as their names were called and, one by one, they made the walk to center stage, where they shook hands and accepted their diplomas.
Earlier in the week, seniors participated in Salem High School’s annual Senior Clap-Out Parade, a tradition in which graduates make one of their final walks through the school’s hallways while underclassmen, teachers and staff line the corridors applauding them for their achievement.
But Friday night’s commencement served as the year’s signature celebration. As the ceremony drew to a close, graduates with diplomas clutched, met with family members along the field and posed for photographs.