RHINEBECK — Ninety Rhinebeck High School students who endured online education during the pandemic received diplomas at a ceremony where social, academic and community took center stage on Saturday.
Senior Parker Gutterman welcomed the audience by saying, “I know you guys are going to hear this a lot tonight, but this class is truly a family.”
The surprise commencement speaker was Hollywood actor and local resident Jeffrey Dean Morgan. “Ninety graduates, huh? That’s a whole lot of stories waiting to be written,” the award-winning actor told family, friends and administrators.
The popular “Walking Dead” actor scanned the stage filled with caps and gowns. “Hands up if you have your whole life mapped out, career planned, future spouse picked – the whole shebang,” Morgan questioned the class of 2024.
A surprising number of hands shot up. “Yeah, I thought so. Me? My plan after high school involved a beat-up truck and… well, let’s just say it didn’t involve becoming vegan or saving Samuel’s Sweet Shop.”
Morgan and his wife actress Hilarie Burton are active in the Dutchess County community.
“We are cheering for you. Show up, put your head down and outwork everyone else. Let that be the plan. That’s the plan, damn it.”
The actor credited with roles in 25 films and many television shows told the audience, “The best advice I can give you isn’t a rigid plan. It’s to stay open, stay curious. Embrace the plot twists, because trust me, they’ll come.”
Morgan had a leading role in helping to save the small village’s candy shop that is a draw for locals and tourists. The district is made up of the Northern Dutchess County town and village with less than 10,000 residents.
Class of 2024 Valedictorian Laila Alam and Salutatorian Lena Sealey-Nicotra reflected on how the school allowed them to dive deep into academic pursuits while also building strong social bonds with classmates.
Some of Morgan’s comments clearly veered off of his own written script with some salty dialog probably heard more frequently on a movie set than in a public school auditorium. The audience took the excited speech in stride when hearing about his personal struggles with dyslexia. “Life throws curveballs, folks. And sometimes those curveballs turn into your best adventures. That’s what happened to me,” the actor explained.
