By Frank Mustac, Special Writer
Tuesday’s commencement exercises at Hopewell Valley Central High School were obviously held to recognize the 308 graduating seniors of the Class of 2016, but, in a way, were also a tribute to retiring principal Michael Daher.
Several of the speakers during the graduation ceremony on Tuesday night at the high school’s Ackerson Field praised Principal Daher, who has been the school’s head administrator for the last decade.
The Hopewell Valley Regional School District Board of Education on Monday approved the hiring of Toll Gate Grammar School principal Tana Smith to succeed Mr. Daher as principal at Central High School.
Graduating senior Samuel Martorano, president of the Class of 2016, said he especially wanted to thank Principal Daher on the eve of his retirement.
“You have been a compassionate, devoted and tireless leader,” Mr. Martorano said.
Class valedictorian Ketaki Gujar, in her speech, thanked “the man who played a profound role in giving Hopewell its legacy. Mr. Daher achieved the impossible and managed to win over an entire school full of sulking teenagers determined to hate any and all authority figures.”
“I could tell you how he could greet 90 percent of the students by name, how he makes himself available to hear and resolve everyone’s smallest concerns, or how he attends without fail every single academic, athletic, musical, dramatic of otherwise school-related event, but I want to emphasize the fact that he is always smiling.”
“He genuinely enjoys what he does. Genuinely enjoys seeing his students succeed, so much so that he postponed his well-deserved retirement because his students couldn’t bear to see him go. His effervescent happiness and ever-present kindness truly exemplified what I’ll miss most about this school.
“So, Class of 2016, remember Mr. Daher. Remember this school and community fondly and make the world a better place in whatever ways you can.”
Superintendent Thomas Smith during his speech revealed the secret of how it is that Principal Daher learned the names of all of his students.
“Mr. Daher would take home the Timberlane Middle School yearbook every summer and memorize the names and faces so he knew your name when you walked into school,” the superintendent said. “I think his efforts demonstrate the commitment he gave to his school.”
“The impact he has had on our school and our district is acknowledged and appreciated,” Dr. Smith said.
When it was time for Principal Daher to deliver he speech, his voice quivered a bit while obviously holding back tears.
He spoke to the Class of 2016 about the lessons he has learned during his life, for which he said he has few regrets, but did include some sorrow.
“When I was 5 years old, a very tragic event took place in my family. I was the fifth out of six children when I lost my mother to cancer,” Mr. Daher said. “The most important person in my life was no longer in my life.”
After the loss of his mother, he said, some of the siblings went to live with relatives, but eventually came back together to live as a family with their father.
“This incident, although tragic at the time, taught me some of what I consider life’s most important lessons, which took place in the days, months and years following my mother’s death,” he said.
“I learned that when you get hit by a giant wave that pulls you under, you have to keep swimming until your head is above water again.”
“I leaned that when you have a hole in your heart, there are people in your life who can help fill that hole with love and with hope.
“I learned that during our darkest hours, there is light somewhere. You just have to find it.
“I learned that it is okay to be afraid, but that it is not okay to let fear hold you back from what you hope to accomplish in your life.
“I learned that having close friends is really important. But some of the most important people you will have in your life are your siblings.
“I know that you never want to pass up an opportunity to tell those closest to you that you love them and to give them a hug, because the day may come when you might not have that opportunity.
“I learned that there is great honor and dignity in getting up every day and going to work, because I watched my father do it every day without complaining, even though he was dealt a pretty difficult hand to play.
“I learned that we will all lose loved ones during our lifetime, but that the truth of the matter is we never really lose them. They will always be with us in some way.”
Through his family, he said he learned to “love more” and to “hate less.”
To the students of the graduating Class of 2016, Principal Daher spoke of how fortunate he has been in life, despite an early tragedy.
“Just think about this for a moment, everyone: I got to spend the past 10 years of my life as the principal of the best high school in the state of New Jersey,” Mr. Daher said. “And to top it off, I am right now standing on the stage delivering a commencement speech to some of most amazing people I have ever known on the night of their graduation. I cannot think of any place in the world where I would rather be than right here speaking to you.”
Principal Daher concluded recalling a time when he was young during a difficult period of his life and his father took him aside, taking him by the arm, looking into his eyes and saying, “Mike, you’re going to be fine.”
Addressing the Class of 2016 and to past Hopewell Valley Central High School graduates, he said, “You will always have a special place in my heart and I will miss all of you, very much, and I want all of you to know that my father was right. I am going to be fine.”
“And to the students of Hopewell Valley, you’re going to be fine, too.”
Principal Daher left the podium on his way into retirement while receiving a standing ovation from his students and the audience.
