Queensbury Union Free School District -

The whiteboards in Austin Cowper’s English classroom at Queensbury High School are full of student projects, magnets, his favorite books, favorite quotes and — most importantly — his Top 7 list. 

During his speech at the Cool Insuring Arena the evening of Friday, June 27, he bestowed one final Top 7 list to the 220 Queensbury graduates. 

Cowper’s tips included:

1. Face your fears;

2. You will find your people;

3. Get a dog;

4. You don’t have to have it all figured out right now; 

5. You get back what you put in;

6. Be kind; and

7. Maximize this moment. 

“So don’t coast. Don’t wait. Don’t assume there’s always more time,” Cowper said. “Use this moment to be bold. Make mistakes. Have fun. Learn. And realize that you have something many people spend a lifetime wishing they could get back: the freedom to become whoever you want to be.”

Principal Andrew Snide lauded the Class of 2025 for the numerous donations left to various scholarships, classes and the new QES playgrounds.  

“Your accomplishments speak for themselves,” Snide said. “But what I’ll remember most is your character — the way you treated others. The moments you showed integrity when it wasn’t easy. The jokes you cracked to lighten the mood, and the way you stood up for what mattered.”

He encouraged the graduates to enjoy this moment. 

“Pause. Take a breath. Look around,” he said. “These are your people … the ones who shaped you, challenged you, made you laugh when you needed it, and supported you when things got tough.”

Graduate Rider Lee, who joined the Queensbury Class of 2025 in ninth grade, thanked his classmates for welcoming him to a new district. 

“Everyone here is different in some ways, but that doesn’t stop us from forming connections,” Lee said. “On the contrary, it contributes to the diverse experiences I’ve had here at QHS. Over the past four years I’ve made a whole new set of memories; and now I can look back and say with confidence that not only have I survived high school, as I did those first few months of ninth grade, but I have made lasting connections and become part of a community.”

Graduate Alana Coakley, who plans to study engineering at college, spoke to her classmates about failure.

“In engineering, we expect failure,” she said. “We build prototypes that collapse. We make circuits that fry. We write code that breaks everything. We 3D print parts that turn into a ball of spaghetti. But every time we fail, we learn. We tweak. We try again, again, and again. That's how the final product gets made.”

Superintendent of Schools Kyle Gannon took students back through memories of their years at Queensbury Elementary School, the William H. Barton Intermediate School and the middle school. 

“Now here you are,” Gannon said, “dressed in caps and gowns. Some of you are glowing with excitement. Some of you are hopefully holding back tears. Maybe you are doing both.”

He played a portion of the song, “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” by Simple Minds.

“When it comes on in your car, take a second to remember us,” he said, “because we will always remember you.”