Norwich - On Friday evening, "four years of memories, friendships and life lessons" came to a close for the St. Bernard High School Class of 2013, as class orator Philomena Buscetto put it in her address to fellow graduates.

At its commencement exercises, the private Catholic schoo, located in Uncasville celebrated the graduation of 71 students at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich. Family members packed the pews to watch students walk across the stage in gowns of gray (for men) and red (for women).

Headmaster Thomas J. Doherty III praised the test scores and volunteer work of the graduates and said he looked forward to hearing the stories of what they accomplished after high school.

Buscetto opened her speech by recalling a moment in her sophomore year theology class, when the teacher turned to his sleeping and distracted students and noted that "days drag, but time flies." He was right, she told her fellow classmates, because suddenly they were here, coming together as a class for the last time.

Later, Buscetto reminded the Class of 2013 that they were the last to have Marie-Pierre Diana - whom they called "Ms. Pam" - as a teacher. Diana died in 2010 from a complication of lung surgery.

"Through example, Ms. Pam taught us love, strength and hope," Buscetto said. After hearing the news that Diana had passed away, she said, "for the first time, we came together as a community."

Eighteen of Friday's graduates had a parent who attended St. Bernard, and toward the end of the exercises, those students presented alumni medallions to their parents.

Mary Beth Baillargeon and Cynthia DeLucia, senior class moderators, presented academic awards to several graduates. A medal was presented to seven students for their place in the top 10 percent of the graduating class.

St. Bernard also recognized two students with the highest academic achievement in the subjects of English, social studies, theology, Spanish, visual arts, science, math, French and music.

The school's graduates will "meet the future as young adults who have been well-versed in Christian values," and those values will help them with future success, said the Bishop of Norwich, the Most Rev. Michael R. Cote, in his message.

Cote advised them to "give yourselves wholeheartedly to service for your brothers and sisters in the human family."

k.catalfamo@theday.com

St. Bernard Class of 2013

John Keegan Amarello, Elijah E. Andrews, Adam C. Arundel, Katelyn Baez, Victoria Anne Becotte, Zachary Thomas Belisle, Kaitlin Rose Bosetti, Chandler Leno Bottinelli, Dylan Peter Bottinelli, Claire Elizabeth Bowdy, Tanya Brilus, Eric Robert Brown, Philomena Buscetto, Victor Raul Calle, Asia Sonai Carter, Justin William Henry Cavitt, Joseph William Charles, Lydia McKesson Crawford, Zhi Xiang Dai, Alexander Henry Davis, Julia Catherine Engel, Jennifer N. Ericson, Joseph Gerard Ferraro, Andrew Conor Fogarty, Anne Catherine Foley, Elizabeth Rose Gaccione, Christian Michael Gospodinoff.

Also: Caleb Lawton Grace, Garrett N. Gralton, Joseph Stephen Granatosky, Shannon Elizabeth Griffin, Bryan James Harper, Caitlyn Noelle Harris, Lillian Marie Hinkle, Elizabeth Ann Hodge, Jacquelyn Taylor Huber, Graham Patrick Hurley, Philip Russell Jenkins, Chandler Marie Johnson, Dylan C. Julian, Cassandra Marie Keefe, John Alexander Kennedy, Kevin Christopher Kersey, Grace Anne Kirkpatrick, Alexander Masin Kuvalanka, Austin M. LaCroix , Shauna Lynn Lewis, Matthew Brian Mainville, Nicole Lee Menner, Leah Marie Minton, Samuel James Nave, Nicholas Shea Niedojadlo, Emily Patricia Patten, Chelsea Elena Perry, Kevin Raymond Peters.

Also: Zachariah Morley Petersen, Callyn Elisabeth Phillips, Courtney Michelle Sanders, Julia Franciose Scott, Michelle See, Brittany M. Spurgas-Butova, Jason Patrick Steele, Kaitlyn Allegra Szczygiel, Maria Florence Theiler, Andrew Robert Dickerson Viens, Caitlin Marie Wagner, Benjamin Joseph Whewell, Tingting Yao, Jiahao Zhan, Wenjie Zhang, Juan Sebastian Zuluaga-Romero.