East Lyme High graduates told to remain curious, keep exploring what's new
East Lyme — In a ceremony of cheer and gratitude, East Lyme High School graduates listened to advice to embrace their diverse interests and continue exploring.
“Class of 2013: You are all Renaissance men and women,” said valedictorian Charley Ren. “It’s hardly a bad thing, in fact it means that you are all explorers, that you approach new things with curiosity and hardly ever walk away from something without having learned something new.”
Principal Michael Susi lauded the graduates, who accepted their diplomas in maroon caps and gowns among family and friends on the high school athletic field Thursday.
“The Class of 2013 is a class of respectful, caring, hard-working and compassionate students,” he said.
In the senior laureate address, graduate Laura Kastner highlighted the graduates’ sense of community, evidenced through kind deeds, such as leaving notes signed “someone who cares” in other students’ backpacks.
“We are compassionate, and we are exceptional, and we owe it to the place that raised us to remain that way,” she said.
Salutatorian Jacob Wang advised graduates to embrace failure as a part of life so they can “start living with clarity and consciousness.”
Superintendent James Lombardo urged students to listen to their hearts: “And when you hear that call, the call to do something important, pay attention. Don’t ignore it. That sound may very well be your clarion call.”
Class President Piper Hays reflected on the bittersweetness of knowing that although she felt proud during the school’s sports games and drama productions, she knew her classmates would one day have to bid farewell to each other.
But she recalled wisdom from her childhood favorite, Winnie the Pooh: “How lucky we are to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
“Remember this,” she told her fellow graduates, “and cherish those loved ones around you, as they’re the ones who have shaped you into the young adults that you are today.”
k.drelich@theday.com
East Lyme High School Class of 2013
Brian Ernest Ahern, Eric Justin Basil Alexandrescu, Carissa Marie Anderson, Erika Brynn Anderson, Mitchell Lee Andres, Allyson Eleanor Ang, Joshua Robert Appleby, Greta Rose Appleton, Alec Michael Aquino, Christopher Gabriel Aquino, Jessica Ann Arenson, Julia Rose Armen, Emma Christine Arnold, Derek Matthew Backofen, Haley Kathryn Balon, James Patrick Barone, Bhea Flor Falcotelo Barroga, Jane Kathryn Bartlett, Jillian Alice Bartlett, Jordan Vincent Bartlett, Joshua Michael Beaulieu, Andrew Neal Bernard, James Louis Betulia Jr., De'Anna Shai Bibalo, Brandon Micheal Biondi, James Curtis Bischoff, Mitchell Broach Bond, Jorge Elijah Brackett, Lee Alan Brake, Jadira Eloise Breault, Cameron Nicholas Brimmer, Corey James Brimmer, Rebecca Anne Brooks, Sabrina Xiao Chun Brown.
Also: Ellie Adare Bruckner, Emma Elizabeth Brunetti, Kendell Rae Brusseau, Elijah Matthew Bryce, Page Renee Burns, Scott Eric Butler, Brannon Joseph Butten, Victoria Rose Calabro, Colin James Campbell, Dallas Haley Capozza, Anthony William Carambot, Mallory Elizabeth Cave, Brandon Christopher Chappel, Albert Yanhao Chen, Jack Szuwei Chen, Eva Adell Christensen, Albert Matthew Chu, Jillian Alyssa Cirillo, Sean Michael Coffey, Deanna Luzelle Coleman, Brianna Karina Collins, Jonathan Nealon Combies Jr., Christopher Spencer Connaughty, Megan Elizabeth Cordeau, Caroline Matilda Costa, Samuel Francis Counter, Rachel Anne Coxe, Ashley Meghan Craddock, Taylor Morgan Cushman Johnson, Truely Kristina Cushman Johnson, Julie Grace Dai, John William D'Alessio, Sarah Elizabeth Dana, Timothy Castle Dana, Shivani Tushar Dandekar.
Also: Alexandra Beverly DeFord, Alexander Howard deLaforcade, Scott Joseph DeLaura, Amanda Noel DeMaio, Erin Claire Doherty, Jason Scott Donahue, Morgan Christopher Dorsey, Regina Marie Dougherty, Laura Ermine Dowd, Stefanie Marie Duda, Jordan Alexandra Duerr, William Barron Dumais III, Samantha Lynn Dunn, Olivia Rose Durham, Nathan Lee Edwards, David Jacob Engel, Emily Joan Ennis, Kyle James Estey, Raekeem Deshon Fairley, Emilie Elizabeth Farrugia, Nicoletta Noel Fazio, Noah Seibert Feldman, Alexander John Ferguson, Marilyn Marie Flanders, Kayla Rose Fobian, Periklis Fokaidis, Benjamin Joseph Foster, Kevin Robert Foster, Rachel Louise Foster, Jameson Brion Foulke, Nicolás Omar Francone, Lauren Taylor Fredriksen, Lauren Alyssa Friedland, Adriana Anita Fulchiero, Isabella Anna Maria Fulker, Shannon Voll Gada, Daniel Mark Gage, Nicholas John Geary, Kyrra Elizabeth Gelinas, Demetrios Lawrence Ghirardi, Amanda Gail Giffin, Brandon Kurt Gillespie, Matthew Thomas Gillespie, Jonathan Robert Gilman, Andrew Jeffrey Gionet, Kayla Grace Giordano, Ryan Michael Godin, Jonathan Brian Wiberg Good.
Also: Bryanna Michele Goodwin, Sierra Ann Granata, Leslie Orman Greer, Bruce Christopher Gregor, Jessica Eileen Griffin, Richard Griffiths, Taylor Virginija Grillo, Anthony Faouzi Hage, Nicholas Everett Hale, Miranda Elizabeth Hancock, Alex John Hanley, Hanne Karolina Hansen, Kevin James Hansen, Kendra Elise Harris, Piper McKenzie Hays, Adrian Ignacio Heredia, Jocelyn Arlene Hernandez, Ian Roger Hill, Emily Rose Hinkle, Tammie Rose Holt, Katie Lynn Honsa, Madison Lee Horner, Thea Sabrina Hudson, Nicholas Lee Hughes, Theodore James III, Aubree Cherie Jay, Caeleigh Margaret Jennings, Torence Margaret Jones, John Anthony Juska, Laura Jean Kastner, Kelly Suzanne Keenan, Jessica Tamsin Kenny, Ryeed Ali Khan, David Aaron Knopf, William Michael Kobar, Jason Kong, Jeffrey Michael Kranich, Matthew Aaron Kuptzin, Kaitlyn Inglis Kuvalanka, Patrick Randall Lang, Evan Anthony Lattanzi, Deondra Devauna Leaky.
Also: Nicole Elizabeth Lee, Ashley Anne Leffingwell, Jeffrey Alexis Lemmon, Joan Jing Ying Li, Kevin Lin Liang, Evan James Long, Nicholas Anthony Lozano, Erin Christina Lucas, Dylan Michael Luce, Ryan Michael Lumsdon, Annemarie Lynn Lussier, Alexander Edward Lyall, Madeline Leigh MacDonnell, Samuel Brewster Magna, Daniel Jameson Malzahn, Antonia Lynne Mann, Tyler Stephen Marr, Lauren Elizabeth Martyn, Christa Joan Mastroianni, Rachel Ann Mauthe, Niko Anthony Mazzella, Karl Michael McCarthy, Matson Patricia McCrabb, Erin Ann McKee, Gerald Ira McKenney, Wade Jeffrey McNamara, Meghan Anne McParland, Melanie Gene Merry, Amber Mary Mohr, Casey Edward Moody, Kaytlin Rose Murphy, Haley Donna Murray, Timothy David Myers, Alice Emanuella Navarro, Maria Alexandrovna Nazarko, Linh Huynh Nguyen, Trinh Nguyen, Casey Hogan O'Dea.
Also: Katelyn Marie Ollhoff, Andrew Joseph O'Lone, Adam Charles Opsahl, Benjamin James Ostrowski, John Kenneth O'Sullivan, Brandon Connor Page, Bryony Agatha Page, Katelyn Nicole Paradis, Puja Rajnikant Patel, Chloe Louise Pearce, Elizabeth Rachel Pepin, Devin Frances Tate Perez, Jillian Ruth Perkins, Nolan Michael Perron, Elise Janelle Petersen, Timothy Christopher Petersen, Christopher Robert Picard, Erica Jayne Pierce, Davis Ping, Dustin Ping, Jacqueline Elizabeth Plasse, Tarun Prashanth, Lauren Marie Redfearn, Caroline Amelia Regan, Charley Huang Ren, Scott Reyes, Cain Joshua Rianhard, Adam Thomas Rigney, Kaley Jayne Roberts, Cassidy Joan Rodgers, Kayla Frances Rolfe, Josephine Lydia Maria Roosli, Michael Clark Rosa, Andrew John Rubino, Ryan Anthony Rubino, Michaela Jacqueline Ryan, Michael Ryan Sabilia, Carlos Alberto Sánchez Rumbea, Brendan Joseph Santa Maria, Mary Louise Scheyder, Lindsay Pearl Schneider, Paige Kathleen Schneider.
Also: Kara Marie Seitz, Francis Joseph Shields, Sandra Rose Showalter, Cameron Elizabeth Shultz, Jeremy Richard Siborg, Henry Alan Simpkins, Alan Chi Siphaxay, George Edward Sisson, Katelin Nichole Skelton, Jonathan Thom Sloss, Kareem Ali Small, Zoë Rose Smallidge, Pamela Elizabeth Smith, Sarah Ashley Smith, Escott Oliver Smith III, Thomas William Smith LaFemina, Ioana-Andrada Soaita, Morgan Anne Solinsky, Danielle Antoinette Spada, Albert Louis Speziali II, Andrew James Stevens, Cassandra Lynn Stewart, Allison Robin Stoddard, Megan Elizabeth Stoddard, Margaret Elizabeth Stracuzzi, Samuel Kenneth Strafach, Rachel Caroline Sullivan, Shannon Michelle Sullivan, Brendan Joseph Suroviak, Sydney Paige Swanson, Jonathan George Syragakis, Jaimee Lee Szupiany, Gabriella Rose Tauro.
Also: Emily Jane Taylor, Richard Paul Taylor Jr., Delia Frances Terry, Dylan Mackenzie Thomas, Cole Wegs Tretter, Victoria Ashley Turkington, Joshua Joseph Turner, Kyle William Turner, Justin Michael Urbina, Priti Ram Vage, Melissa Amber Vaillancourt, Sophia Saad Valentin, Stuti Viyulie, Denis Vritov, Baylen William Vymola, Kristen Nicole Walter, Jacob Wang, Damien Paul Waterman, Christian Vaughn Weinrick, Michael Justin Whitelaw, Thomas Hazen Whittico, Mallory Kathleen Wilbur, Kote Lloyd Wilkinson, Sabrina Marie Williams, Jennifer Collins Wilson, Jessica Cremins Wilson, Kathryn Danielle Wise, Eric Drisko Wuorio, Rebecca Marilyn Wyman, Logan Nicole Young, Jesse Seth Yuille, Ryan Borith Yun, Robert Scott Zeltinger, Xingxin Zhang, Lulu Zhong.
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