May 26—HARTFORD — Students and alumni of East Catholic High School celebrated their lifelong connections Thursday as members of the Class of 2023 begin a new stage in their lives.

Class vice president Benjamin Creamer said graduation is a time for reflection, both in personal growth and the communities students have created.

"While your time as a high school student is quickly fading, your initiation into the East Catholic family has only begun," Creamer said.

kAmp E@E2= @7 "f 8C25F2E6D 7C@> E@H?D :? E96 w2CE7@C5 2C62 2?5 62DE6C? r@??64E:4FE H2=>6?46>6?E %9FCD52J ?:89E 2E E96 r2E965C2= @7 $E] y@D6A9]k^Am

kAmr=2DD AC6D:56?E y:==:2? ':49: D2:5 DEF56?ED 2=D@ 92G6 >256 4@??64E:@?D H:E9 E96:C E62496CD E@ 96=A E96> 6I46= :?D:56 2?5 @FED:56 @7 4=2DD]k^Am

kAm"%92?J@F 7@C 36=:6G:?8 :? FD[ 6G6? H96? H6 5:5 ?@E 36=:6G6 :? @FCD6=G6D[ 2?5 7@C AFEE:?8 :? E96 E:>6 2?5 677@CE E@ >26C D2:5 t2DE r2E9@=:4 DE277 >6>36CD 2C6 A2CE @7 H92E >2:?:DEC2E@CD[ 36 :E H6== 36J@?5 E96 32C6 >:?:>F>[ >26C D2:5]k^Am

kAm':49: 2=D@ 6IE6?565 96C E92?:=J >6>36CD H9@ 96=A65 E96 r=2DD @7 a_ab >2@@5J E66?286CD[ J@FC F?4@?5:E:@?2= =@G6 5@6D ?@E 8@ F??@E:465[" D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmr=2DD D64C6E2CJ qC:6==6 !@=:5@C@ D2:5 E96 8C25F2E:?8 4=2DD 92D 366? 3=6DD65 E@ 42== t2DE r2E9@=:4 :ED 9@>6 7@C E96 A2DE 7@FC J62CD[ 8C@H:?8 E@86E96C E@ 364@>6 2CE6C[ 2?5 >@C6 =@G:?8 A6@A=6]k^Am

kAm"{@@6 H6 H:== 2== 36 E@86E96C 2D 2 4=2DD[" !@=:5@C@ D2:5]k^Am

kAm!@=:5@C@ D2:5 DEF56?ED 92G6 2=D@ 8C@H? :? E96:C 72:E9 5FC:?8 E96:C 9:89 D49@@= 42C66CD]k^Am

kAm"tG6? :7 J@F 5@ ?@E C62=:K6 :E[ v@5 92D ECF=J 366? AC6D6?E 2E 6G6CJ >@>6?E H6'G6 366? 2E t2DE[" !@=:5@C@ D2:5]k^Am

kAmu62EFC65 DA623F=2yC][ H9@ H2=?: 2C6 2G2:=23=6 2?5 "2== @G6C E96 A=246" :7 8C25F2E6D 6G6C ?665 96=A @C 8F:52?46]k^Am

kAm"u:?5 FD 2?5 ;FDE D2J 'w6J[ x H6?E E@ t2DE r2E9@=:4 E@@['" %CJ>3F=2D2:5]k^Am

kAm%CJ>3F=22=D@ FC865 DEF56?ED E@ 6]k^Am

kAm"p== E96 =:E6C2EFC6 C:89E ?@H D2JD :E'D :?4C65:3=J :>A@CE2?E E@ 7:?5 2 H@C3F=2D2:5]k^Am

kAmt2DE r2E9@=:4 !C6D:56?E $62? qC6??2? D2:5 6G6CJ 8C25F2E:?8 4=2DD 92D :ED @H? A6CD@?2=:EJ[ H:E9 D@>6 >@C6 5C:G6? 2?5 >@E:G2E65 2?5 @E96CD >@C6 4@>A=246?E]k^Am

kAm"(96? x D66 E96 r=2DD @7 a_ab[ x D66 2 5:G6CD6 8C@FA @7 J@F?8 >6? 2?5 H@>6? H9@ 92G6 8C@H? E@86E96C[" qC6??2? D2:5]k^Am

kAmqC6??2? 24A9 @G6C F?AC64656?E65 492==6?86D]k^Am

kAm"—@F 925 D:I >@?E9D[ 32D:42==J[ @7 2 ?@C>2= 9:89 D49@@= 6IA6C:6?46 2?5 E96 H@C=5 ;FDE D9FE 5@H?[ 3FE E92E'D ?@E H92E 567:?6D J@F[" |2C2 D2:5]k^Am

kAm|2C2 D2:5 C682C5=6DD[ 9:89 D49@@= :D @?=J D4C2E49:?8 E96 DFC7246 @7 H92E 8C25F2E6D H:== 249:6G6 :? E96:C =:G6D]k^Am

kAm"%96 36DE 7@C J@F :D J6E E@ 4@>6[" |2C2 D2:5]k^Am

Joseph covers Manchester and Bolton for the Journal Inquirer.