Somers grads end tough year on beautiful evening

Alex Wood, Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
·4 min read

Jun. 17—SOMERS — COVID-19 caused a lot of losses to the seniors who graduated Wednesday from Somers High School, but one thing it got them was an outdoor graduation ceremony on a beautiful, late-spring evening on the school's artificial-turf athletic field.

School Superintendent Brian P. Czapla recalled early in the ceremony how school administrators worried during numerous meetings last summer that students wouldn't take COVID precautions seriously.

"I have never been happier to be wrong," he told the graduates and their families.

"You followed the protocols — for the most part," Principal Gary M. Cotzin told the graduates, drawing a chuckle from the crowd. "And you complained very little."

Senior Matthew Harmon, who is heading for basic training in the Army Reserve, had struck a similar theme in an interview before the ceremony.

"A lot of people kept their masks on," he said, adding that students also complied with one-way walking requirements in the school halls.

"A lot of people respect each other and care about each other," said Harmon, who moved to Somers from Minnesota in his freshman year.

Seniors made clear that they were feeling some of the losses of typical senior-year experiences due to the pandemic.

"I feel like we got ripped off because we only got half of senior year," senior Julia Catellier said. "But they did the best they could."

"This year is definitely weird," senior Jason Raymond said.

SOMERS HIGH SCHOOL

VALEDICTORIAN: Olivia Suter

SALUTATORIAN: Giovanna Gioscia

CLASS PRESIDENT: Hannah Renzoni

"We lost a lot of normality in our senior year," he added, citing the inability to spend time in groups during much of the year.

Raymond said that seniors lost some of their traditional privileges, such as being able to sit outside and have their own section in the cafeteria.

But some students found the traditional graduation ceremony particularly sweet in light of their earlier losses.

"After all that, it's just really nice to be able to see everyone and celebrate with everyone again," senior Keeley Joyal said.

"I'm disappointed about a lot of the stuff we didn't get to do," senior Alec Levesque said.

"But I'm really happy to experience graduation because I know a lot of people aren't as lucky," he added, referring to last year's graduating class and graduates in parts of the country that still have many COVID cases.

Some seniors were more focused on the future than the past.

"I'm excited for the future," said Danielle Hoague, who plans to study elementary education at Central Connecticut State University. "I'm ready to graduate."

Czapla described sitting around the dinner table as a young child and listening to his father and grandfather speaking about defining moments.

The superintendent recalled his grandfather describing the impact of Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, an event that led the U.S. to enter World War II but also helped produce what has been called America's "Greatest Generation." And he remembered his father talking about how the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963 helped realize the vision of putting a man on the moon and "our greatest civil rights achievements."

Czapla suggested that COVID-19 may be a similar defining moment and said he thinks he has a sense of how it may shape the graduates' generation.

"Giving up this year, throwing in the towel, would have been very easy, but you didn't," the superintendent told the Class of 2021. "Your grit, your determination, and your courage will define you in the future. Please continue to embrace all these qualities and they will serve you well in everything you do."

These students graduated from Somers High School on June 16:

Adam Argiro, Scott Augeri, Simon Banas, Miranda Barresi, Jacqueline Beaulieu, Benjamin Bolduc, Emily Brayton, Cecelia Bruel, Jack Brunt, Claire Bruso, Anthony Caetano, Marisa Cardinale, Ryan Cashman, Julia Catellier, Keira Clark, Paige Clark.

Alyssa DeGray, Zachary Delskey, Ella Deveau, Aidan Devine-Baillargeon, Jeffrey Devlin, Colin Donovan, Logan Douglas, Caleb Duff, Benjamin DuPerre, Sara Elhage, Brittany Felch, Sarah Finnegan, Mckenzie Fitzgerald, Jeremy Frazier.

Brian Garrow, Megan Gaskell, Jack Gebo, Shawn Gentilcore, Imran Gharnit, Giovanna Gioscia, Alexander Golden, Jaydon Griger, Jacob Grondin, Alexander Grzelak.

Ethan Haluch, Tanner Hammond, Matthew Harmon, Andrew Hartman, Jake Hearn, Adam Hinds, Danielle Hoague, Caelyn Hoffman, Keeley Joyal, Morgan Juzba, Emily Karabinis, Ethan Kay, Jason Knybel, Conner Kocot, Jesse Kowal.

Megan Lafayette, Alec Levesque, Alexander Lippe, Joshua Lusardi.

Colin MacLeod, Kyle Maheux, Nathan Maheux, Madeline Mancuso, Lindsay Masamery, Kallie Mayer, Garrett Maznicki, Vincent Mazza, Sydney McIntyre, Alexandra McLellan, Brandon Minukas, Reghan Morin, Isabel Munson, Mallory Murdza.

Terieze Naylor, Brady Palazzesi, Emily Parkes, Ayden Paulo, Paul Pennell III, Kaycha Perez, Sophia Pham, Treena Pitts, Tyler Poulin, Jacob Proulx, Ryan Prucker, Falicity Quinones.

Clara Rafala, Halle Raina, Jason Raymond, Hannah Renzoni, Emily Reynolds, Kyiah Rice, Laura Riley, Loanky Rivera, Serena Robidoux, Michaela Scully, Maggie Settje, Nolan Soule-Rondeau, Sheridan Speight, Olivia Suter, Alana Sweat.

Emma Terry, Abigail Thiel, Lilly Tisdale, Sophia Tomko, Gabrielle Tullock, Cameron Tuttle, Kylie Twiss.

Tyler Watt, Shannon Whalen, Davon Williams, Khadija Williams, Niccolai Williams, Breena Wrisley, Cole Wrisley, Angela Young, Carson Yurgaitis, Eric Zheng, Dominic Zuccalo.

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