Somers grads learn to appreciate life's experiences

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

Jun. 16—SOMERS — The Somers High School class that graduated Wednesday gained a newfound appreciation for life's experiences that generations before them took for granted.

The more than 100 members of the Class of 2022 went through the COVID-19 shutdowns, but also saw school life return to something approaching normal following the advent of vaccines and the growth of natural immunity among people who had recovered from the disease.

"Face-to-face communication with teachers really affects how a student's learning is," graduate Ryan Lynch said before Wednesday's ceremony.

The ability to dispense with masks in February was an important part of the return to normal for Lynch, although he was careful not to comment on anyone else's decisions on that issue.

He described the ability to meet face-to-face with a teacher as "a 'wow' moment."

While many students' thoughts naturally turn to the future course of their lives at graduation, others were thinking about the more immediate future.

Kristo Karaja said he was looking forward to the safe graduation party, which would be the last chance for the whole class to get together until it holds reunions in future years.

SOMERS CLASS OF 2022

VALEDICTORIAN: Patrick Connors

SALUTATORIAN: Sarah Cranna

CLASS PRESIDENT: Grace Gengenbach

Before the ceremony, Taylor Byo spoke of a future in which her best friend will be moving to Arizona for college, while Byo will be staying closer to home at Quinnipiac University in Hamden.

But Byo, whose family moved frequently as she was growing up because of her father's career, has experience at keeping up with friends from a distance, and she is fortunate to live in a world rich in technology to help with that.

Byo also was thinking of graduation as a payoff for all the hard work she put in during high school, taking advanced courses, and playing on the boys' tennis team.

"It's mostly exciting because I've worked so hard, and I'm finally getting the reward for it," she said.

The changes in Caroline Colton's life will be more incremental.

She plans to attend American International College in Springfield and to continue playing lacrosse, as she has in high school. She said her two best friends are planning to attend colleges within five minutes of AIC, meaning that it should be easy to continue those friendships.

During the ceremony, graduates were told to be kind in a world that frequently seems to have abandoned that virtue.

Principal Gary M. Cotzin expressed hope that each graduate "will be a kinder and gentler person because of the people you met in the Somers High School community."

And Superintendent Brian P. Czapla told the graduates, "Being an adult means you must be kind."

Despite people's differences in religion and many other things, "we're all human beings who need to be accepted and loved," Czapla said.

Senior class President Grace Gengenbach said, "Our class being relatively small has allowed us to be a close-knit group."

Salutatorian Sarah Cranna thanked the adults who "never gave up on us."

"We persevered and, oh my God, you guys, we made it!" she exclaimed.

Reflecting on the class' unusual experiences, valedictorian Patrick Connors said, "There is no generation better prepared to deal with the unexpected than this one."

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