Class of 2011 Bids Farewell to LHS

The rain poured Thursday night outside the Ledyard High School gymnasium, where 216 members of the Class of 2011 had gathered to receive their diplomas. Inside the hot and muggy gym, parents fanned themselves with programs, pausing at intervals to snap photos of the ceremony.

For the graduates – all 216 of them – it was a time for looking ahead as they prepared to greet the world as young adults.

But it also was a time for looking back and recalling the achievements, the set-backs, the joys of friendship, the lessons learned.

For high school Principal Lou Gabordi, this class was special. A former principal of Ledyard Middle School, Gabordi moved to the high school with these students in 2007, and so they have been together for six years.

He said he was particularly struck by the love of humanity he witnessed in this class of seniors.

“It has manifested itself in such things as saving lives through blood drives and freeing African children from some of the horrors of civil war,” he said. “Your contributions to your community and to the world have been especially impressive to me because they were done with such commitment and joy that your sacrifices for the common good don’t seem to feel like sacrifices at all to you.“

As other speakers had done before him, Gabordi remembered Matt Buriak, who would have graduated Thursday.

“I wish what I’ve described had been the totality of your experience, but such things are not for us to decide,” Gabordi said. “So when your young hearts were broken by tragedy, and your grief lay just beyond the reach of the adults who would have done anything to help, we watched in amazement as you came together to take care of one another, and you were beautiful as you did so.” 

The first two Matt Buriak Memorial Awards were among numerous awards given during the ceremony. The awards were presented to Basil Polsonetti and Nicole Campbell by the Buriak’s sister, Melissa.

“I know his friends and classmates share the sentiment that we wish he were here today, and looking at you all, I see that he is,” she said.

The ceremony had many light moments. In his address to classmates, class valedictorian David Sindel offered some rousing recommendations.

“Be interesting, and start now. Do not wait, because four years from now, you will not remember my speech,” Sindel advised.

“Have adventures and try interesting things, and that means as soon as you leave this gym. So talk to strangers. Open unmarked doors, just to see where they lead. Explore rooftops just to see the world from a different angle. Refuse conformity.”

He was just warming up.

“Be the first generation not to judge people, not only on their gender and race, but also on their sexual orientation, gender identity, and what gods they do and don’t believe in,” he said. “Treat every person like they are good enough, because chances are, they are good enough.

“Use your head,” he said, “and don’t concern yourself too much with what other people think. And speaking of your head, cultivate heroic hair while you still can.

“Don’t hesitate to laugh, to love, and to live,” he added. “Shake things up. Rock the boat with every ounce of your strength. Carpe every single diem… and wherever you are, don’t forget to be awesome.”

Also addressing classmates were student scholars Jillian Comstock and Sarah Woodruff, Basil Polsonette and Austin Walker, and Breanna Browne.

Woodruff remembered Buriak, and also paid tribute to math teacher John Conlon, who died last fall. She called Conlon “a fun-loving and active teacher who could bike ten miles to school and then manage to teach us the wonders of trigonometry.”

“The fact that you are standing here today is proof of your success,” class president David Tang said. “Whatever else life may throw at you, you can be proud of what you’ve accomplished these past four years. I wish you all the best of luck, let’s meet again in ten years, but for now—seriously—let’s just graduate!”

Diplomas were presented by Ledyard Board of Education Chairwoman Sharon Hightower, with schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Graner and assistant principals William Turner and Amanda Fagan offering well-wishes to the graduates.

Following the ceremony class members were off to the U.S. Naval Sub Base in Groton for an all-night graduation party.

Members of the Ledyard High School Class of 2011 are:

Rachel Christine Adams, Nathan Richard Allen, Magen Leanne Anderson, Adolfo  Arroyo, Sissy Lorraine Aston, Christina Lee Barrett, Kourtney Mariah Batson, Rafael Andrioli Bauer, Yaykira Markenly Cuesta Beckford, Annetta Leigh Bennett, Rhianna Morgan Button Blake, Trevor Keith Bland, Benjamin Emerson Blask, Gillian Louise Bowes, Kirsten Nichole Boyd, Michael David Brannan, Ian Joseph Bredeweg, Shawna Anne Brennan, Haley Alicia Brick, Robert Sean Bronder, Stanley Earl DeGraff Brown, ** Breanna Fay Browne, ** Steven Charles Burger, Hayley Sylvia Burke, Jamie Allison Burton, Amber Priscilla Calderon, Caroline Charlotte Calomme, * Nicole Elizabeth Campbell, Alex Neubert Canestrari, Marie  Cappiello, Justin Chapman Carroll, Angie Estefania Castiblanco, Terrance Eugene Chamberlin, Chengqian  Che, * Robert Joseph Chesnut, James Dayvon Clanton, Jamie Elizabeth Claudio, ** Jillian Sarah Comstock, Vanessa Raquel Contreras, Kyle William Costello and Andrew Cruz;

Ryan Michael Cummings, Sean Patrick Curtin, Sara A. Dart-Ford, Richard Michael DeCosta, ** Daniel Robert DeNinno, Diane Marie Deschenes, Elizabeth Jane Disco, Nicholas Stephen Distefano, Emily Rose Dixon, Morgan Erin Duffy, Patrick John Duplice, Erica Joy Eakin, Dale Frederick Eldridge, Jr., Benjamin Lee Elkin, Dorothy Katrina Eng, Adam Ripley Ensley, Timothy Edward Epperson, Ysabel Shales Escalante, Amanda Marie Evans, Sara Elizabeth Ewing, Erin Rachel Fedors, Karen Andreina Fernandez, Bryan Thomas Fillion, * Natalie Rose Flanagan, * April Nicole Flemming, Brianna Elspeth Flickner, Angel Miguel Flores, Laura Catherine Forte, Chelsea Mariah Fox, Joshua Lee Fuchs, Katherine Elizabeth Gabriele, Jorge Victor A. Gamboa, Jordan Ryan Gardner, Tomar Jaquan Gibson, Dean Justin Gilbert, Ashley Irene Giordano, Hannah Mae Graebner, Desmond Charles Gray, Natasha Jean Griffith, Montana Y. Grindstaff and Emily Lynn Haggett;

Hilweh Michael Hanania, Emily Kadence Harmon, Crystal Jewel Haynes, Taylor John Herb, Tyler John Hespeler, ** Bethany Rae Holland, Angela Gladys Houle, * David Loy Hughes, * Nastasia Lai Humphries, ** Naomi Mae Hutchins, ** Amanda Leigh Hutchinson, Alexander Michael James, ** Britta Catherine Johnson, Nicholas Seth Johnson, * Taylor Celia Johnson, Timothy Glenn Jones, Nikole Elizibeth Joseph, Mariah Fusako Kane, Dakota Hayden Kelly, * Olivia Lauren Klinikowski, Keegan Joseph Koehler, Caitlin Nicole Koshoffer, Katherine Jeanne Kuklinski, William Roger LaBrosse, Jr., Adepeju Abigail Ladoja, Timothy Michael LaFleur, April  Rose Lambert, Courtney M. Lauer, Matthew Joseph Liguore, Cara Jean LoBianco, Darien Nichole Anna, Lopez, ** Allyson Taylor Loy, Kimberly Tracy Machi, Jillian Rose McCarthy

Chelsea Laura McGarry, Ashley Lynn McKibben, Brittney Nicole Medders, Danielle Carolyn Merrill, Kevin Adam Midgley, Stacey Lynn Miner, Lexy Margaret Monroe, Michael Martin Montanari, Elias C. Morgan, Matthew James Moriarty, Hillary Amanda Varelas Munoz and Devonte V. Murphy;

Michelle Elizabeth Murphy, Louis  Myers III, Paul Anthony Nunn. Jr., Dillon Blaide Ostergaard, Jeremy Thomas Oswald, Clinton Brayan Parraga, Skye Jasmine Patsiga, Kayleigh Elizabeth Paul, Tara Beth Pealer, Ryan Leigh Pementil, Anthony Joseph Peninger, Delilah A. Perez, Grace O'Dell Peterson, Hiedi Lynn Phillips, Max Franklin Pianka, Sergio Filho Picone, ** Katherine Claire Pietras, Teresa Maria Pillars, Cameron Sean Pollard, Nicolas Anthony Polonsky, ** Basil Gozemba Polsonetti, ** Trevor Donnelly Poplewko, Jack Shannon Porter Jr., Kyle Gene Preston, Connor Joseph Rabideau, Dylan Christopher Rabideau, Dominique Sayetta Rattley, Caitlin Ellen Read, Karleigh Tristina Chylynne Reeves, Christopher M. Reilly, Spiro-Nikolas Anthony Revis, Benjamin David Richardson, James L. Richmond III, Tiffany Ann Robinson, Melissa Ann Rogers, Morgan  Ross, Zachary Gerard Rousseau, Brooke Ashley Russell, Chad Austin Sabo, Alexandra Barbara Safranski, Romin Jay Llagas Salalac, Michael C. Salas-Mckee, Anthony James Schend, Jonathan Izard Schilke, Crystal Marie Schmitt, Jordan Evan Scott and Joshua Paige Searles;

Kevin Michael Sebastian Jr., Mollie Antoinette Seifert, Robert Leo Shaffer, * Erica Cathryn Sheltry, Brielle Janae Shinn, Abrianna Michelle Simpson, ** David Andrew Sindel, J. Tylor  Smith, Khunearie Regina Soeng, Jesse  Jamar Stakley, ** Taylor Marie Strelevitz, Brendan Ryan Sullivan, Connor Andrew Sweet, David Tang, Annabella Frances Thompson, Wayne Ryan Tolbert, Michael P. Traystman, Kyle Taylor Tripp, John Francis Trudel, Hayley Ann Underwood, Emily Marie Utz, * Russell John Vassallo, Michaela Kathryn Wagner, ** Austin Philip Walker, Jeffery Thomas Ward, Josiah Daniel Watkins, Nathan Robert Watrous, Sheldon Mark Watrous, Kaitlyn Margaret Way, Christopher James Weinberg, Brian David Weiss, Kenneth Edward Wiese, Matthew Chase Wilkins, Justin Charles Williams, Zachery Michael Williams, Matthew Ryan Wilson, Alex Michael Withrow, Bartek Leszek Wojciechowski, ** Sarah Elise Woodruff, * Allison Anne Woods and Collin Geoffrey York.

** Ledyard Scholar, * Highest Honors