18 Graduate Mid-Year From NHS

A midyear reception was held Tuesday in honor of 18 students who successfully completed their graduation requirements at .

Many of the graduates attended The Afternoon Program, an alternative high school, and finished their semester early with the intent of going into the job market, while others needed an extra semester to complete their studies, officials said.

Among the graduates were Alicia Paliotti, 19, who seven months ago, gave birth to a son and Lauren Maccharoli, an aspiring hairdresser who will go from part-time school to full-time work at Ricci's Academy.

"I'm happy that now in a month and a half, I'll go for my hairdresser's license," said Maccharoli, who was able to earn credits for her work at Ricci's and graduate a half year early.

Other graduates include Daniel Aurelia, Kristina Browning, Emily Dion, Erin Ferris, Daniel Fisher, Michael Fitzsimmons, Kayla Green, Carlie Gehrman, Rebecca Greenawalt, Tyler Hoffman, Alfonso Kinic, Stephanie Schubert, Alyssa Wade, Joseph Warner-Crouch, Matthew Wielbinski and Sara Yarosis.

Principal Chip Dumais advised the students to be open to changes, willing to challenge everything and commit to traveling overseas once in their lives.

"Change is difficult but it's necessary," he said.

Correction: Newtown High School Principal Chip Dumais was quoted as saying "Change is difficult but it's necessary." An earlier version of this article attributed the quote to the wrong person.