South Windsor High School Graduates 374

Principal Daniel P. Sullivan III highlighted the many attributes that distinguished the 374 members of the Class of 2012 during South Windsor High School’s 50th graduation ceremony at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford on June 21.

“Yours is a talented and special class in many ways,” Sullivan said.

Indeed, 81 students made honor roll all four years, with 21 graduating with honors with distinction. There were six AP scholars with distinction.

But the class’ talents went beyond the classroom.

Sullivan noted, among other things, that Elizabeth Donald speaks five languages; Kaitlyn Mazur wrote her own book, Anthony Asmar is a certified CMT; Ryan Gannon volunteered 500 hours at Hartford Hospital; and Mark Zimmer is a master at the Rubik’s cube.

But what impressed Sullivan the most was the sense of duty that the class as a whole had to the community.

“You genuinely care about your town and school,” said Sullivan, noting that four members of the Class of 2012 have enlisted in the U.S. Armed Forces.

And whether those talents led the graduates to a college town or to Parris Island, Sullivan made one thing perfectly clear: “You will always have a home in South Windsor.”

Superintendent of Schools Kate Carter implored the graduates to show kindness to others.

“We want to look on our lives and be proud of how we treated others,” Carter said, noting that we live in an age when reality television literally encourages participants to vote people off the island. “Tonight I encourage you to include people on the island and seek out people to admire, not ridicule. find ways to honor others, not embarrass them. ... Take time to help others.”

Board of Education Chairman David Joy asked that the graduates become active participants in the democratic process.

“Soon your generation will run this country,” Joy said. “Invest in its future at the national, state and local levels. … My advice and request of you and final assignment is commit yourselves to becoming a lifelong voter.”

In his salutatory address, Viren Shinde mixed humor in with memories of his high school experience.
“Look, people staring at a kid with a mustache,” Shinde quipped about having facial hair. “The mustache stares back.”

His message, however, was don’t be embarrassed by making a mistake and to go out and take chances.

“We’re supposed to embarrass ourselves,” said Shinde, who is headed to UConn to major in biomedical and electrical engineering. “[It] allow us to laugh at ourselves in a world with rules, regulations and expectations, there is still time for humor and play.”

He ended with a powerful statement.

“I ask that you remember who I was; I will never forget any of you,” he said.

In his valedictory address, Robert Hunt said that while perfection was unobtainable, attempting to achieve perfection should be a driving force.

“We must continue to reach out and try to grab it,” said Hunt, who noted that his speech was a perfect example of being imperfect, having gone through numerous iterations. “This is the only way that great advances are made in any field of work. … Don’t ever sit back and say that something is merely good enough.”

The ceremony was held at the indoor convention center, much to the relief of the graduates and audience members, who were spared the 90-plus degree heat from last week.