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Schools

"You Have Made Your Mark as the Class of 2011"

170 graduate from Ellington High School and remember all that they have done along the way.

As the Class of 2011 prepared to become alumni of Friday night, Principal Neil Rinaldi wanted to make it clear what was happening in the gym.

“Good evening parents, grandparents, extended families, town dignitaries, friends and those of you who thought there was going to be a basketball game here tonight,” Rinaldi said, getting a laugh from the crowd of 1,000 people in the gym and several hundred more in the auditorium.

He then congratulated the 170 graduates and told them to wave to their parents. All hands shot up in the air and waved wildly at their families.

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“Parents, you are now looking at the hands of the future,” Rinaldi said. “These are the hands of the collaborators, innovators, communicators and critical thinkers who will lead us through the 21st Century.”

Rinaldi told of the many great accomplishments that came out of the Class of 2011, including numerous NCCC championships, Tri-Town hockey won the NHC title and the girls' cross country won the Class M state title. The Opening Knight Players tackled the tough subject of bullying with the play, “Where the Sun is Silent,” written by EHS English and drama teacher, William Prenetta. The music department won three gold and one platinum medal at a recent adjudication festival and the class helped re-instate the art show at . The class also produced a Veteran's Day assembly, which evoked tears and accolades from all who attended.

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Academically, 15 percent of the class consistently made honor roll four consecutive years, and two members of the class were recognized as in the National Merit Scholarship program. Sixteen were Presidential Award recipients. In the National Physics Bowl, Ellington was awarded second place for the entire New England region. One student was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy and more than 90 percent of the class plans to continue their education beyond high school.

“I have many fond memories of you and you have made your mark as the Class of 2011,” Rinaldi said.

In their opening remarks, three of the class officers Lauren Arbeiter, Emily Barnhart and Brittany Rhodes reminisced on the past 13 years, including the Washington D.C. trip in eighth grade, taking part in drama productions, sports, music and taking part in the largest pep rally Ellington has ever seen in the form of “Cool Schools” for WFSB Channel 3, which required the seniors (and the rest of the EHS student body) to be at the school at 4 a.m. for the live show.

“It's been an unforgettable 13 years,” said Arbeiter, class treasurer.

Student Council president Kelly Stauffer noted that one of the best lessons she's learned in high school was how to become the voice of change.

“When I entered EHS as a 14-year-old freshman, I’m not going to lie, I was terrified,” she said. “Despite our differences, we all had one thing in common; we all just wanted to find a place to belong. It’s not about fitting in. Instead, it’s about finding our voice. For me, it was through the work on Student Council when I realized this. I learned that change can start with one person and we all can be that person, but in order to cause the change, we must be it.”

In his salutatory address, Christopher Wing noted that up until this point, each graduate has shared a common experience in Ellington.

“We went to the same high school and were immersed in a small town setting where we learned the meaning of community and the value of friendship,” he said. “High school graduation is a fundamental milestone in all of our lives. Now, we are all faced with the opportunity to move beyond the world of familiarity and into the unknown.”

Wing added that if his fellow graduates truly set their minds to something, they have the ability to achieve that goal.

“We have control of our destinies and the power to make a difference in the world. As the esteemed Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, 'Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail,'“ Wing said.

Nicholas Larew, class valedictorian, told the 1,000 faces before him, the hundreds in the auditorium and his fellow graduates behind him, that he's not a big fan of public speaking. So he channeled what Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore would call his “happy place.”

“Last summer, I rode the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, but standing up here in front of all of you is the most frightening thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Larew admitted.

Larew thought of several topics for his speech, but nothing was really inspiring. Nothing inspiring until he went to the place that's been a second home for him for the past decade – the golf course, aka, his “happy place.”

“All the great memories and life lessons I have learned on the course have made me the person I am today,” Larew said. “Golf legend Bobby Jones once said, 'Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots - but you have to play the ball where it lies.' In many ways, golf is life. There are so few things that go exactly how we hope or plan, but no matter what, we have to find a way to deal with it. Even if you aren’t a golfer, the lessons learned from the game can last for a lifetime.”

Senior class advisor Lindsay McGinn, who was slated to address the graduates and their families, was unable to attend the ceremony – in person, at least. But, with some creative thinking, a cardboard cutout and the public address system, McGinn was there – and gave five pieces of advice – the last of which ended with a Disney classic from “Cinderella,” sung beautifully by McGinn:

“A dream is a wish your heart makes. When you’re fast asleep. In dreams you will lose your heart ache. Whatever you wish for, you keep. Have faith in your dreams and someday, your rainbow will come smiling through. No matter how your heart is grieving. If you keep on believing. The dreams that you wish will come true.” 

Graduates

A-G: Angela April Albee, Nicholas Walter Alcutt, Kirsten Alix Anderson, Ryan Anderson, Lauren Kathleen Arbeiter, Sara Emilia Arbelaez, Jennifer Nicole Artesani, Kaleigh Amanda Avery, Lukas Simon Babella, Emily Alyssa Baker, William A. Baker, Rachel Erin Ballasy, Emily Carol Barnhart, Anthony J. Barone, Brandon James Bartell, Sydney Bassett-Wooley, William E. Beaudry Jr., Sarah C. Bedford, Kevin James Bernardino, Stephen Berube, Robert Berzenski, Nina Frances Betancourt, Brian Steven Borbas Jr., Alyssa Paige Brawn, Christopher Bruno, Kiersten Noelle Burke, Marc Maurice Castonguay, Alyssa Marie Chase, Jonathan Cheesman, Alexandria Clemson, Dylan Joseph Coles, Meaghan-Rose Costello, Thomas Patrick Cottle, Dakota D’Achiardi, Angela Marie Daigle,  Aaron Astley Daley, Danielle Evangeline DeCarli, Connor Michael Defemia, Nicholas DiGiacomo, Joanna Rose DiStefano, Jacob W. Donzell, Matthew Jameson Duguay, Kevin James Dwire, Deonna Marie Fabrycki, Nicole Ashley Finkle, Rebekah Louise Fox, Krystal D. Fraser, Julia Marie Gage, Eric Steven Garvey, Ryan Matthew Gay, Carolyn Jayne Gill, Katryna Aleksa Gouin, Zachary Taylor Graves, Michael James Gresh, Ian Charles Grinaski.

H-P: Taylor Marie Haggerty, Jacqueline Rae Halloran, Francis Patrick Hamm, Jordan R. Hayes, Kelly Rose Hayes, Samuel Henderson, Brendan Home, Alexander N. Iverson, Matthew Aaron Janiga, Kelsey Janssen, Samantha Rose Johnson, Callahan Damian Jones, Claiborne Ashley Jones, Kady Lynn Joy, Meghan Elizabeth Kacmarcik, Bhrighde Eileen Kehoe, Alexandria King, Samantha Anne
King, Zachary Kraus, Ariel Amber Kresge, Ryan Kuczynski, Joseph R. LaChance, Renee Elizabeth Landry, Kevin M. Lapointe, Nicholas R. Larew, Elizabeth Nicole Leonard, Benjamin Lindblom, Chelsea Marie Lundeberg, Michele Macchiarella, Alexandra Paige Maciolek, Kelly Anne Maguire, Brian Thomas Malone, Kara L. Maloney, Austin James Maniatis, Michael Logan Marcus, Alexandra Jane Marella, Tracy Nichole Marholin, Justin Henry Markowski, Christina Marie Martin, Anastasia Matveeva, Morgan Elizabeth McPartland, Brianna Hope Mellen, Benjamin Midyette, Dustin James Mocadlo, Elliot T. Montoya, Tiffany Jeanne Morissette, Taylor Paige Moskites, Haley Katherine Moss, Alexandrea Mouttas, Emily St. Clair Nedwick, Kaylee Marie Niemann, Sarah Rebecca Nolan, Ryan Andrew Orszulak, Alyssa Marie Ostrout, Ryan Craig Ostrout, Olivia Lanz Palozej, Michael Patsun, JoAnna Mary Paul, Claudia-Marie Perez, Stephen David Pernal, Christopher Philavong, Amy Marie Pinard, Dylan Planeta, Natalie Marie Poitras, Megan Ann Potamianos, Krista Elizabeth Pregony.

Q-Z: Chelsy Amanda Quiles, Amy Leigh Rafaniello, Emily Anastasia Rancourt, Amir Arsalan Ranjbar, Kelly Maureen Remenik, Zachery Remington, Brittany Ann Rhodes, Elizabeth Jayne Risley, Andrew Roets, Keena Patricia Romeo, Jeanette Rowe, Kenneth Brian Sage, Alyssa Mae Savage, Charles Vincent Savona, Curt Joseph Schiessl Jr., Andrew Douglas Schneider, Joanna Vi Schneider, Daniel D. Schofer, Amanda Rose Schroth, Casey Rose Settle, Samuel J. Sirag, Sarah N. Smith, Natalie Rose Snow, Ashley Marie Sojka, Christine Leah Spartz, Megan Marie Squadrito, Kelly Marie Stauffer, Patrick David Stavens, Erika Ann Streib, Kelsey Louise Sullivan, Thomas P. Sullivan, Jennifer Rose Tautkus, Matthew Ronald Thibodeau, Lucianna Lynn Thieringer, Michael J. Thomas, Alyssa Taylor Toth, Justin P. Vamvilis, Adam F. Vieweg, Marissa Erin Violette, Heather Lynn Walters, Michelle Nicole Walters, Cameron Alexander Waters, Abigail Marie Welch, Brannen Girard Wesley, Christopher Philip Wing, Amanda Wright, Ying Ye, Cassandra Marilyn Zborowski, Margaret Chaplen Ziomek, Jenna Marie Zuffelato.

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