New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)
A host of firsts for East Haven H.S. graduates
EAST HAVEN — The 225 members of the East Haven High School Class of 2020 celebrated a host of firsts Saturday as they stepped across a stage in front of the school’s main entrance — after driving up to the stage with their families in a long line of cars to get their diplomas and head off into the world.
The first senior class in recent memory not to graduate on the school’s football field — or in the month of June — also was the first to spend the last four months of high school studying at home, skip senior milestones such as prom and not see classmates for weeks before graduation.
In a COVID-19 world, few hugs were exchanged.
But even as they moved on to the next phase of life, the students — most of them not yet born on 9/11 — resolved not to let circumstances imposed by the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic define them.
“We may not have had a conventional senior year, but we will go down in history as the class that got their world turned upsidedown, yet perservered,” said Salutatorian Kayla Vernon in a speech that, like all the speeches Saturday, was livestreamed at 8 a.m. on the district’s YouTube channel.
“We are not going to allow COVID-19 to define or erase 2020,” said Vernon, who will attend the University of Connecticut in the fall.
Only about 30 students and 20 or so teachers, administrators and town officials were there in front of her at the time. The rest either watched from home or will have the opportunity to do so in the future.
“Thursday, March 12, 2020, all 225 of us walked in” to school, “not knowing that it was
the last time” that they would all be together, Vernon said.
“For the past couple of months, the future seemed uncertain ... but we made it!” said Vernon, who spoke along with Valedictorian Amy Nieto, Class President Samantha Schlottman, Principal Vincent DeNuzzo, Superintendent Erica Forti, Board of Education Chairwoman Michele DeLucia, Mayor Joe Carfora and state Rep. Joe Zullo, R-East Haven.
Assistant Principal Susan Harkins acted as master of ceremonies — and also sanitized the lecturn and the microphone between speakers.
“We are the first graduating class of this decade, celebrating together,” Vernon said, telling her classmates that “East Haven High Schoool is more than a building. It is a place that nourished our adolescence.”
The students graduated in four staggered waves, with cars lining up to drive in via the school’s front traffic circle, which was surrounded by signs bearing the names of the graduates. Students then got out of the car and walked through an arch and up a red carpet to the stage.
Nieto said that “in the midst of creating our own future, history halted us . ... Something we had no control over has altered our way of life for the last four months.”
Schlottman, who will attend Quinipiac University in the fall, said, “I cannot believe that our four years at East Haven High School has come to an end already.”
She reminded her classmates that “our time at the high school was not measured by the papers we wrote or even the tests that we took, but rather by the experiences we have had that have shaped us into the individuals that we are today . ... Our class was built with the strength, courage and bravery to face anything in our way, and with this uncertain time we are currently facing, we have all made the best of it.”
DeNuzzo told graduates that this year’s speech was the hardest he has had to write so far.
“The Class of 2020 will always be remembered as the class that handled itself with class and dignity” amid difficult conditions, DeNuzzo said. “I’m so proud of you and I know that you’ll be doing great things in the future.”
DeLucia, whose son, Marchello, was among the graduates, said, “It is my honor as chairperson of the Board of Education to witness this celebration of all that you have accomplished as you cross the stage today as a graduate . ... In the coming years it is my hope that when you look back at your time in East Haven, it is with feelings of happiness and belonging.”
Forti told them that “graduating is a great achievement under any circumstances. Some of you have had to overcome steep obstacles along the way . ... And then, just as you were about to celebrate having made it through ... the world is turned upside-down by a global pandemic . ... But you found ways to respond with wit and creativity and spirit. ... We are so proud of who you’ve become and so excited to watch you thrive.”
Carfora said that “during these unprecedented times of dealing with this coronavirus, all of you have learned to move forward from it, and I’m very proud of all of you.”
He urged them to “try to excel in everything that you do.”
Zullo cautioned graduates that becoming adults isn’t all a bed of roses. “You’re going to fail sometimes. You might even surprise yourselves sometimes at how spectacularly you fail,” Zullo said.
“Your success will enrich your lives — and I’m hopeful that your lives will all be filled with success and prosperity and happiness,” he said. “However, I promise you that your lives will be defined by how you respond on those rare but critical times when things get tough, and there will be tough times.
“We are all collectively in the midst of one of those tough times right now,” Zullo said.
Students and their families seemed to take their unusual circumstances in stride.
“I’m very happy,” said A’Maya Ashante Bell, who will be majoring in biology at Southern Connecticut State University in the fall, as she reunited with her proud parents after graduating with honors. “I’m glad we got to do something special,” she said.
“I’m excited,” said Melody Benitez, who will attend St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn, N.Y. “I wish things were different. But this is the best that was possible ... I expected not to have a graduation.”
Her mother, Emily Benitez,
who moved with her family to East Haven from the Bronx, N.Y., two years ago, said she thought the school did very well given the situation.
“It’s interesting,” said graduate Vincenzo Bunce as he waited in line. “I wish we could have a normal graduation, but this is probably as good as it’s going to get,” said Bunce, who is training to be an EMT.
“I think all these kids should be proud of themselves,” said his father, Ralph Bunce.
Graduate Alexander Arguello, who plans to work before heading off to college, said he felt “pretty great” afterward.
“As a family, we’re very proud,” said his older brother, Abe Arguello.
Twins Tanner and Alec DeVito — who both are finishing up being trained as EMTs and are heading to school to be trained as paramedics — felt good afterward.
“It’s a relief,” said Tanner, after posing for some photos with his parents, Ryan and Jennifer DeVito and other family members at the edge of Frank Crisafi Field, where graduations normally take place. “I wish we had it on the field,” but “they made it pretty good.”