Pride and progress

Class of 2018 reaches milestone, ready for more

BRANFORD — The 206 members of Branford High School’s class of 2018 graduated Tuesday on the

Green under blue skies.

“It’s surreal that this is the last time we’re all going to be together, that our class is going to be together,” said Nick Genovese, who walked the stage with a group of friends he’s known since fifth grade.

Nick Esposito said he had mixed emotions about graduating, both happy and sad. But it was a proud day for Shea Sullivan, who was walking with her mother in mind.

“She never graduated so she really wanted me to graduate,” Sullivan said. “It makes me feel really proud that I’ve come so far and how happy she is for me makes me proud.”

High school graduation is only level one, though, Richard Salg said.

“It’s one of those milestones that you wait for and it’s the first one you’re really going to reach,” Salg said. “My parents always told me this was the first milestone and from there just keep collecting milestones. Next one after this is graduate college, get married and have a kid.”

The graduating class heard from a Branford

High School alumnus who had reached many milestones, English teacher Christian Miller.

“Don’t ever forget this community,” Miller said during his commencement speech. “You don’t have to come back here and live, or teach at the high school, but always remember the part of you that grew up in Branford.” Miller’s own son was a graduate Tuesday and his father, from the class of 1955, was in attendance, too.

During his speech, Miller said he thought he was one of the lucky ones on his graduation day who knew what they wanted to do after high school because he had a plan to go to college, study journalism and become a newspaper reporter, which he did working for the New Haven Register for a time. While he recalled sittting on the Green during his graduation thinking he knew what he wanted, Miller said he needed to be open to wanting something different later in life.

“I wouldn’t be here tonight if I wasn’t open to change or doing something different to take a risk,” he said. “And it’s been worth it every step of the way . ... Most likely, many of you will switch majors or career tracks later in life and if that happens you need to embrace it. It’s OK to get out of your comfort zone. Approach life’s challenges, the unknown, heartbreaks, struggles, approach them as opportunities to grow.”

Catherine Avalone / Hearst Connecticut Media Eli Alexander, right, and Jaden Atkinson Whittingham wave to a friend at graduation exercises Tuesday.

Catherine Avalone / Hearst Connecticut Media From left, Maria DeFabio, Suzanne Prota, Autumn McHenry and Ally Goldman cheer on their classmates at Branford High School graduation Tuesday on the Green.

Catherine Avalone / Hearst Connecticut Media Branford Town Hall is reflected in the sunglasses of Pasquale Candela as he smokes a cigar following graduation Tuesday on the Green.