East Haven High School’s class of 2011 said goodbye to their new alma mater Tuesday when they turned their mortarboard tassels and officially became graduates.
Nearly 270 seniors made up the graduating class. They marched out to Coach Crisafi Field on a pleasantly warm evening to accept their diplomas from school officials.
Before the ceremony, students mingled in the school atrium, where Chris Johnson and Briana Consiglio reminisced about the school year.
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Chris said at EHHS he learned to be himself and he made friends, on those terms, that he’ll have for the rest of his life. He plans to work for a year and then go to college for business classes, while Briana said she is headed for hairdresser school.
Classmates Jimmy Gagliardi and Alex Mazzucco both plan to attend Albertus Magnus College in the fall. Jimmy said he will study business management, while Alex is still undecided about her major.
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"It went by so quick," Jimmy said about high school. Like many of their classmates, Jimmy and Alex said the senior class field day at Holiday Hill in Cheshire was one of the most memorable events of the academic year.
This was also a memorable year for Principal Stephen Anderson, who just completed his first year at the helm of the school. He had previously served as principal for several of the state technical high schools.
Anderson made it a habit to stand at the front door and greet each student every day, and by the end of the school year he said he knew most of the 970 students by name.
"I had a lot of support and the kids made it easy," he said.
He said the class of 2011 had "a lot of positive energy and perseverance," and "a wonderful sense of goodwill."
Senior Class President Brittany Douglas opened the commencement ceremony, telling her classmates that they were there to celebrate not just four years of high school, but also 12 years of education.
Brittany said she asked other students to sum up their experience at EHHS, and among the things they said it was a time to make mistakes, to change your mind often, to make friends, to make memories, to make the most of everything and take it all with you when you go.
School Supterintendent Anthony Serio said he hoped graduation would turn out to be a new beginning for the graduating seniors.
"Set your goals high, and stretch yourself to reach those goals," he advised them. "Take one step at a time and eventually you will reach those goals."
Mayor April Capone said the class of '11 had special significance for her, because these students were born the year she graduated from high school.
Capone offered the students "three simple rules" to live by: appreciate and be grateful for what they have, to take care of their possessions, themselves and the other people in their lives, and to listen to their parents.
"Pay attention to what they say and do," she said, "because they will always have your best interests at heart."
"Why learn if we can sit around all day and watch 'Seinfield?'" asked class Valedictorian Andrew Schneer. He argued that humans are unique in having the ability to use their brains to think and solve problems.
Also, said Andrew, Americans can use their brains to their full potential, unlike people in some other countries with governments that control what they can learn. He told them the next time they are reluctant to wake up early and take on a difficult task, to remember that many people around the world would love to take their place.
"When we set our minds on something, we keep going," said Salutatorian Nicholas DeFilippo, who also urged perseverance. "This is the key to success."
Anderson warned them not to get distracted by cynicism and negativity. "When we listen with our hearts we find peace and completeness," he said.
