'An Exceptional Class' Graduates From Fairfield Ludlowe: PHOTOS

FAIRFIELD, CT — The colossal conclusion of 13 years of public school was brought home Wednesday for hundreds of Fairfield Ludlowe High School seniors when their graduation ceremony was held at Jennings Beach.

“It feels great,” said Quinn Markham, 18. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”

Friends, family and faculty too were thrilled to take part in the outdoor event, which filled the parking lot before two giant projection screens on either side of a small stage for commencement exercises.

“This is absolutely my favorite night of the year,” said Greg Hatzis, head principal.

Like others on the faculty, Hatzis expressed strong admiration for the outgoing class of students, who not only had to endure the traditional strains, struggles and stressors of a four-year high school, but were saddled with the added complications of the coronavirus pandemic.

“More than other classes, these guys had to show incredible resiliency, be really flexible and face adversity head on,” he said. “They really are an exceptional class.”

Just over 350 students came for commencement exercises, arriving with friends and family to find a long greeting line of their teachers just past the entrance to the beach.

“It feels oddly more intimate," noted Sean Colley, Warner House principal, explaining that with the beach format, the staff actually has the chance to see each graduate pass by, along with their loved ones, and to share a direct congratulations before the ceremony.

“Just being able to have a receiving line is really nice,” he said.

History teacher Joe Wright concurred.

“It’s a conclusion to four years of hard work, and it’s an opportunity to say goodbye to some people that they won’t see for some time,” he said.

Mixed feelings were the order of the day for many of the students, including Lucy Sweeney, 18, who is going on to study at Miami University.

“I’m excited, but it kind of feels surreal and bittersweet,” she said. “I’m going to miss my time at Ludlowe, but I’m mostly excited to have new memories and experiences in college.”

Graduate Liam Giannico, 18, who will study marketing at the University of Connecticut, also saw two sides to the coin.

“It just feels like it’s nice to be done with something that I’ve been working on for a long time, (but) I think I’m going to miss the general sense of direction,” he said.

Being a high school student, he explained, your job is largely cut out for you, while a new sense of independence and related responsibility await in college.

“Especially after the year these seniors have had, to be able to put together a ceremony that really honors them is really special,” Hatzis said.