Granby Memorial Graduates Told to 'Feel the Love' Sent by Family, Friends

Friday was the first day of summer and the last day of high school for the 2013 graduating class of Granby Memorial High School.

Some strategically drifting clouds and a light breeze relieved the warmth of the evening as the maroon-clad students filed by proud parents, family and friends to the strains of "Pomp and Circumstance."

Teacher Joyce Stashenko, who is leaving Granby Memorial with the graduates, was chosen by the class to speak at commencement.

Stashenko told the students to ignore the platitudes on the Hallmark cards they will receive and instead recognize how important the next phase of life will be.

"You might have a child and then you'll become your parents whether you like it or not," she said.

Stashenko also called on the graduates to find their moral center — their "Jiminy Cricket," so to speak — so they can look in the mirror every day.

"You have freedoms open to you that many in the global world do not," she said. "Don't be easy on yourself when you look in that mirror."

At the end of her speech, Stashenko asked the graduates to close their eyes and "feel the love we send to you at this moment."

Principal Dr. Patricia Law introduced the salutatorian, Jamie Moffa, who will be attending the University of Connecticut as a Nutmeg Scholar, and the valedictorian, Daniel Magoon, who will be attending Dartmouth College.

Then Kaitlin Greene, the class speaker, gave a math-themed speech that talked about all the additions and subtractions students had experienced, as well as a time when each one "felt like we were nothing."

Green said she hoped that the graduates could "spend a little less time staring at screens and a little more time finding out what life really means."

The graduates are listed below:

Scholarly Distinction

Ellie Ruth Bourque* Kaitlin Anne Greene* James Male* Jessica Anna Reme* Peter G. Brodeur* Lauren Taylor Holt* Caroline Allison Marzo* Devin Moran Smith* Anne Signe Case* Dustin Anthony Kaiser Neil Timothy Mitchell Audrey Jane Turcotte* Haley Sierra Cormier* Krista Alden Karlson Jamie Catherine Moffa* Jakob R. Yankauskas* Benjamin Karl Fetzner* Daniel R. Magoon Michael F. Noyes 

Sophie Isabelle Ackerman 

Shreen Ahmad 

Emma Gloria Allen 

Andrew William Ash 

Alyssa Michelle August 

Dylan Ayotte 

Lauren Kelly Azzola 

Makenna Siana Barnes 

Danielle Christina Barrow 

Thomas Michael Bartoes 

Tevin D. Beckford 

Brooke Alyssa Beckwith 

Matthew J. Behrens 

Alicia Taylor Bell 

Evin Scott Bell 

Leanna Brandi Bellmund 

Frederick Wilhelm Bentley 

Andrew Parry Berberian* 

Taylor Ann Bidon 

Amy Elizabeth Bilodeau 

Stephen Andrew Blake 

Meghan Elizabeth Blasig 

Jonathan David Blejewski 

Savannah Brooke Blessis 

Brian Christopher Borruso 

Aidan Philip Borsecnik 

Mark A. Botta, Jr. 

Paul R. Bourbeau 

William Richard Brodeur 

Joel R. Brown 

Casey R. Buchholz 

Brett J. Buser 

Brandi Nicole Byczkiewicz 

Carlin C. Champion 

Ricky R. Chamrene 

Jamani Daja Chapman 

Dylan T. Chicoine 

Angelica M. Collins 

Kellie Marie Comer 

J. Eric Conroy, Jr. 

Jared Thomas Cooper 

Hannah Mackenzie Cormier 

Rachel Marie Costolnick 

Seth William Crandall 

Alden E. Crosset 

Zachary David Cyr 

Zackary Bertrand Cyr 

Gage Morgan Czarniecki 

Erin Lacy D'Agata 

Mark William Dahmke 

Madeleine Marie Davis 

Joshua Daniel Dean 

William Myles DeSteph 

Gina Corbin DiCiancia 

Deianna R. Dion 

Robyn Domanico 

Michael Paul Drennan 

Matthew Wood Duncan 

Jill Kathryn Edbrooke 

William Arthur Edwards 

Rebecca Anne Everett 

Emily Brooke Farber 

Ryan Edward Faulkner 

Anna Kate Fede* 

Sara Feldstein 

Dylan James Ferreira 

Kelsey Elizabeth Flowers 

Alex Vincent Frechette 

Nicole Elizabeth Fredo 

Nils Aron Fritjofson 

Logan Alden Fry 

Alicia J. Gagnon 

Kaitlin Marie Galarneau 

Ellen Rosemary Gaynor 

Gordon R. Gellert 

Timothy Alexander Gervascio 

Austin James Gilbert 

Meghan Catherine Gilmore 

Sean Patrick Goodridge 

Ana Elizabeth Marie Gron 

Christopher James Hageman 

Jared Kelsey Hall* 

Daquan S. Harris 

Meredith Jillian Hauser* 

Rebecca Leigh Hayes 

Kyle Joseph Hebert 

Abigail E. Hokunson 

Connor Alan Hunt 

Joanna Hyld 

Kelsey Ann Iwanicki* 

Molly Christine Jacobs* 

Dylan Thomas Johnson 

Hanna Kalldal 

Paige A. Kibby* 

Mary Elizabeth Kidd 

Emma Beatrice Kraner 

Megan Burke Kuhnly 

Zachary R. Kushner 

William G. Lambert 

Renee Christine Lareau 

Paige Alyx Lee 

Colleen P. Leonardi 

Samuel Eden Douglas Lindeyer 

Megan Kelly Lira 

Joshua Ryan Loomis 

Adam Lukowski 

Stavros George Manolakis 

Benjamin M. Marlor 

Emily Rose Martel 

Jessica Nicole Massey 

David E. Mastrangelo 

John A. McDonald, III 

Olivia Jenn McDonald 

Caleb Kent McMullin 

Jennifer Ann Miles 

Cameron Z. Miller 

David Andrew Mills 

Justin A. Minalga 

William Patrick Molloy 

Kenneth W. Mouning, Jr. 

Jake Edward Narvesen 

Foster Taylor Newton 

Miriam Lillian Nichols 

Megan Elizabeth Nilson 

Matthew Francis O'Neil* 

Mia Olsen 

Gabriella Marie Pagano* 

Nicholas Alexander Paolino* 

Lauren Elizabeth Pardee 

Nathan Craig Perry 

Ashley Nicole Piccirillo-Horan 

Kylie Elizabeth Pitt 

Ashley Marie Puncavage 

Levi Armand Randall, III 

Timothy Matthew Ray 

Mitchell Garrison Rennels 

Nicholas R. Richards 

Gratton Thomas Rider 

Kaitlyn Elizabeth Riveiro 

Taylor Anne Rogers 

Alexis Marie Roy 

Garret Edward Salazar 

Stephanie Michelle Samuelson 

Daniel P. Sawtelle 

Brittany Schultz 

Ryan Theodore Seger 

Samantha Rose Sharp 

Deanna Beverly Shinder 

Kelley Ann Slyne 

Ashley Marie Smith 

Calin Wilson Smith 

David W. Smith* 

Danielle Jean Sojka 

Catherine Meredith Spear 

Maribeth Casey Stent 

Marianna Luz Sticca 

Emily M. Stone 

Olivia Lee Swanfeldt 

Paige Donna Christensen-Swanson 

Shawn Alexander Sweeney* 

Dawson Nicholas Tefft 

Vanessa Ann Tepper 

Théo Tessier 

Aubrey Leigh Tigno 

Gianna Marie Turchi 

Alexander Louis Uhl 

Thomas M. Ullmann 

Kelsey Lynne Uzdarwin 

Eric Rowan van Heel, Jr. 

Erin Elizabeth Walsh 

Seane Michael Waterbury 

Alyssa Marie Way 

Aidan Patrick Wolf 

* denotes National Honor Society