Ledyard Graduation: 'I Wish You A Lifetime Of The Best Days Ever'

It was a picture perfect night Saturday for the Class of 2013 to bid farewell to Ledyard High School and launch the next phase of their lives.

The bleachers on Mignault Field were filled to the brim with parents and family and the fence around the field was lined with friends and others as the 194 diplomas were awarded.

Speakers touched on themes including inspiration, excellence, values, and the importance of friends , family and faculty.

But perhaps the most heartfelt speech of the night came from Patricia Webb, who spent the last 13 years with the class as the aide to Michael Daggett, a senior who is blind.

Webb read a letter to the class, recalling that the day they started kindergarten they had the same looks on their faces as today. She traced their growth through elementary and middle schools, to high school.

"I have had the best job in the Ledyard school district," she said, and then extolled the students to always remember " You matter to the world."

Kelsey Lee Johnson, class president for all four years, said her classmates were inspiring to her and each other.

Class Poet Laureate Joseph Rosen read a piece called "Hurry but Don't Rush."

Ledyard Scholars Kimberly Codding and Marguerite France played a Wheel of Fortune type game, having seniors turn letters spelling LEDYARD.

"No matter where we go in life, no matter what we do, we are Colonels. We are Ledyard," they said.

Rachael Miller urged her classmates to set standards and values and then live up to them.

Michael Hughes, who leaves for the U.S. Air Force Academy Monday, compared high school to an airport.

"Everyone arrives the same, anticipating the flight," he said, and then he compared teachers to the TSA.

"They may seem cranky and strict but they are just doing their jobs."

Samantha Porter and Minnie Zhang took everyone on a trip back through time, recalling everything from Pokemon to the first cell phones.

Qiuyin Ren dissolved into tears when she turned to thank the faculty for all they had done for the class over the years.

Here is the list of graduates of the Ledyard High School Class of 2013, as provided by Ledyard High School.
Catherine Anne Periman Adams
Mitchell R. Allen
Cristian David Alvis
Brandon Michael Anderson
Alexandra Christine Armaos
Jordan Avena
Samantha Joy Baatz
Dayton Lloyd Bagg
Jessica Ann Baron
Brian Tyler Bates
Tyler James Batty
Sarah Elizabeth Bazinet
*Julianna Rebecca Beaver
Mikayla Marie Becker
Breanna Lyn Bedard
Jacob Devin Bennett
Samantha Marlaine Bernacchi
**Jordan Lee Bierman
Weston Philip Button Blake
Madison Irene Blask
*Abigail Bora
Desmond Jaquan Boyd
Samantha Kaye Boyd
Robert Bozym
Lauren Helene Briggs
Thomas Henry Brightman, III
Benjamin Peter Bruciati
Shideira Monique Burbridge
Allison Louise Campbell
*Bethany Winona Carrington
Amber Nicole Castle
*Grace Elisabeth Chattin
Antonio Dupont Clapp-Farinha
Adam Matthew Cochrane
**Kimberly Marie Codding
Bryan Bobbie Collins
Jonathon Austin Collins
Ariana M. Comeau
*Amber Raelin Coombe
Hope Catherine Crandall
Katherine Ann Cummings
Michael James Daggett
Nicholas Patrick Daly
Ashley Renee Dart
Deanna Elizabeth Daugherty
Rachel Mary Davies
Sydney Rae Davies
Colton S. Day
Austin William Decker
Anuj K. Desai
Mike-Kensy Desir
Joshua William DeSouza
Deionte Jamahl Dewar
David Jay Diamond
Robert Arnold Drury
Brandon James Duben
Gabrielle Rose Dubuc
Amanda Faith Eakin
Cody James Edmonds
David Fielding Eichelberg
Patricia Kathleen Elliott
Damon Matthew Ellis
Douglas Jacob Epstein
Jordan Eugene Farquhar
Brandi Michelle Feliciano
Brandon DeShawn Finney
Nathalia Amelia Fleitas
**Kayla Alexis Fowler
**Marguerite Danielle France
Joseph Louis Franzone
Jessika Emma Fratus
Brittany Anne Fuchs
**Kylie Berry Fustini
Alec Benjamin Gabriel
Jennifer Marie Gaccione
Patrick John Gallagher
*Alison Nicole Gardner
Kerrie Edward Gardner
Zachary Ryan Gatewood
Tyler Michelle Gernhard
*Christopher Bennett Gill
Inniyah Ayrn Gills
*Ashley Elizabeth Merét Giordano
Brandon Wallace Goudy
Peter William Grant
Joycelynn Doris Green
Kelsey Marie Greene
Colin Chandler Grim
*Billy Guo
Tyler Shea Hammond
Amanda Marie Hausler
Rosanna Maria Hayer
Nathaniel Douglas Haynes
Justin Leroy Herrick
*Jessica Alice Hespeler
Alexander James Hillyer
Alexander Robert Hintz-Valdez
*Michelle Evelyn Hobert
*Michaela Joann Holland
Laurel Ashley Holubecki
Jake Weston Holzenthal
*Elizabeth Jean Hooper
Enya Anne Horler
**Michael Scott Hughes
Kendra Rosemary Seabury Hume
*Gregory Glass Hutchins
Matthew Stewart James
Ericka Marie Jenkins
Tiffany Marie Jensen
*Kelsey Lee Johnson
Kyle Ashley Johnson
Miranda Lyn Johnston
Matthew Nelson Jones
Mathilde Junger
Calton I. Karpi
Kevin Craig Kohlhepp
Cameron Alexander Krauth
Shana Marie Kuhse
*Adedoyin Deborah Ladoja
Brook Emilee Lasater
*Steven Michael Leandri
*Halle McKenzie Lehner
Shannon Quinn Lozier
Hailey Michelle Lugo
Jacky Ma
Keith Brian Machi
Andrew Phillips Mallory
Megan Elizabeth Marmaud
Christine Ann Martin
Michael Barrington Martin
*Duncan Thomas Maxwell
Randall Wayne McCullough
Matthew Shane McElwee
Tevin Charles Merrill
*Dru Alexander Mihalko
Adiana Gabrelle Mihok
**Rachael Jean Miller
Jessica M. Monday
Christopher James Monroe
Benjamin Morales
Christopher William Morgan
Alexandra Lin Neilan-Walters
Jordan William Norbut
Kaelyn Nicole Nordmark
Dakota L. O'Connell
Jillian Edna O'Connor
Alexis Victoria Olsen
Mary-Margaret Rose Pacheco
Erica Marie Pangelinan
Kyle John Parry
*Alexander Steward Paterson
Regan Elizabeth Patsiga
Timothy Gary Paul
*Kaitlin Anne Pealer
Matthew Thomas Peluso
Cheven Richard Perry
Kyle Wayne Perry
Brittany Ann Phelps
Alexis M Polonsky
**Samantha Ann Porter
Cassidy A. Powell
Johnathan Kennedy Rainey
Bryan Jacob-Michael Raksnis
Jaquontee Sakye Reels
Lindsey Margaret Reinhart
*Mikayla Elizabeth Rein-Walsh
**Qiuyin Ren
*Miranda Marie Rexhaj
Jeffrey P. Rodman
Joseph Rosen
Michael Robert Russak
*Anthony Gerard Saccone
Andrea Lynn Sadosky
Justin Scott Schramm
Brianna Renee Sebastian
Brittney Marie Sebastian
Noe Fernando Serna
*Steven Raphael Servedio
Christine Carrie Simmons
Ian Dwane Smith
Jason Alexander Smith
Kelsey Marie Stegall-Smith
Evan David Stockmon
Sarena Jem Stogden
Logan Scott Stoiber
Walker James Strelevitz
Daniel Jacob Terrapin
Marcus Allen Teune
Richard Norman Thibodeau
Annie Veronica Thompson
Kiara Cardie Thompson
Amanda Kay Throop
Justin Jacob Timberlake
Heather Lynn Fay Tolbert
*Tyler Albert Torelli
Meghan Lee Tripp
Christopher William Turner
*Alexandra Grace Tynan
Joyce Ann Valdellon
Ryan Anthony Wade
Jay Javier Walker
Daphne Raine Walsh
*Christof Edwin Wegiel
*Katherine Anne Welles
*Rose Marie McFadden Welles
Thomas Albert Whipple
Raagan Leah Wicken
Joshua David Wilson
Kyle Christian Wilson
Conner Matthew Wilt
Zachary Wirta
Michael Robert Wood
Benjamin Bryce Woodruff
*Aubrey Leah Woods
Hayleigh Michelle Yates
Christopher Samuel Youmans
*Lucy Zhang
**Yushan Minnie Yukiko Zhang