The Class of 2016 at West Hartford’s Conard High School is urged to ‘be bodacious.’

By Lisa S. Lenkiewicz

Conard High School’s Class of 2016 joyfully celebrated its graduation June 9. Under a sunny, bright blue sky with a brisk breeze the graduates heard words of wisdom from distinguished guest speakers and fellow students.

A throng of proud families and friends cheered the students attired in robes and mortar boards – mostly the traditional red for the girls and gray for the boys, although the students were given a choice of color this year – as 396 Chieftains filled the seats on the school’s baseball field to the accompaniment of the classic and majestic processional, “Pomp and Circumstance.”

Interspersed with contemporary music performed by senior choir members and seniors from the Conard Concert Jazz Band were inspirational speeches urging the graduates to take risks in life and to have confidence in themselves and their future lives.

Describing life metaphorically as a ride on a roller-coaster, Conard Principal Julio Duarte told the students their success depends on how and what they choose. Will they climb aboard and face the “ups or downs” or walk away? “When you feel you are plummeting,” Duarte said, “I encourage you to work harder and stay strong.”

Duarte fondly recalled highlights from this school year such as the musical production of “The Addams Family,” the senior trip to Six Flags, an outstanding art show and the many hard-won sports awards.

The senior class selected English teacher William Antonitis as its class speaker. His theme was “heroes,” and he provided several examples of lessons learned from heroes in literature and in film, with a focus on Joseph Campbell’s book, “The Hero With a Thousand Faces.”

“What is truly heroic is our service to others,” concluded Antonitis.

Tom Moore, superintendent of schools, instructed the new graduates to “be there” for others – as Conard’s faculty and their families have “been there” for them. In addition, he said, who they will be is more important than what they will do. “Your career may be great, but who you are will be better.”

Reflecting Conard’s motto “Diversity is our Strength,” Board of Education member Dr. Cheryl Greenberg’s remarks focused on the students as citizens of the globe who can make the world a better place. She encouraged the graduates to “be bodacious.” She told them to challenge themselves in new directions, don’t take the easy way out, think creatively, and to try and view the world in varied ways.

Assistant Principal Matt Pace and Alexandra Lee Abels, Class of 2016 president, welcomed all to the school’s 59^th commencement ceremony.

There were two student commencement speakers – Kaitlyn Renee Jones and Zacharie Christopher Mega. In spirited and humorous remarks, both student speakers reminisced about their high school years.

Jones made an acrostic out of the word Conard to relay her message: C—challenge yourself and others around you; O—open your mind to new ideas; N—never give up; A—actions speaker louder than [previous] actions; R—remember your home; and D—dare to be great.

Mega, the son of immigrants to the U.S., noted many of the challenges facing his generation. He said his classmates are prepared to take on global issues. He urged classmates to stand up to hate and to value others’ opinions. “I want to be an advocate for open-mindedness,” he said.

Conard has been recognized nationally as a school of academic distinction: 59 percent graduated with honors, and the Class of 2016 included 116 National Honor Society members. Sixty students graduated with highest honors, 67 students graduated with high honors, and 115 students graduated with honors.

Conard High School was named by U.S. News and World Report as a “gold school,” and the news magazine placed Conard in the top two percent of all high schools in the country.

A list of the Conard High School 2016 graduates provided by Conard can be found below.

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Conard Class of 2016

Alexandra Lee Abels

Jonathan Andrew Adams

Joshua Luis Agosto

Muhammad Ahmad

Hibbah Ali

Jack Thomas Alissi

Sabrina Martinhago Almeida

Emilie Marie Alvarez

Caitlin Lopes Anaya

Kenneth Raymond Andrews

Ashley Antoine

Sophia Rose Appicelli

Krishna Neal Arabolu

Maria Katherine Armillei

Waverly Diane Arnold

Jelisse Marie Arzola Torres

Enea Avdiaj

Qasian Dion Banks

Brianna Lynn Barbeau

Jazmine Barber

Kyla Yin Hui Barry

Sadmir Becirovic

Kirsten Marie Bednarz

Jackson Fallon Bell

Kylie Margaret Bell

Noah Raul Benjamin

Kiera Raye Bibeau

Jessica Sophie Bienasz

Sarah Helen Miron Binder

Charles Billings

Zachary Taylor Boehm

Lanceley David Bondoc

Erin Rose Booth

Camilla Jean Bowin

Kiarnan Joseph Boyd

Paige C. Brink

Throy Williams Brown

Liam Bartley Bruce

Ken Bui

Rachel Clare Burke

Michael Donald Burnett

Lucas Jamison Busch

Chavely M. Cabrera

Stephanie Gabriela Caldero

Thomas Ernest Callahan

Nicholas Thomas Calvi

Joseph William Campbell

John Martin Cannon

Xiomy Arianne Cano

Clara Jane Capone

Chelsea Marie Cardona

Peter Andrew Carone

Tyler J. Carson

Grayson Cook Carter

Megan Teresa Casagrande

Olivia L. Case

Daniel Ernesto Castillo

Alexis Castro

Michael A. Casuso

Sean Daly Cavanaugh

Alexis Michelle Chambers

Tanya Holden Chandler

Sadie Chasse

David Chen

Jessin Pappachan Cherian

Emily Jade Chu

Isiah Aaron Cintron

Meghan Quinn Cobb

Isabelle Elise Cohn

Narumi Alicia Collins

ChaKai Shatasja Copeland

Patrick Anthony Corcoran

Gabriela Costa

Elizabeth Mera Crosby

Kyle Dale

Emma Louise Damokosh

Callie Ann Dannhauser

Jonathan Grady Davis

Meghan Alexandra Davis

Micah Alexander Davis

Taylor Cassandra Davis

Zachary T. Day

Lucas Decelles

Amarilys DeJesus

Jonathan Diaz

William Christopher Dickinson

Katlin Faith DiPietro

Yezna Abebe Dires

Michael Anthony DiTaranto

Jordan Michael Dorfman

Ross Donald Dowd

Grace Nora Downes

Sarah Elizabeth Downes

Olivia Mae Downey

Sean Samuel Aliguyon Dulnuan

Hien Nha Duong

Joseph James Duva

Gerson Daniel Echevarria

James Allen Eden

Rachael Kay Edlund

Derek Rudolf Ehle

Anis Musa Ehsani

Maya Rose Eisler

Marc Emile Jr.

Millie Michelle Farah

Alexander David Farrah

Gabrielle Kristina Fearon

Matthew William Fernandez

Eliover Ferraz-Cosme

Gabriella Ferreira

Diana Nicole Festa

Steven Lee Figueroa

Luke Joseph Flege

Thalia Marie Flores

Matthew James Flynn

Sara Shannon Flynn

Jordon Anthony Fongemie

Jackson Gray Fowler

William Mark Fowler

Megan Eva Fredette

Ryan C. Gabinelle

Olivia Rose Gaglioti

Brittany Samantha Gaiter

Michael Marcello Gammon

Bridget Anne Garach

Ian James Gearty

Haley Ann Geithner

Kathleen Marie Gerity

Jack Timothy Gerundo

Eve Feldman Gilles

Isaac Feldman Gilles

Christine Ann Giuffrida

Desiree Elizabeth Goffe

Kayla Moriah Golden

Christopher L. Goncalves

Sandra B. Gorczynski

Antoine Keenen Gordon

Abigail Marie Gosselin

Katherine Rose Gosselin

Rebecca Milne Gotthelf

Charles Edward Grabber

Isabella Fern Gradante

Adrianna Mira Graham

Tyler James Grainger

Torrie Leo Green

Madeline Rose Gregory

Rachel Morgan Gustafson

Melanee Emmaline Haggett

Elijah Tyrell Hales

Mitchell James Hamilton

Sarah Anne Hamilton

Marisa Grace Haverty

Olivia Kathryn Heintz

Michael Joshua Hennessey

Joshua A. Henry

Jose Nickolas Hernandez IV

Michael Hoang

Tony Quoc Hoang

Sarah Marie Hoisl

Cole Grayson Hollant

Andrew Gerald Hollerbach

Julia Angela Hook

Victoria Rose Howard

Salman Hussain

Isaias Stanley Hutcheon

Gianna Emilia Hutchins

Bailey David L. Hutchinson

Blerta Isufi

Pei Elizabeth Ivins

Robert Faulkner Iwersen

Sierra-Anne Jane Jackson

Ajay Jagjivan

Anthony Michael Jarvis

Dijon L. Johnson

Byron Tracy Jones Jr.

Kaitlyn Renee Jones

Natalie Ilana Joseph

Jacob Michael Judd

Caroline Joyce Kane

Arjun Pravin Kaneria

Monica Elise Karriem

Loveleen Kaur

Laura Ann Keck

Gavin Matthew Keif

Patrick Kelly Kenna

Anna Palmer Kirklin

Cameron Dean Klett

Dwain Anthony Knight

Nicole Ellen Kradas

Nicholas Jay Kranmas

William Akira Krysinski

Veenu Kumar

Grayson Joseph Lacroix

Anna Louise Lafreniere

Emily Marie Lafreniere

Paul Joseph Lafreniere

Nicholas Alexander Lagana

Andrew Lau

Elisa Jeannette Laureano

Nicholas Anderson LeConche

Emily Shanley Ledwith

Jonathan Lee

Matthew Garrett Lee

Uen Woo Lee

Ansley Jane Levine

Charlotte Cassard Leyland

Franklin Hanming Li

Matthew Robert Litchfield

Sunna Liu

Jessica Patricia Lohneiss

Jordan Celine Lohneiss

Brooke Elizabeth Lomma

Brianna Long

Pavlo Lyalyutskyy

Madeline Adair Lynch

Zheyuan Lyu

John E. Maas

Riley Ann Hennessey Mackenzie

Tyler M. Macko

Kristen Michele Maguire

Sarah Ann Mahon

Mamata Malla

Nickolas Manning-Ingala

Savannah Marie Marcano

Maria Luisa Marconi

Ryan Michael Marsh

Hannah Marshall

Antonio James Martinez

Kathleen Ann Massaro

Isabella Matos

Aidan Elizabeth McCaffrey

Brian Benneyan McCauley

Josie Chunyi McCormick

Matthew Christopher McCormick

Benjamin Louis McDonough

Julie Erin McKenna

Toni Kiara McLendon

Kasandra Medina

Zacharie Christopher Mega

Benjamin Hwee So Meis

Daniela Mendez

Nicholas Peters Meredith

Lauren Elisabeth Michaels

Amanda Rose Michaud

Jotham Moise

Julia Anne Monyak

Benjamin Donald Moore

Ryan Joseph Morais

Dezyree Jenae Morales

Matthew Antonio Morales

James Andrew Morrissey

Liam Patrick Morse

Makayla B. Murphy

George Patrick Murray

Carlie Frances Musto

Syeda Khadija Naqvi

Syeda Zainab Naqvi

Elizabeth Swenson Narwold

Sam Michael Nasby

Brianna Samerah Nash

Christian Isaiah Navedo

Moriah Catherine Nelson

Timothy Tyler Nelson

Samuel Harris Newton

Leonardo Nunez

Grace Helene O’Connell-Bach

John James O’Connor

Rosemary Kathleen O’Rourke

Claire Elizabeth O’Shea

Erin Rose O’Shea

Andrew Joseph Oddo

Kate Mary Alice Olguin

Andrew Lincoln Olmstead

Cassie Doria Orkin

Xavier Ortiz

Margaux Pace

Owen Nash Painter

Ethan Thomas Patterson

Leandro Alexis Pegeas

Leonardo Samuel Pegeas

Kyle Damian Peña-Green

Devon Gene Pencz

Leandro Perez

Shakira R. Perez

Katherine M. Perrone

Kenny Pham

Ty Thi Ngoc Pham

Kiley S. Phelan

Wallace E. Phelps

Kevin K. Pho

Kevin Phu

Justin Richard Picard

Asia Kaprice Pickens

Andrew S. Pixley

Katherine Jean Policelli

Destiny Cherise Poteat

Marcell Joseph Prados

Kevin F. Presing

Evelyn Katherine Puzio

Nicole Elizabeth Pytel

Shannon Laurel Racz

Zenith Rai

Jennifer Ramos-Baizan

Kyle Christopher Randall

Carson Taylor Reale

Zachary James Reed

Cailyn Tessa Regan

Nathaniel Richam-Odoi

Scott Brien Riley

John Hofmann Rinald

JoLynn G. Rismay

Alyssa Hope Rivera

Myles Jonathan Robinson Walters

David Z. Robles

Gregory Alexander Robles

D’Aja Demani Rodgers

Krystal Yvonglelee Rodriguez

Oscar Rodriguez

Thalia Gisselle Rodriguez

Liliana Enidt Roldan

Alexandre Ferreira Rosa

Cornelia Mary Russell

Jack Anthony Ryan

Jeffrey Sanchez

Alexus Marie Santos

Luis Enrique Santos

Ryan Spencer Santos

Malissa Sayarath

Lauren Jeaneve Scheid

Avery Thomas Schott

Colleen Grace Schulken

Kassandra Ann Elaine Seenarine

Angel Serrano

Gabrielle Sevillano-Colon

Zainab Shahbaz

Milad Shams

Jazmine L. Shepard

Avery McKay Sherrill

Lily Siembab

Michael Silbo

Philip Richard Simplicio

Karman Singh

Michael Anthony Sisti

Jacqueline M. Siu

Sequan Savion Small

Seque Ascherd Small

Ainsley E. Snook

Rashida Akaliah Solomon

Cameron Spada

Grace Albina St.Pierre

Timothy William Stahl

Alexa Parker Stansfield

Alyssa Mary Stokes

Cierra Mone’t Sturdivant

Connor Ryan Swanton

Matthew Rubin Swartz

Michelle Szeto

Tia Simoné Tavares

Matthew G. Taylor

Abhinay Singh Thapa

Jefrin Antony Thomas

Raven Nadeisha Thomas

Lily Maritza Thornberry Mendoza

Destiny Shyleen Torres

Shanya Velise Torres

Fatou Kine Toure

Kendy Tran

Jason Trieu

Vincent Tu

Michael Allen Tuite

Jasmin Maya Tulisano

Gabriel Thomas Turco

Seamus Vincent Turco

Kristina D. Vakhman

Louis Matthew Valentin

Juliann Isah Vargas

Milo Christopher Vath

Maria Isabel Vega

Kelley Elizabeth Venora

Miguel Armando Vicente

Isaias Rolando Villalobos

Astrid Isabela Villamil

Gabriella Vogel-Freedman

Allison Susan Volpe

Stacie Kristine Walsh

Tiffany Wang

Ashieka Crystal Watson

Christopher Charles Webber

Alessia Laura Weber

Gabriel Widem

Aidan Robert Wilkinson

Bridget Hall Williams

Bryce Alexander Williams

Brian William Wilson

Rebecca Katherine Wilson

Christyle Unique Azzure Winns

Jeremiah Tylique B.J. Winns

Sydney Joy Wittstein

Crysta Noel Wolski

Madison Elizabeth Woods

Kaylin Ann Wu

Jesse Jupiter Yelin

Jeny Yonjan

Kellie Judith Youmans

Kirsten Dee Youngstrom

Christina Marie Zagorski

Jordyn Olivia Zolty