The Class of 2016 graduated from West Hartford’s Hall High School on Thursday, June 9, 2016.

By Jessie Sawyer

The William H. Hall High School Senior Choraliers’ rendition of “Beautiful Day” by U2 had it right, but it was also a windy day for the 360 graduates of the Class of 2016.

Seniors simultaneously shielded their eyes from the sun and held onto their hats for dear life with the wind blowing around at Thursday night’s graduation. One student retrieved a hat swept off a spectator’s head over the ropes and passed it back to him. A gust of wind also carried off a sheet of paper from the stack of blue books at the front.

“There goes someone’s diploma,” faculty speaker Sean Harris quipped during his speech.

A unified sea of blue sparkled outside Hall as all students wore blue robes for the first time – instead of white for the girls and blue for the boys.

“I think it’s a good idea,” graduate Grace Percival said as the graduates lined up in the gym getting ready for the ceremony. “I think people resisted change just because it was change.”

She said she thought the main issue was that the white caps would have been easier to decorate than the blue ones, yet she and most others managed to do so just fine.

“There was a lot of drama with it, but I guess it’s a good thing,” senior class president Matthew J. Wilcox said. “Everyone is unified.”

Harris knows all about drama as the departing director of the drama department at Hall and the co-founder and co-artistic director at Playhouse on Park in West Hartford. Plunging into drama when he was younger was his way of finding strength after being bullied.

He asked everyone in the crowd to close their eyes and most people did. But when he subsequently tried to pantomime those same instructions, there was little reaction. In doing so, he demonstrated what happens when someone’s voice is taken away and how powerful one’s voice can be especially when amplified by a microphone.

Harris cautioned the seniors that there will be people who try to take away their voices and other voices that question and judge their lives. But, he said the secret to life is channeling your childhood sense of wonderment from before you were silenced to block those bullies out and become your strongest self free of caring what other people think. To anyone who has ever criticized him for being an actor, he boasted of getting to live multiple other lives through characters and quipped asking them how their lives were going.

“Drop your mic on everyone who tries to silence your voice,” Harris said.

After Hall Principal Daniel Zittoun introduced the Class of 2016, Nancy DePalma, who is retiring as West Hartford’s assistant superintendent but will return to Whiting Lane Elementary School as interim principal, shared many of the graduating seniors’ quotes from the yearbook from: “Girls, if a boy says something that isn’t funny, you don’t have to laugh” to “True terror is waking up one morning and realizing that your high school class is running the country.”

In closing, she challenged students to watch two of her favorite movies – “Hearts of Atlantis” based on Stephen King’s book by the same title and “Kinky Boots” – and shared two quotes from them.

From “Hearts of Atlantis,” one character says to another about the mother, Liz, “When your mother writes ‘bad’ under a mental picture of someone, she writes it in ink.”

And from “Kinky Boots,” the movie not the play, DePalma described a scene in which Lola, a drag queen partnering with a shoemaker to make strong boots for men who dress like women, purposely throws an arm wrestling match with factory worker Don, who has been bullying her about her lifestyle, so he won’t be embarrassed. Lola then challenges Don to change his mind about somebody.

Between those two mindsets, DePalma encouraged the graduates to “Be Lola, not Liz.”

Jacai Edwards, the chosen student speaker, described himself to his classmates as a social introvert. He said he often maneuvered between different friend groups as he recognized it was time to move on from certain relationships. “The thing is, those friendships are very necessary to have” so someone can become his or her true self by learning from them, he said.

Edwards described high school as a steppingstone to becoming more yourself.

“Look at us now. We’re unstoppable,” he said. “We’re saying goodbye to our childhood and hello to our adulthood.”

 Tammy Exum addressed the crowd not only as vice-chair of the Board of Education, but also as a parent of graduating senior Kyle Exum. She was there to give her son a hug when he got his diploma on stage.

Among the graduates were Noah Drazen, son of NBC Connecticut anchor Brad Drazen, as well as Claudia Hess, West Hartford’s first female student going to West Point, and Sierra Moore, who will be attending Harvard University as an ROTC Army cadet.

Moore, inspired by her older sister who is pre-med, said she wants to become a doctor involved in Army medicine. She’ll be studying regenerative biology to prepare her to do work with stem cells. The fact that she’s graduating is just hitting Moore now.

“It was exciting three weeks ago and now it’s a little scary,” she said.

But she’s excited for new opportunities and meeting new friends. She advises her fellow classmates to “keep exploring” because there are so many important adventures in college and the years after.

Percival, on the other hand, said, “I feel like it hasn’t hit me yet.”

Having served as a teaching assistant at an elementary school in Hartford while at Hall, she is headed to the University of Mary Washington to pursue studies in high school education in an inner-city setting. She advises her peers at Hall to “make the most of your high school years” and to enjoy it so you don’t miss it.

Loud cheers erupted from the family of Sha’Deja Mitchell when she accepted her diploma. She is going to Manchester Community College next year to study criminal justice. A large gaggle of family members flocked to her side after the ceremony for countless group pictures and selfies. Their congratulatory banner stood out in the crowd and most of them wore customized Sha’Deja T-shirts with their relationship to her on the back.

But right before that joy-filled moment with her family, she was in the crowd of her peers as they were instructed to move their tassels from the left to the right on their caps.

They were no longer worried about the wind or their caps leaving their heads as they tossed them into the air celebrating their graduation.

Drop your mic, Class of 2016.

A complete list of graduates from the Hall High School Class of 2016, provided by Hall, follows the photos.

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Hall Class of 2016

Allison	Jacqueline	Acurio
Noah	Dylan	Adler
Zachary	Joshua	Adler
Abigail	Dubuque	Agreda
Jason	Juan	Aldave
Zachary	David	Aldave
Kyanna	Marai	Alleyne
Basel	Mamdoh	Alnajjar
Sophia		Altimari
Luis	Daniel	Alvarez
Justin	Eric	Ambroise
Karen	Elezabeth	Antony
Haley	Ryan	Applebaum
Hannah	Lena	Applebaum
Angel		Arriaga
Michael		Astistov
Ian		Atherton
Sayaka		Awao
Joshua	Jordan	Baboff
Allison	Rose	Bach
Jenna	Francesca	Baig
Nathaniel	James	Baldwin
Grant	T.	Bannister
Margaret	Elizabeth	Barnett
Amari	Mehki	Bartley
Krishma		Bashyal
Destiney	M.	Batchelor
Kara	Rose	Bazzano
Lillian	Phelan	Beal
Madison	M	Bechard
David	Booth	Beers IV
Erin	Nancy	Bellucci
William	Joseph	Benshoff
Justin	Mark	Bernheimer
Derek	Richard	Berube
Joshua	Henry	Binkhorst
Melanie	Hope	Binkhorst
Erlan		Blumenfield
Caelan	John	Booth
Jacob	E.	Booth
Hannah	Howes	Boyce
Peter	Bulkeley	Brainard III
Justin	Matthew	Bratter
Emma	Kate	Brody
Connor	Evan	Brown
Jaime	Luis	Bruno
Kaniya	Jenae	Burney
Christopher	John	Butler
Nicholas	D.	Calabrese
Ellen	M.	Carey
Carli	Robyn	Carnes
Kevin	Joseph	Carr
Ricardo		Casanova
James	P.	Cassidy
Caleb	Juan	Castillo
Lydia	Anne	Chelli
Owen	Lawrence	Chmielewski
Charles		Cho
Francesca		Ciannavei
Gianmarco		Ciannavei
Jessica	Ruth	Clark
David	Edward	Clewes
Adam	Lyle	Cohen
Elinor	Sophie	Cohen
Justin	Andrew	Collada
Julia	Isabella	Colliton
Rachel	Elizabeth	Corcoran Adams
Renzo	Martin	Corihuaman
Henry		Correa Noa
Annabella	Nicole	Correa-Maynard
Ben	Aviad	Cramer
Malik	Andre	Crawford
Kyler	Stephens	Cubbage
Cristian	Javier	Cueva
Ocean	Stone	Curling
Jennifer	Ann	Curtis
Joseph	P.	Cyriac
Fatima	Farooq	Dada
Egyptia	McKenzie	Daniels
Trevor	Erik	Darling
Rafaela		De Constantino- Laurentino
Steve		De La Vega
Byron	Louis	Dean
Madeline	Marie	DeFilippis
Noah	Joseph	Del Coro
Julia	Marie	DeMichele
Aaron		Diaz
Sabrina	Chapin	Dicke
William	Max	Dicke
Timothy	Song	Dickson
Geoffrey	George	Diehl
Nicholas	Brian	DiPietro
Nicholas	John	Doelger
Gregory		Donovan
Julia	A.	Dornelas
Noah	Benjamin	Drazen
Hayley	Tess	Dresner
Grace	Helen	Dugan
Jessie	Joseph	Dupont
Lily	Beth	Eckert
Nathalie		Edouard
Nephthalie		Edouard
Jacai	Curtis	Edwards
Moneke	Staceymarie	Edwards
Hebaq	Abdi	Elmi
Benjamin	King	Elukin
Ian	Edward	Enders
Dennis	Vladimir	Eremine
Roberto	Damaso	Espinoza
Sophiya	Rose	Esponda
Kyle	Edmond	Exum
Chukwumaife	Lloyd	Eze
Dana	Lauren	Falcon
Owen	Leonard	Farley
Sean	William	Farley
Talia	Brianna	Feldman
Benjamin	Reid	Fishman
Lili	Becca Jing	Fishman
Melissa	Raquel	Fraistat
Nia	Kiali	Fraser
Patrick	Christopher	Ganci
Yiwen		Gao
Giovanni	Alexander	Garcia
Christopher	C.	George
Emily	Bess	Gershman
Jacob	Merle	Gershon
Rahel	Dires	Getachew
Arianna	Eve	Gilbeaux
Jacob	Michael	Ginden
Leah	Marie	Ginsberg
Philip	Alexander	Gitman
Diana	Altagracia	Gomez
Joshua	Adam	Goodman
Jake	Skyler	Gothers
Alyson		Graff
Allyson	Lei	Graulich
Alison	Fischer	Greene
Nawall	Musa	Gulaid
Anastasia	J.	Harrigan
Chloe	Jane	Hart-Kindelberger
Shaddad	Omar	Hayajneh
Kayla	Joy	Henowitz
Robert		Herbert
Nicholas	Joel	Hernandez
Claudia	Louise	Hess
David	Alexander	Higgins
Jamie	Davison	Hodge
Peter	Wilson	Hoyle
Ava	Elizabeth	Hucker
Kyle	Christian	Hunt
Maura	Jing-Jing	Hurley
Jack	Samet	Hutensky
Jazmin	Antionette	Infantas
Steven	Alec	Jacobsen
Olivia	Claire	Jacquier
Elijah	Darien	Jaquez Starks
Helen		Jaquez-Felix
Mark	Michael	Kalinowski
Jack	Wesley	Kanaga
Noa		Kantorovich
Justin	Scott	Katz
Zachary		Katz
Brendan	McCoy	Kearney
Kailey	Elizabeth	Kennedy
Merin	Ruby	Khan
Michael		Khang
Aidan	David	Kidder-Wolff
Margaret	Maija	Kinabrew
Patrick	Philip	King
Severin	Alexander	Konefal
Siena	Elizabeth	Kremidas
Caroline	Elgo	Kriesen
Roxie	Marie	Kubis
Sophie	Louise	Kulowski
Karina	Nicolaevna	Kuzubova
Adrienne	Barrett	La Forte
Meagan	Pauline	Landsman
Shayna	Raquel	Lee
Matthew	Harry	Lefkowitz
James	Kai Shun	Leung
Lily	Juliet	Levin
Morgan	Elizabeth	Levitt
Chloe	Ye	Li
Michael	Xinqi	Li
Benyamin	Odin	Lichtenstein
Xiaoqing		Lin
JohnDaniel		Litis
Lydia	Grace	Loiselle
Nicholas	Mercer	Lombardo
Seyenah	Gabriella	Lopez
Elvin	K.	Lu
Grace	Jeanette	Luipold
Phuong	Thi Thien	Luu
Jalen	Elliott	Lyles
Josephine	Mae	Lynch
Sydney	Julia	Lyons
Devon	Anthony	Maddan Jr
Maggie	Dawson	Mahoney
Adam	Brian	Maidman
Andrea		Malo
Julia	Lynne	Maltby
Madison	Burdick	Manning
Joel		Margolis
Brandon	Lee	Marques
Xiang	Damon	Martinez
Naytanya		Matthews
Elisa	Renee	McClear
Kate		McDermott
Thomas	Fox	McManus
Matthew	Thomas	Meigs
Ashvini	Nagadevi	Melkote
Alexa	Lea Asuja	Meller
Jasmin	Esther	Mendez
Genesis		Mercedes
Hannah	Rose	Merritt
William	Ffar	Misczuk
Akriti		Mishra
Abigail	C.	Mitchell
La’kur	Dayquan	Mitchell
Sha’Deja	Monay	Mitchell
Eric	Claude	Mohan
Owen	Hoppin	Mohler
Sarahdyne	Guemia	Moise
Abbie	Marie	Molodetz
Charles	Jeffrey	Monnes
Omar		Montalvo III
Sierra	Manuela	Moore
Wilmaris		Morales
Daniela	Christeen	Moran
Kayla	Marie	Morrison
Hunter	Zeph	Mulready
Natalie		Nanez
Arun	Dominic	Narikatte
Harrison	Samuel	Newman
Darren		Ni
Cassandra	Lynne	Nowell
Ugonwanyi	Jewel	Nwachuku
Cameron	A.	Obregon
Mikayla	Ann	Oken
Madeleine	Rose	Olson
Olaleye	Ayobami	Onikuyide
Bethany	C.	Onyirimba
Thalia	Denise	Ortiz
Alper	Berat	Ozdemir
Sophia	Helena	Pascon
Hima		Patel
Bridget	Flanigan	Patterson
Niharika		Paudel
Jose	Raul	Paz Soldan
Alexis	Tiarra	Pender
Lindsay	Grace	Penn
Grace	Elizabeth	Percival
Tal		Perov
Santiago	Gaston	Persano
Alexandra		Pesce
Brandon	Sovanaphan	Phai
Jenna	Marie	Pinckney
John	Martin	Pitek
Heath	Lawrence	Pitt
Jordan	Bailey	Polun
Celina	Marlene	Porcaro
Zachary	Towne	Principe
Christel	Larissa	Pucutay
Kimberly		Puerta-Perez
Brianna	Lee	Quinonez Diaz
Wemily	Jainne	Ramos
Thomas	Brayton	Rattigan
Muller		Raymond
Ariel	Shanna	Reiser
Brendan		Restelli
Nathan	R.	Rice
Jafet	Leonor	Rivera
Carolyn	Therese	Roche
Angel	Luis	Rodriguez
Danelle	P.	Ros
Rashawn	Hakeem	Rose
Emily	Ann	Rossini
Daniel	Scott	Roth
Aleksandr	I.	Samegulin
Elizabeth	Jean	Sandberg
Connor	David	Sandstrom
Curtis	Michael	Scheffel
Nicholas	Robert	Schuck
Noah	Rand	Schulman
Rachel	Lyn	Schunder
Miriam	Alyssa	Schwartz
Jacob	Aaron	Scott
Jacob	Lonnie	Sejerman
Abigail	Rose	Selig
Kelly	Laura	Semprebon
Karo		Shakhnazarov
Morgan	Taylor	Shearin
Austin	James	Sheridan
Jacob	Lawrence	Shivers
Polina		Shligerski
Dani	Elizabeth	Shoflick
Joseph	Elan	Siegel
Jessica	Sydney	Sillman
Shelly	Paula	Silver
Alexis	Lyn	Simons
April	Danielle	Small
James	D.	Sniffin
Anthony	John	Speranza
Michael	Abraham	Stambler
Jacob	Owen	Stedman
Samuel	Roth	Steinberg
Julie	Esther	Stevens
Zachary		Stevens
Paige	Brianne	Stone
Tyler	Joseph	Strickling
Molly	Louise	Sullivan
Chantelle	Monique	Swaby
William	Henry	Teare
Nicholas	Anthony	Tedesco
Jodi	Lynne	Teitelman
Edwin		Thomas
Sarah	Nicole	Thomas
Marina		Tinone
Thomas	Chan	Tran
Jessica		Tse
Christine	Julia	Tulikangas
Terrence		Tyner
Joaquin	Arturo	Valdiglesias
Nicholas	Joseph	Van der Leur
Lucas	B.	Vannie
Maria	Emilia	Vega Espinoza
Maria	Jose	Vega Espinoza
Katherine		Virnelli
Frank		Virnelli
Steven	Matthew	Wahlberg
Colin	Maxwell	Ward
Molly		Warnken
Samuel	Louis	Weinberg
Jordan	Lasalle	Weinstock
Alex	Spencer	Weiss
Mitchell	Ryan	Weiss
Anna	Lucia	Welch
John	Julius	Wells
Matthew	James	Wilcox
Zachary	Jonathan	Wilkins
Karli	Casandra	Wilkinson
Ireland		Williams
Kate	Lila-Rose	Winter
Anne	Isabelle	Witzler
Essense	Monique	Womack
Jakob	Lawrence	Woods Weber
Kelly		Xu
Zhihui		Xu
Zhiya		Xu
Jessica	Sophie	Yanko
Amanda	Ruth	Youmans
Jackson	William	Young
Lily	Bailey	Zanta
Suzanne	Bree	Zeff
Benjamin	Samuel	Zekowski
Jacob	E.	Zetoff
Corona	Zeng	Zhang
Lena		Zhang
Yutin		Zhao
Aida	Chen	Zhu