Integrity, Respect and 'Wakanda Forever' Echo through Hall High School's 2018 Commencement - We-Ha

Hall High School’s Class of 2018 was urged to look toward the future by showing integrity, respect, and honor.

Mortarboards decorated with inspiring words and college mascots. Hall High School graduation. June 19, 2018. Photo by Hunter Marotto.

By Ryley McGinnis. Photos by Hunter Marotto

The 85-degree heat couldn’t melt the excitement that the 355 members of West Hartford’s Hall High School Class of 2018 felt at their graduation ceremony Tuesday.

The rows were lined with royal blue robes and decorated caps were covered in encouraging quotes or their future school’s mascots, as the soon-to-be alumni sat eagerly anticipating their names being called.

The many speakers focused on the students’ integrity and honor, and highlighted the graduating class’ compassion.

In Principal Dan Zittoun’s opening remarks, he recounted the innumerable letters and words of encouragement he received last fall when he announced to the school that his daughter, Abigail, had been diagnosed with cancer. Zittoun said his family was covered in a “blanket” of love and compassion. “During the most difficult times, I knew I had this blanket that gave me the strength to keep going.”

Zittoun thanked the graduating class for this compassion, and Board of Education Member Mark Zydanowicz echoed the sentiment when he thanked the class for their kindness when his daughter joined Hall last year as a freshman. “As a dad, I personally want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such a wonderful class,” said Zydanowicz.

Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Paul Vicinus urged the graduates to push these characteristics to include respect, integrity, and honor.

“Integrity means doing what’s right, and that is measured by actions,” said Vicinus. “We show respect for others by walking ahead and holding the door for those who have their hands full, but do we honor them to take the time to offer help carrying those packages?” Vicinus told the graduates this was their call to action, to show respect and honor, as they become active members of society. “Stand up and take action in pursuit of your passions, be the change to make the difference.”

Lara White, chosen by the students as their faculty speaker, shared a similar sentiment with the graduates. “I hope that you leave my class not only being an advocate for change we need in our country, but the change you need for yourself,” said White.

White also gave the students a piece of advice that she took from class discussions on the movie Black Panther. “In the face of adversity when you realize that some people might expect less of you, assume your defeat or underestimate your power, we believe you can and will triumph and at that moment I want you to remember why you loved watching Black Panther so much,” said White. “In the future when you’re down, be sure to whisper ‘Wakanda forever’ and it might just help you find your faith, your swagger, and your smile again.”

“I realized that for all of us, what ‘Wakanda’ really truly represents, it is a place where our best selves reside and where we can be brilliant,” said White.

Another common theme for the night was goodbyes, or the opposite of that, according to student speaker Sreenidhi Nair. “Graduation can be misleading, people often think of them as goodbyes, when they are in fact a welcome of a new beginning,” said Nair. But these new beginnings aren’t always easy.

“Although the future is a beautiful thing, it won’t be easy. There will be times when you question what you’re doing, there will be times where you feel discouraged, but there will also be times of success, happiness, and belief,” said Nair.

Overall, the many speakers shared positive messages and inspiring words of advice, which was one of the things that Chase Jeter, one of the graduates, said he was looking forward to. “I’m looking forward to the speakers, seeing my friends walk across the stage, and to get started on the next chapter of my life,” said Jeter, who will be attending Dartmouth College in the fall, along with his friend Scott Ritter. Ritter said he was mainly looking forward to cheering on his friends as they walked across the stage as well.

When asked what his favorite moment was in his time at Hall, Jeter said there couldn’t be just one. “I think just overall spending time here, experiencing new things, broadening my horizons and my knowledge of the world is the big thing,” said Jeter. “And of course my friends.”

At the end of the ceremony, the graduates tossed their colorful mortarboards into the air, went to find their families, and then went off on their separate ways, at least for a few hours until the Safe Grad celebration began at 10 p.m.

Some of Nair’s final words sum up the “blanket” of love that covered the crowd of graduates, family members, and friends Tuesday night: “In the end, you will be happy with who you are, and if you aren’t, then it isn’t the end yet.”

A complete list of graduates from the Hall High School Class of 2018, provided by Hall, follows the photos.

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