Ellington High Class of '21 finishes strong

Jun. 12—ELLINGTON — As the entire world grappled with disruptions caused by Covid-19, the Class of 2021 set an example to overcome and finish strong, no matter the environment, Ellington High School Principal John Guidry told the more than 200 seniors surrounded by friends and family at commencement Friday night.

There were many heroes who helped get the schools through the trying and frightening pandemic, but he told the soon-to-be graduates "you all were the unsung heroes of the 2021 school year."

ELLINGTON HIGH GRADUATION

WHO SPOKE: Senior Class Officers Nathan Mayne, Sara Guerette, Holly Warner and Miguel Gomba; Student Council President Amanda Ameral; Salutatorian Sreesai Katiki; Valedictorian Ayushman Choudhury

Every arrow has to be pulled back before it can go forward, said Salutatorian Sreesai Katiki. From freshman to senior year, every member of the class had his or her own journey through high school, he said. "We have all faced different problems; we all had to face Covid-19." After a year of fear and distress, he said, many would have just given up but, in the end, they did not and crossed an incredible milestone.

Despite tremendous suffering this year including the death of a family member who lives in India and losing his sense of self, Katiki said he is slowly but surely finding his way back and embracing challenges.

"I hope you persevere," he told his classmates. "There's a reason why we all made it this far."

Valedictorian Ayushman Choudhury said he has been thinking a lot about gratitude lately and shared his mother's expression: "an attitude of gratitude," which he defined as switching one's mindset to focus on the good things in life.

"This is not just being grateful for your surroundings but also be grateful for yourself," he said. "Every one of us has something that's special and unique."

Choudhury advised his classmates to remain grateful for all their unique talents and to maintain the attitude of gratitude. Certainly, he said, there are days when we don't feel our best. When that happens to him, Choudhury said he identifies tiny things around him that he's grateful for, and that anything and everything counts.

As an exercise, he asked everyone on the high school's athletic field to think of three people they were grateful for and then stand up and give them a round of applause. "They may also be clapping for you," he said of everyone's choices.

Many of the seniors expressed gratitude for their high school and town. Before commencement began, Senior Class Officer Sara Guerette said her experience at Ellington High School was excellent and she was thankful to have the option of in-person learning starting in the fall. When she was taking classes virtually, she felt she was falling behind.

This fall Guerette will begin her studies at Marist College in New York where she plans to major in psychology. She will miss friends, her parents, teachers, and the town but is ready for her new independence and becoming an adult.

Senior Noah Madore said he had an excellent experience at Ellington High School and that all the teachers were willing to work with students, and the school offered a lot of community service opportunities.

He will be going off to Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania, where he plans to major in accounting. While sad to be leaving friends, teachers and Ellington where he has been quite happy, Madore said he is extremely excited to move on to the next chapter of his life. "I fell in love with the community and the school," he said. "There's a lot to do in the community and I have friends who live in the area."

Senior Class Officer Holly Warner quoted a graduation speech made by Denzel Washington, where the actor said Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson struck out 2,600 times in his career — the most in the history of baseball.

"But you don't think about the strikeouts," she said. "Perfection isn't real. Finding out who you are isn't instantaneous. Life is about trial and error."

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