East Windsor High Class of 2013 Told to 'Go With All Your Heart'

The East Windsor High valedictorian and commencement speaker both invoked a famous phrase by Confucius when concluding their speeches at the Class of 2013 graduation ceremony at Maneeley’s Banquet and Catering Facility Friday.

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”

History teacher David Masters, the commencement speaker, started his speech with a parable of three men who were riding in the desert at night. A mysterious voice told the men to dismount and fill their pockets with pebbles, then remount their horses.

The men were told by the mysterious voice that the next morning they would both be glad and saddened.

The next morning, the men discovered that the pebbles had turned into precious stones. And, true to the voice’s words, they were glad they had the gems, but sorry that they did not take more.

Masters asked the members of the Class of 2013 what represented their pebbles. What did they look back on in the last four years and wish they had taken more of?

“You are all diamonds in the rough,” he said.

He then told the graduates to acknowledge those who had spent the last four years to make their lives better.

“Now go away,” Masters quipped at the conclusion of his speech. “Meet new people. Do great things. Learn new things.”

Ayesha Ejaz urged her classmates during her valedictory address to “step out of their comfort zones” and build new relationships.

During her salutatory address, Allison Rodrigue told her class of the things she recalled over the last 14 years: books read, trips taken, Freshman Friday (“Remember how that never happened?”), band and choral performances and sports victories.

“Never forget the place you left,” she said.

State Rep. Chris Davis, an East Windsor High alum, told the class to live their lives with a purpose.

And Class President Aiyana Smith summed up the mood perfectly.

“It’s our turn,” she said. “The world is ours. Let’s go out and conquer it.”

The high school conferred 83 diplomas on the graduates. The Class of 2013 comprises the following:

Victoria Elizabeth Abherve

Ashley Miranda Aldrich

Sofia Alilatene

Ryan James Bagdikian

Gabriel Joseph Beattie -Sergio

Kayla Rose Begnoche

Renee Martine Bonneau

Vincent E. Breton

Kevin Thomas Briggs

Melanie Marie Byrne

Amanda Nicole  Carbray

Drew Saunders Carroll

Vathana Chaleunphone

Christopher Andrew Cosker

Tori Lynn Cote

Madeleine Craig

Alyah Shantel Davila

Eva Maria Davis

Tyrone D. Davis -Jameson

Daniel Joseph D’Esopo

Zeisha Ivanna Diaz

Megan Lynn Donnelly

Ayesha Ejaz

Chad Scott Fahey

Nicholas Adam Fernandez

Cady Jo Fletcher

Amanda Ashley Francis

Ashley Barbara Gallant

Molly Burgess Anne Gallant

Tyler James Gibbs

Alexis Marie Grey

Allison Elizabeth Griswold

Robert James Grundmann

Bryan Rai Haricharan

Haley Elizabeth Henderson

Richard Robert Jarnot  II

Justice Kall Jones

Meggan Renee Jones

Kevin C. Jones, Jr.

Elizabeth Lauren Keegan

Hokema P. Leslie

Michael Dwayne Long

Becky Marie Lovett

Rachel Lynn Martin

Madison Alyssa Masters

Julia Rose Matteson

Ryan Thomas McCarter

Bianca Isabelle Mensah

Jenna Marie Michaud

Matthew Allen Miskin

Julia R. Montana

Mariah Lynn Moreno

Kyle Glenn Moule

Trevor Edward Muska

Ryan Douglas Newell

Geremias Ortiz

Sara Lynn Paleski

Luke Thomas Pelletier

Cameron Nicholas Pinkham

Tiffany Quashie

Crystal Christina Quintana

Zje’Nyire Dejhanae Richardson

Patrick Thomas Riley

Allison Elliott Rodrigue

Deja Sade Russ

Ramis Saleem

Charles Philip Sanchez

Samantha Ashley Sargent

Timothy Edward Sauerhoefer

Brandon William Schupp

Ankara Deborah Shepard

Aiyana Jolie Smith

Brianna Elizabeth Smith

Alexandra Marissa Stanco

Nicholas Edward Strimaitis

Andrew Thomas Styran

Damian Swieca

Edward George Szymanski

Kayla Ann Taylor

Amarah AiRan Veilleux

Jacob B. West      

Jeff J. Winot