Schools

Windsor Locks High Graduates 138

Graduates urged to find a vision, work hard and resolve disputes amicably.

There was no shortage of advice for the 138 members of the Windsor Locks High Class of 2013 at the graduation commencement ceremony held on Thursday evening.

In a humorous but poignant speech, keynote speaker Joshua LaForge told students that four or five years from now, after going away to college, entering the workforce or joining the military, they can look forward to landing their dream job.

“Then move back in with your mom and dad,” he quipped. “That’s exactly what I did.”

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But LaForge had more on his mind than jokes, though he did say that teens didn’t have to share everything online.

Indeed, LaForge urged the graduates to redefine their notions of success, and that happiness, not the accumulation of wealth, was what they should strive to achieve.

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“Changing the definition, you will find the secret path to a fulfilling life,” LaForge said.

LaForge noted those who had made vast personal fortunes - Carnegie, Rockefeller and Gates - only to realize that happiness lay in helping others by giving it away.

Which wasn’t to say that LaForge wasn’t above some of the benefits that money brings.

“If any of you do become a millionaire or billionaire, don’t be afraid to cut me a check,” he said.

Using several stories, Wayne Sweeney advised graduates to develop a vision, chip away at it with hard work, resolve disputes amicably and be tolerant of other people’s differences.

Valedictorian Jamie Kulas and senior class President Victoria Gregoire invoked the memory of classmate Henry Deng, who died in a 2010 accident while he was riding his bicycle.

“All of us know personally, no one can count on another day,” said Kulas, who called on her classmates to “come together and remember Henry.”

Gregoire, who was moved to tears when recalling Deng, said that the Class of 2013 stuck together when their classmate died.

“Even in a time of darkness, we came through and kept each other strong,” she said.

Windsor Locks High Principal Sharon Cournoyer said that she was “grateful” for the members of the Class of 2013 and those who helped them along the way.

“You represent all that is good and positive in our society and our world,” she said.

2013 Graduates of Windsor Locks High School

Nezar Abidallah
Emily Ahern
Saeed Akbar
Kafa Al-Omari
Michaela Altshuler
Manoor Arshad
Karina Austin
John Balesano
Jack Beaudoin
Lilah Beaumont
Samantha Bellavance
Francesca Benea
Martin Berube
Cynthia Bixler
Sarah Bole
Caitlin Boyd
Andrew Breton
Tifani Buchanan
Hanna Bycenski
Elizabeth Carcia
Jesse Carey
Morgan Carr
Danielle Caye
Clayton Cheung
Thomas Cobb
Julianne Collins
Keleigh Courtney
Katlyn D'Appollonio
Steven Daley
Chase Dargie
Mackenzie Deminico
Chandaniben Dhingani
Megan Dimick
LeeAnn Douglas
Da'Quan Edwards
Connor Engelmann
Christopher Evans
Michaela Flynn
Nathaniel Foster
Gabriella Gabrielson
Meera Garala
Michael Gentile
Brandon Gilbert
Jeremy Gonthier
Morgan Graef
Jordan Grasso
Victoria Gregoire
Cady Harrigan
Victoria Hellberg
Fallon Henry
Farren Henry
Alexis Higgins
Kelly Higgins
Amber Hill
Katelyn Horan
Jacob Hoyt
Kayla Hurley
Aidan Ingram
Sean Iwan
Kelsey Jacob
Sarah Jenkins
Emelie Jimenez Navarro
Maci Junck
Bilal Khan
Austen Kingsbury
Shane Knowles
Karolina Kopek
Jamie Kulas
Jessica Kuzmickas
Scott Labbe
Edward Langan, Jr.
Karina Leon
Greer Lesnieski
Victoria Libretto
Daniel Lockery
Luis Lopez
James Loughran
Shannon Lynch
Kaitlyn Mancarella
Damien Maturah
Alyssa Maynard
Justin Mazza
Kelly McKinstry
Antonio Molinari
Dustin Netolicky
Hannah Noriega
Kathleen O'Boyle
Kevin O'Boyle
Justin Pacino
Sean Partridge
Kristopher Payne
Brendan Pease
John Pikul
Melissa Pomeroy
Kayla Riach
Bethany Rodriguez
Lianie-Lynn Rodriguez
Matthew Rodriguez
Jessica Rollins
Adam Sandone
Devin Sands
Chelsea Santos
Yasrub Sarki
Ariell Scott
Erin Severns
Nathan Sheffer
Kyle Sorant
Keifer Souza
Heather Stewkesbury
Samantha Swanson
Shrinkhala Swaroop
Cristina Szepanski
Jacob Theodore
Kayla Thomas
Christopher Toce
Nicole Tomasik
Bao Tran
Brandon Tran
Jay Vachhani
Sabena Vilaysom
Casey Vogt
Timothy Wadsworth
Jennifer Walters
Mariah Weigert
Stephanie Weigert-Brown
Miranda Welch
Kaitlyn Weskoski
Courtney Wright
Wendy Yang
Kayon Yi
James Zhan
Coel Ziemnicki



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