Fitch seniors praised for achievements, caring
Groton - At Robert E. Fitch High School, "achieve more, care more," is the principal's motto. The theme was visited by four of the six people who spoke before the 313 members of the Class of 2011.
The class followed Principal Joseph A. Arcarese's mantra. He said 110 Fitch graduates earned more than a combined $750,000 in scholarships, grants and awards. Nearly 200 students wore a combined 588 honor cords on their graduation gowns, earned by achieving three or four years of A-level performance in various subjects.
"They shattered the record," Arcarese told the packed auditorium and gynasium, where the overflow watched a video feed after the commencement was forced indoors by threatening weather.
While Fitch graduates were lauded for their plans to attend colleges from Harvard to American International in London to Three Rivers Community College, the young men and women who will enter the military received a standing ovation.
The class demonstrated its "care more" compassion when it applauded and cheered Rickey Aspinwall, a special needs student who was one of the first to cross the stage, and his brother, U.S. Army CW-2 Jeffrey Aspinwall (Class of 2004), a Blackhawk helicopter pilot, who assisted him to the lectern.
Luke Watson won the first competition to be the school's commencement speaker. "Achieve More. For a long time, that became the butt of many jokes. ... Eventually it lost its funniness. However, it never faded into the background," he said. "Our principal ... expected the best out of us. He added on to our slogan last year. Fitch High School not only achieves more. It now cares more, too."
And then he reminded the class the significance of the slogan.
"Let us not just use these words as a silly slogan from our years here in high school. Take these last four words to heart. I hereby charge you to put them into action. If you do that I'm sure we'll all end up where we need to be."
Arcarese announced that next year he will add "believe more" to the motto, which is posted outside the school.
"The ABCs of Fitch," he said, and then closed with what he said was an old Chinese proverb.
"If you want to be happy for an hour, take a nap. If you want to be happy for a lifetime, help someone."
c.potter@theday.com
Fitch High School Class of 2011
Alan George Anderson, Kenneth Thomas Aanensen, Titus Ezekiel Abad, Kayley Eileen Ackley, Amancio Salazar Aguilar, Sandra Alina Albus, Sarah Alina Albus,Victoria Amack, MacKenzie Albert Antoch, Jenna Lynn Arzoumanian, Joseph Andrew Balestracci, Jenae Michelle Bellefeuille, Jessica Nicole Benavidez, Eric Barthelo Bianchi, Ashley Marie Bickel, Sarah Elizabeth Blaisdell, Denise DeNay Bloodsaw, Jaya Bharat Bokhiria, Giovanni Augusto Bonelli, Alessandra Carolina Borjas, Kahia-Lyn Michael Boyce, Daniel James Braman, Mark Shamel Brisbane, Bryanna Elizabeth Britt, Taylor Marie Britt, Madison Ann Britton, Hunter Lawson Brochu.
Also: Samantha Kelly Brodnicki, Christopher Andrew Brown, Elijah Jahmal Brown, Emily Renee Brown, Maurice Darryl Brown, Meghan Siena Brown, Taquan Copree Brown, Tia Shanice Brown, Ashley Marie Bullard, Joseph Burgess, Ariel Chantel Carter, James Michael Cavanagh, William Thomas Ceddia, Yanelis Marie Centeno, Christopher Michael Chapman, Jessica Nicole Chapman, Marissa Page Chapman, Madeline Joan Chesbro, Breeanna Reneé Chesnut, Benjamin Chin, Avery Donyell Clark, Jake Howard Clark, Briana Clinton, Alyssa Adele Cochran, Kwame Anthony Cole, Heather Elizabeth Coleman, Kelsey Elizabeth Conahan, James Francis Cook, Jordan Robert Cook, Grace Estelle Coughlin.
Also: Alison Margaret Cousens, Cheyanne Marie Crawford, Tyler Robert Crawford, Kelly Marissa Czapek, Scott Chaz Damm, Hannah Beth Damon, Michael Francis Dane, Cassandra Elizabeth DeCourcey, Keely Tehan Dennis, Lauren Marie DeWolf, Alison Diaz, Gabrielle Dela Cruz Dimaapi, William Ouimet Dixon, Alma Pearl Doran, Drew William Doyle, Christian Matthew Drake, Joshua Daniel Dull, Toby-Lian Edovas, Jesse Craig Edwards, Heather Nicole Emerich, Jenna Katharine Emerson, Annaliisa Rita Erickson.
Also: Alden James Falcone, Mohaad Amar Faraj, Albrianna Michelle Farnum, Daniel James Flynn, Matthew David Francis, Michael Anthony Frazzo, Kaitlyn Rose Gallagher, Stephanie Ashley Gerald, Cameron Anthony Gonzalez, Dylan Michael Goss, Christopher Matthew Gunning, Kristin L. Hakenjos, Timothy Paul Hale, Aryanna Jonelle Hall, Taryn Grace Haller, Jamie Francis Hallissey, Brent Peeter Harmon, Taylor Nicole Harnish, Amanda Nichole Hatch, Huilfredo Jesus Havrilla, Maggie L. Hedrick, Matthew Hernandez, Ontavia Angela Hidalgo, Casey Sean Hietala, Cydney Erin Hill, Jessica Elizabeth Hoagland, Dominique Leah Hodge, Nathaniel Taylor Hohlfelder.
Also: Matthew George Houser, Rachel Fairbank-Sparks Hume, Anthony Huntington, Chase Russell Hutchinson, Jennifer Lynn Jackson, Tyler Edward Jamon, Neariah Gobrel Evrik Jarvis, Austin Erick Jenkins, Kayonna Renee Johnson, Patrick James Johnson, Zesha Johnson, Alexxus Marie Johnson-Miller, Alan Jordan, John Thomas Joyner, Andrew Bradley Kaylor, Avery Danette Kelley, Stephanie Mae Kettle, Samantha Alyse Kiely, Damysha V. Kirkwood, Scott Adam Kistner. Brooke Lauren Knobloch, Ottavia Jazmin Knox, Kian Lucian Kuchenbrod, Abraham Heung Kwok, Liza Marie Lamperelli, Qusaun Anika Lea, Kelly Rita LeBlanc, Aisha Grace Lee, Mason Caryl Leonard, Shannon Heather Marie Locklear, Rameldy Edilissa Lora, Dashmaris Lugo, Nicoli Salvatore Macaluso, Jazlynn Lovenia Malloy, David Shane Mannelli, Molly Patricia Martin, Herson Martinez, Adam Michael Mattila, Lucas Samuel McDowell, Dvani Vashonee McFadden, Lauren Jillian McGrade, Sean Carter McKay.
Also: Haley Kristine McLaen, Mia Felice Mele, Becky Jo Mercey, Stephanie Ann Meyer, Cameron Christian Xavier Mills, Emily Katherine Milner, Katherine Densire Minaya, Brandon Scott Miner, Erica Anne Moon, Christopher William Morgan, Samantha Christie Morin, Juan Manuel Moscol, Tiara-May Maxine Moyer, Matthew Thomas Myles, Emily Lois Nelson, Jean-Claude Nicolas, Taylor Marie Noel, Beau Garrett O'Brien, Jemma Sinead O'Donnell, Brianna Marie O'Grady, Jessica Lynn O'Grady, Takiyah Oliver, Griffin Scott O'Neill, Anjelica Marie Ortiz, Kevin Ambrose Panganiban, Daniel Anthony Parise. Joshua Alexander Pastor, Aarsh Rajan Patel, Mallory Ganese Penrose, Briana Gabrielle Perkins, Briana Monay Perry, Brenden Jacob Peterson, Byran Anthony Pitts, Joshua Joseph Poirier, Kristina Marie Pombrio, Stephanie Olivia Potter, Kaitlyn Michele Powers, Tyler Jeffrey Qualley.
Also: Jaymin Dominique Reels, Natasha Elizabeth Reinhart, Brandon Berand Renkema, Randal Craig Richardson, Jacob Gordon Ricker, Aleisha Shantay Roberts, Alexandra Lee Rogan, Jordan Phillip Rowe-Shea, Stephanie Elizabeth Rush, Elijah Melquan Ryan, Safwan Saeed, Christopher Tyler Sanchez, Antonio Javier Santiago. Matthew Wayne Savona, Jessica A. Scarbrough, Melissa Brianna Scarbrough, George Domenico Scarles, Allison Paige Schilling, Jacob Scott Schneider, Christina Marie Scussel, Samantha Lynn Sexton, Ava Sisson, Andrew David Smith, Jocelyn Lanea Smith, Olivia Granville Smith, Warren Eugene Smith, Sydney Helina Souder, Irene-Margarette Louis Spanos, Emily Nicole Sparks, Jordan Lee Spellman, Jesse James Steele, Victoria Marie Stevens, Franklyn Robert Stitz-Galvan, William Paul Stocker, Carla Becca Stoddard, Nikola Strakova, Robert Charles Strong, Bethany Anne Subashi, Emma Montgomery Sutphen, Amy Katherine Teixeira, Nene Theresa Tenety, Caroline Eleanor Thompson, Emily Catherine Thompson.
Also: Adante J. M. Thornton, Jamie Michael Tobey, Jack Michael Tompkins, Kendal Allen Torr-Brown, Destinee Anne Torres, Ana-Marie Yap Tramont, Elizabeth Andal Tuazon, Brianna Rose Turgeon, Megan Louise Turley, Dominick Kohnen Twitty. Thomas Ackley Umrysz, Alyssa Jan Uvero, Marquisse Christopher Valentine, Desiree Elizabeth Vandine, Travis Mitchell Vanover, Samuel Moses Vasquez, Amber Rose Venchenko, James Kirk Venditti, Eryl Kenn B. Victorino, Julia Robin Vitale, Devin James Walsh, Joseph Andrew Walz, Seamus Ryan Ward, Brock Macalin Waterhouse, Luke Shepardson Watson, Lauren Elizabeth Weaver.
Also: Carley Jane Weber, Lucas Monroe Weber, Nicole Suzanne Wheeler, Philip Dana Whittle, Timothy Victor Williams, Chance Parker Wilson, Samantha Gene Wilson, Jason Robert Wing, Tayler Rose Wohlleben, Kristeen Kathleen Wolverton-Wade, Heaven Leigh Woodhall, Benjamin Seibert Wright, Lori Michelle Zelvin, Jeffrey Thomas Zeppieri, Hong Zhang and Jessica Anwyn Zod.
Fitch 2011 night school graduatesMatthew T. Adler, Joseph Elwood Bates, Felicia Theresa Bayona, Jordan David Beebe, Jamie Lynn Biscuti, Carissa Dawn Braz, Kacey Byington, Arthur M. Cebrewsky, Charles L. Church Jr., Maddison L. Coffey, Robert Ian Cooper, Kyle Adam Cunningham-Volpe, Briahni Lynn Deschamps, Brittany Deschamps, Athena Alexandria Drennan, Melissa Eichelberg, Alissa Fagalar, Amaya Kirstin Hartman, Victoria Nicole Johnson, Allyn K. Kaneakua, Kayla N. King, Patrick J. LaCoursiere.Also: Emily Anne Lowney, Morgan Lyle, Kiari L.D. Mavis, Carmela Annie Miller, Shawna Nolan, Ashley E.Parker, Anthony D. Prescott, Samantha L. Roberts, Stephanie Johanna Sauls, Raul Sereno, Samantha Christine Sharp Victoria Elizabeth Sior, Jacob Dylan Smith, Nicholas E. Tedesco, Jennifer Elizabeth Thompson, Tamara Vicenty, Robert Walker III and Myasia Shanique Warley.
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