Grasso graduates feel ready for future
Groton - The 146 members of the Class of 2012 at Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical High School spoke of their futures as they zipped up their royal blue gowns, straightened their caps and lined up for graduation Friday night.
Some, like Victor H. De La Cruz of New London, are going into the military.
"I'm going to talk to the recruiter on Tuesday," De La Cruz said. He plans to join the Navy and find work in his speciality, information systems technology.
Others are headed to college. Laurencia E. Laurent of Mystic is going to Long Island University at Brooklyn to study nursing. She wants to work with newborns and is convinced she will succeed. After all, she was the only female in the automotive program at Grasso.
"They said a girl couldn't do it, but I did it," Laurent said.
Some, such as Tyler L. Losacano, a plumbing and heating graduate from Uncasville, are going straight to work. He has been hired full-time as a water treatment plant operator at Groton Utilities, where he completed an internship.
"I think this school helped me move on with my career," Losacano said. "I'm pretty much set for life now."
Their plans differ, but all of the students had the same short term goal: to get their diplomas and whoop it up with their classmates.
"I'm going to go to the all-night graduation party, and then go to work for the rest of my life," said Tyler Huston of Montville, who graduated from the electrical program.
Two by two, they marched into the auditorium, where their families waited with applause and video cameras.
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., U.S. Rep. Joseph Courtney, D-2nd District, state legislators and local leaders attended the ceremony. Speakers included Marcia Levitsky, the retired head of the information systems technology department, and George Coleman, retired commissioner of the state Department of Education.
Principal Scott Zito asked those in attendance to observe a moment of silence in memory of Christine A. Rigero, a popular secretary who died suddenly in March.
Daniel E. Encarnacion, a hospitality student, said he doubted himself the whole year. But Rigero was always there to encourage him, he said.
k.florin@theday.com
Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical High School Class of 2012
Automotive TechnologySantino Francischelli; Jacob Hildebrand; Laurencia Laurent; Guillermo Lopez; Brandon McNulty; David Paterno; Spencer Perry; Justin Post; Jacob Rhoades; Timothy Riegle; Gaspar Rodriguez; Cristian Silva; Ryan Vara.
Bioscience Environmental TechnologyMelissa Dolzenchuk; Jaicee Getchell; Jessica Harris; Kylie Henderson; Joseph Kotfer; Adam Lelievre; Heather Linski; Timothy Meadows; Ethan Metayer; Katelynn Schlehofer; Tyler Willadsen.
CarpentryRalph Abbott; Juan Arroyo; Andrew Barnes; Robert Benfatto; Taylor Clark; Zachery Gagnon; Joshua Haderski; Nicholas Hensley; Tyler Kuhn; Shawn Lagace; Calvin Leyko; Gabriel Martinez; Leo Moran; Ryan Schaffer; Andre Thomas.
Collision, Repair and RefinishingJake Bradby; Marcus Guerrero; Angel Guzman; Luke Kirkham; Jeremy Palmer; Daminica Santiago; Juan Santiago; Brian Scacciaferro; Samuel Silva; Travis Ward; Fersan Warren.
Computer Aided Drafting and DesignEduardo Aguilar; Stanley Barnes; Chad Brainard; Robert Bridges; Sarah Dickinson; Taylor Foxworthy; Sara Gonzalez; Alexander Haeseler; Chelsea Henderson; James Hudgins; Jayne Morris; Livenette Negron; Kyle Smith; Evan Von Winkle; Corwin Walker; Timothy Wiglusz.
Culinary ArtsJammel Caldwell; Stephanie Castillo; Ashley Caswell; Quintell Davis; Allyson Dole; Amanda Donais; Jarel Drayton; Hilaira Estevez; Hannah Gumbs; Jacqueline Houatchanthara; Brittany Jarret-Shepherd; Erika Jones; Bruce Martin; Chanel McClardy; Paige Mingione; Pedro Perez; Jennifer Purdon; Jasmine Ramirez; Tylesse Riddick; Jose Rosado; Brandon Smith; Ashlee Turner; Jesus Vazquez.
ElectricalTyler Berry; James Dunbar; Jacob Gironimi; Tyler Huston; Lyle Lamoureux; Ross Lorenzo; Jayson Manning; Rick Perez; Carlos Quiles; Sean Zeppieri.
Hairdressing and BarberingAmanda Atkinson; Deana Brewer; Rosa De La Cruz; Tanaysha Dixon; Chelsea Fournier; Tanajiah LeSane; Elda Sanabria; Lisandra Santana; Lauren Savini; Brittni Whitfield; Leah Wilcox.
Information Systems TechnologyMichael Attinello; Victor De La Cruz; Alberto Latorre; Jaeer Mendoza; Unika Monge; Shateeka Phillips; George Pytlik; Mackensie Rhodes; Ricki Thomas; Mary Jane Warren; Jacob Werrbach; Keanu Wilson.
Plumbing and HeatingJordon Brown; Jacob Bushnell; Kyle Emery; William Godwin; Tyler Gonzales; Nicole Ladd; Tyler Losacano; Kyle Ortiz; Kelsey Reeves; Michael Schroeder; Brent Vik.
Tourism, Hospitality and Guest Services ManagementJanea Borrego; Luisanna Cabrera; Adriana Carrion; Yenaldy Delgado; Sara Diaz-Chia; Daniel Encarnacion; Brucarmen Hernandez; Imalay Jimenez; Janae Robinson; Daritza Rodriguez; Lizandro Rodriguez; Christopher Rose.
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