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A day before graduating from Warwick Veterans Memorial High School, Rebecca Hurd, 18, looked out at Narragansett Bay from a window at her boyfriend’s Pawtuxet Village home.
Taking in the calm scenery, she felt nostalgic about high school and said while she’s ready to attend Elon University in North Carolina to major in theater and minor in film, Rhode Island will always hold a special place in her heart.
“I love it here,” she said in a phone interview. “Some people think it’s lame but I think it’s beautiful and fun if you let it be.”
Hurd, Vets’ 2012 salutatorian, was one of 215 students to earn diplomas at a ceremony held at the Community College of Rhode Island’s Knight Campus last night. Along with her was valedictorian Kristen Hyle, who said becoming the top-ranking student was a goal she established freshman year.
It wasn’t easy, she said, considering she took four AP classes her senior year. But, with the encouragement of dedicated English teachers, including Julie Petitbon and Jeff Lawton, Hyle was able to pull through.
Hyle is now looking forward to attending Suffolk University with a merit scholarship in the honors program in the fall. She is humbly savoring the achievement of valedictorian.
In her speech, she said, “Every single person wearing a cap and gown today has achieved something special. After moving your tassel and taking a few steps across this stage tonight, you will have leapt into a new tomorrow. You may transform into a college freshman, a respected individual of the military or a person of the workforce. Whatever it is that you will be venturing off to do within these next months, do it with pride, perseverance and courage of conviction.”
She went on to say, “Our time at Warwick Vets has helped to shape our beliefs and cultivate our minds. We have gained understanding in and out of the classroom, and from it, have become wiser ourselves … Dunkin’ coffees in hand, we read our novels, solved our tortuous math problems and not only researched history, but made history. And so, here we stand, having pushed open those doors again the same way we did four years ago ... but this time to say goodbye, and have a whole new array of opportunities in front of us.”
As he does every year, Mayor Scott Avedisian noted something quite interesting. He said on his way to the commencement, he realized he had “gotten old,” as the members of the Class of 2012 were in kindergarten when he became mayor.
During the last 12-and-a-half years, he happily shared Reading Weeks, sixth grade graduation ceremonies, junior high school honors nights, successes on the playing field, achievements in the classroom and judging senior project presentations with students.
“I’m terribly grateful to each and every one of you for the life lessons you have taught me and so many other residents of this city,” he said. “For I have watched each and every one of you care for one another, encourage those who failed and stand by those in need. You have enriched our community, tested our limits and pushed all of us to grow.”
Principal Gerry Habershaw agreed and noted that the Class of 2012 was one of the most “compassionate” groups of students he has ever known. Many of the kids, he said, have done numerous community service activities.
“They have a concern for others and a tolerance of others,” he said in a phone interview shortly before the ceremony. “It’s unique and good to see.”
Of the 215 graduates, said Habershaw, approximately 70 percent are set to attend two-year and four-year schools. Also, nearly 35 students in the Career and Technical Center are going on to enter the workforce.
Hurd, who enjoyed most of her high school years as part of Bishop Hendricken’s theater program, recently starred in a production of the musical, “Grease.” Through the show’s finale of “We Go Together,” she explained her feelings to her peers.
“No, physically we will not always be together next year, we all have separate paths that we are embarking on,” she said. “But, no one can take away from us this moment – graduating together. We will always be the Warwick Veterans Memorial High School class of 2012. This is our finale together.”
Stefanie Alexys Abbott +#!-
Alexander Anthony Abjornson “
Ryan Eugene Adams “
Eric Tyler Allegretta
Steven Matteo Amalfitano
Christine Lee Amaral +>
Kimberly Ann Anton >
Bethanie Lynn Aurelio
Stephanie Marie Bagu
Elizabeth Ashley Bailey
Sean Ryan Banno +>
Brianna Gail Barlow +#!-
Elizabeth Diane Barstow +”
Amanda Lee Bateman
Kaitlyn Rose Baxter +
Gregory Matthew Bennett +
Ashley Katrina Blanchette ^
Adam Patrick Blevins
Andrew James Bouchard +
Brian Joseph Bouchard +-
Jacqueline Alisa Bouchard +#!-
Kevin Alan Browning
Arthur Roland Brunelle III +
Aubrey-Lynne Brunelle
Amy Ann Buchanan
Courtney Maria Buratczuk +
Cassandra Lynn Buteau
Brianna Marie Butler +#!
Kelsea Nicole Mary Cafferty
Kryslin Nicole Caldarone >
Zachary Frederick Canning
Nicholas Craig Capuano “
Jessica Angelique Carlson-Sausaman
Jenna KayCee Carroccia
Molly Maureen Cartier
Savanaugh Mae Anne Casey
Joseph Brian Chadwick “
Kelsey Rose Chamberlain +#
Justin Daniel Chase “
Katelyn Marie Cinquegrana
Donaven Coken “
Michael Alexander Conti +>
Christopher Robert Corbin
Kenneth Everett Costa
Jenna E. Coté +#!-
Joshua James Daland
Courtney Sandra Dale
Heather Ashley Day “
Jessica Madeline DeSanto
Vanessa Marie Dilone +
Joseph Richard DiMauro
Alexander Disantis “
Kristina Marie DiSanto
Jessica Lynn Dow
Tiffany Duchesneau “
Vernon Weber Edwards
James E. Feeney IV
Brendan James Fernandes +!
Lawrence Thomas Ferri, Jr.
Kevin Fitzgerald “
Shannon Lee Flynn +#!>
Tyler John Fontaine
Tara Lynn Fontes
Ericka Ann Franzen +#!
Taylor Elizabeth Germain !
Robert Giem
Haley Mae Gifford +
Haley Nicole Gould
Julie Ann Grant +#
Matthew John Grote
Marisa Kelsey Haney +
Kaianna Rose Hansen +!
Vincent Richard Hartman
Allison Caroline Heiser
Tara Michelle Hersey +#!
Emma Katherine Hindinger +#!>
Shannen Marie Houlker +>
Ashley Marie Howe
Andrew Angel Hughes
Rebecca Anne Hurd +#!-
Devin Charles Hurst +>
Kristen Rose Hyle +#!-
MaryRobin April Imbruglia
Caitlin Elizabeth Isles +
Michaela C. Jencks >
Joshua Robert Jezak
Stacey Marie Johnson >
Nicole Elizabeth Jones
Elissa Elaine Ketcham +”>
Kimberly Kiernan +#
Jennifer Susan Kittila
Frederick John Kollett III
Victoria Marie Lafond
Brittany A. Langlois +!
Alyssa Grace LeDoux “
Johanna Ellen Legault
Jennifer Caroline Lemos +#!-
John Timothy Leonard
Merrill Maurice Leveillee
Keriah Lima +!
Samantha Marie Logan
Gary Scott Low
Elizabeth Blaine Lower +
Stephanie Alycia Lusignan
William Robert MacRae, Jr. >
Michael Terence Magrath
Domenic Malaga
Alexia Christine Manson
Marissa Marie Marcello “>
Michael Steven Maron “
Mason Andrew Martino
Robert Allen Martorelli +
Jennifer Lynn Mason +#
Nathan Robert Mattera “
Nicholas Ryan Matthews
Justin Ryan Maynard
Jessie Kathleen McDonald +!
Brandon Tyler McGuire +
Jacob Alan McLinden
Richard Alan Meckes “
Ashley Amanda Melo
Robert Manuel Menezes
Megan Elizabeth Merlino +#!
Hannah Rose Messier
Margo Elizabeth Miller
Leah Michelle Milne
Shane Patrick Moffat
Domenic Carl Moreira
Taylor-Marie Murphy
Cara Michelle Nason +
Trang Tara Nguyen +#
Ian Olson +”>
Bryan Thomas O’Mara
Elizabeth Lynn Paras +!
Jaedon Patenaude “
Jordyn Payne +#!
Rattanady Phommavongxay
Daniel Lewis Pickering +!>
Frederick Robert Pierce III
Danielle Pigeon +!
Ashley Maria Pisaturo “
Jessica Danielle Prinz
Christopher Devon Quinn
Stephen John Rascoe
Jacob James Ray
Crismaylis Reyes “>
Tyler James Rice
Alexandra Nicole Ritacco
Taylor Chase Robillard >
Jordan Paul Rodrigues “>
Stephanie Lee Rollinson
Kevin Rosenberg >
Colby Peter Roy +>
Michael Paradiso Ryder +!>
Calandra Anne Sahagian +#!
Nicholas David Salois +>
Alan Joseph Schuse
Steven Ryan Sears
Kevin Michael Shepherd +*
Paul Bernard Sherry III
Haylee Angela Short >
Alexander Harris Simas >
Rachel Nichole Smith +
Christina Lynn Sobral >
Joseph Anthony Spaziano III “
Steven Tyler Spellman
Briona Lynn St.Pierre
Nicholas Patrick Stansfield
Livia Stencel +>
Kasey Leigh Strumar !
Lyndsey Elizabeth Supernault +#!
Alyssa Tatro >
Gabriel Tejeda
Michelle Rose Tente “
Hayley Marie Thomas
Symantha Kaelyn Tillinghast >
Albert Mathew Tomei “
Dustin Jack Tortolanni
Aaron Michael Tourtellot “>
Christian Jason Valladolid +^>
Audrey Kristine Vicente
Kyle Adam Whiteside
Helena Rose Widmann +!
Joseph Patrick Wilcox
Michael Lee Williams “>
Ashley Elizabeth Woods +#!
Alexa Marie Zinno +!>
+ Rhode Island Honor Society
# National Honor Society
* Rhode Island Scholar
^ Societe Honoraire de Francais
! Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica
‘ Societa Onoraria Italiana
“ Career Center
- Senior Project With Distinction
> Senior Project Honorable Mention
< National Society of High School Scholars
