JOHN READ MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASS of 2011

by Kaitlin Bradshaw

As parents gathered in the lower gym at Joel Barlow High School June 17, members of the eighth grade class at John Read Middle School was eagerly waiting to receive their recognition for completing middle school.

Dressed in their best, the students filed down to their seats in pairs of two to the applause of their family and friends.

Andrew Knapp, student council president, greeted the students and guests and introduced the speakers.

Alexandria Hayman, Marielle Nicoloro, Christian Vail, Amanda Preston and Nathan Sobel addressed the audience with their personal experiences and views on their journey from middle school to high school.

Alexandria dis-cussed her initial fears of going into middle school and how she has grown over the past four years. She thanked her family, friends and teachers for her growth and preparation for high school.

Marielleʼs speech was all about second chances. From an orphan-age in China to a loving family in Redding, Marielle is able to appreci-ate her second chance at a good life and does her very best to achieve her goals for the future, she said.

Christian addressed the issues and realizations of growing up and matur-

ing. He is thank-ful, he said, for the experiences he had at John Read Middle School and hopes younger stu-

dents will be able to enjoy the same things he did.

Amanda expressed the nerves she felt as a small fifth grader and how quickly she overcame them over the past four years. Now feeling those nerves again going into high school, Amanda knows she has her friends by her side and new memories to come, she told the audience.

Nathan recited a poem about his

journey through John Read Middle School titled “Taking Care of Ourselves,” which follows the school motto, “take care — of yourself, your peers and this place.”

After the speeches, David Lewson, a Redding school board member, said a few words and then Principal Diane Martin announced the students ̓names as they received their recogni-tion from Mr. Goldberg, Kathleen Joyce-Kirk, another school board member, and Dr. Michael Cicchetti, superintendent of schools.

At the end, the students filed out by twos, the same way they entered, but this time walking toward their high school future.

STUDENT SPEAKERS

Alexandria Hayman

Marielle Nicoloro

Christian Vail

Amanda PrestonKaitlin Bradshaw

photos

“And although I will miss John Read, I am excited for Joel Barlow. It is something new, the next step to achieving my dreams and regaining my older-sister superiority. It is the next challenge, the next puzzle to solve, the next place to prove myself and stand out from the seven billion that live on this planet. It is the next jump into the unknown in my life, and I might as well do it, since it definitely won’t be the last.”

—Alexandria Hayman

“Life is about taking chances to explore the outside world and ourselves. It’s not often we get second chances. I got this one and I am not going to let it go. I could still be in China, and be without a home, or a family. I could still be in China, working in a factory, and not knowing where my next meal would come from. I know what my life would have been if I hadn’t been adopted. But I was given a second chance, to live my life to the fullest and be strong and be thankful.”

—Marielle Nicoloro

“It is important for us all to let go of the fact that, Yes, we didn’t ever get our ice cream machine back, or Yes, it was very hot during finals. It is important for us to absorb the fact that we had so many peaceful, exciting and fun memories here, and those are what outweigh the disappoint-ing ones. We are all taking another big leap in the process of growing up, and we should all leave here excited to what may come, but just a little bit sad that we have to leave behind such a beautiful place.”

—Christian Vail

“I’ve learned that staying true to friends will get you far in life, and I’ve learned that being kind and friendly to everyone, best friends or not, will always come back to you in a positive way. I’ve learned to take care of not only yourself, but the place you’re in, and the people sur-rounding you. And most of all, I’ve learned that eighth graders don’t really beat up fifth grad-ers for their lunch money.”

—Amanda Preston

“Some lessons have been learned the hard way. We all have strengths, weaknesses, good times and bad. Still, in this school there is always someone to care about, who will care about you in return. After all of this, we have managed to become a pretty respectable group of people. As we look around JRMS, we can see that we have done our part. By recycling, respecting classrooms and equipment, and keeping our school clean we have made this place better for future classes to come.”

—Nathan Sobel

Nathan Sobel

Ania Alexandra AbbottSamuel Ward AldershofMelanie Eve Ambler 3Willemien Valentina ArayaAndrew Ryan BassElaine Rebecca BaulsirMichelle Louise BayerRyan Elizabeth BeachMichelle Olivia BenderCharlie Knowlton BerryKelly Quinn BlackwellEmily Anna BlumenfieldShawn Philomena BurgerAllan Colin BurgessPatrick Alexander BurnsMadison Lyn CammarotaChristopher James CataniaNicholas Salvatore Catania 6Jonah Arthur Cerbin 5Dylan Laurence CheungSchuyler Matthew ChubetJulian Frederick CohenPatrick Kevin ConnollyNina Vincent ConstableNicholas Benjamin CookeCassandra Lee Cormier 7Julia Hannah Cornell

Kathleen Sarah CowherdElyse Christina CowlesKevin Lawrence CunninghamHannah Lamb CurtisBrooke Ann CurtoMichael Jacob DazzoZachary Thomas DevineTyler Steven DiCamilloJessica Elizabeth DinowitzJack Thomas DohertyMadeleine Simone EnglandAlexander Taugher FlynnKeeley Danielle GambinoStephanie Hayley GerschwerLaura Rose GiamportoneColin William GillapLucas Jeffrey GliddenSamuel Charles GoldSuzanne Hope GoldbergJuan Miguel GomezAlyssa Anne GontzesJessica Maria GrecoPatrick William GreggEmma Jane GregoryCameron Taylor GurleyDaniel Alfred HackworthAlexander John Hamill

Madeline Anna HaugAlexandria Nicole HaymanRebecca May HealdRyan Elizabeth HealeyJohn Thomas Healy 3Rebecca Ann HermenzeJulia Naomi HeylMatthew Allen HoffmanMatthew James HushionKillian Mireille JampierrePeter Alexander KaourisKatrina Rosanne KarlMatthew Pierce KarpKendra Christina KirbyEleni Ann KiriazidisSean Robert KirkMadison Ilya KirshawAndrew Dalton KnappGraham Anderson Kolf 7Alexander Joseph Krupnikoff-

SalkinEmily Min Lazo-Wasem 4Graham Franklin LewsonHarrison William LindnerMargaret Louise Loery 5Abigail Katrina LongprePaige Margaret Macpherson

Caroline Ann MahoneyAlexander William MalcyMatthew Cameron Andrew

MallozziAlison Rose Malone 7Kaitlyn Marie Marino 7Molly Kate MartinAlexander Martin MayperKylie Wallis McAdamDevin Skye McBrayerAndrea Rachael McGowan 2Gaelen Louise McLeanClare Margaret McLeodMaggie Dorothy McQuadeAidan Forbes MitchellLily Rae MittlemanEmily Paige MobilioShayla Elizabeth MorrisNatalie Ann MorrisonMary Hope MulcahyJulia Egan MurphyPenelope Wrenn Murphy 7Sean Robert MurrayMichelle Krissie NeidhartMarielle Wen Tao Nicoloro 1Luke Anthony OʼHaraRyan Francis OʼHara

Jake Raymond PaltaufAldo Alexander ParisotShannon Leigh PerrottKatherine Barber Phillips 6Daniel Francis PironeJoseph Thomas PironeZachary Jon PompeaAmanda Marie PrestonEllen Maria ProbstMark Alexander RaymondArya R Reddy 2Andrew Michael RejeskiCassidy Rose RooneyCassandra Marie RosaJohn Michael SandRalph Frank ScaloCalvin Georges SchneiderZoe Taylor SchneiderZachary Norman SchurAnthony Warwick ShawNathan Emir Sobel 7Brendon Gustav SoodekJason Gabriel SpilkaJohn Alexander StefanopoulosChatham Edgar Studer 1Gregory Ryan SullivanAnthea Rose Taeuber 8

Thomas Mackenzie TaylorCallum Michael Edward TennantWilliam Christopher TowerJakob Arthur TritchonisJonathan Isaiah Tyson-TuckerSamuel Filippus UlfssonKatherine Elisabeth UnfriedZinnia Anne UpsonChristian John VailRobert William Van BurenHannah Rachel VillhauerHarrison Wagner von DwingeloLauren Diana Weggeman 4Ryan Michael WexlerHannah Isabella WilkTristan Victor Wilmott

Beacon Award 1REA Scholar Award 2Scholar-Leader Award 3CAS Leadership Award 4State of Connecticut Award 5Superintendent's Award 6Town of Redding Award 7Patricia Tuzzio Memorial

Writer's Award 8

Middle school students move on

John Read Class of 2011

Alexander Flynn and Ralph Scalo give each other a congratulatory hug at Recognition Night.

Anthea Taeuber, Lauren Weggeman, Gaelen McLean and Laura Giamportone posed for a photo after the ceremony

Daniel Pirone receives his certificate from Lewis Goldberg, a Redding school board member, and Dr. Michael Cicchetti, superintendent of schools.

Shannon Perrott, Julia Heyl and Emily Mobilio wait together before the ceremony starts. At left, Dr. Michael Cicchetti, superintendent of schools, congratulates Shayla Morris.

14A Pilot, Redding, Conn. June 23, 2011

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