138 from Minuteman graduate; 33 are from Arlington
Hannah Bardei Arlington, 2021 valedictorian.
UPDATED, June 30: A total of 138 students have graduated from Minuteman Regional Votechnical High School in Lexington at an in-person ceremony at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium, allowing an unlimited number of family members and friends to view the milestone event after the state recently lifted most Covid-19 gathering restrictions.
Thirty-three of the gradutes are from Arlington. Scroll down to read more about each
The Friday, June 4, ceremony was broadcast live on LexMedia. See a video here >>
The seniors of the Minuteman Class of 2021 have accomplished a lot despite a difficult year and a half – marked by remote and hybrid learning and a loss of many activities. Thirteen students were named to the National Honor Society (denoted with an asterisks), which recognizes students in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership and character.
In addition, 94 seniors have received scholarships from Minuteman through various organizations and individual donors.
'Accomplished much'
“The students of the class of 2021 have accomplished so much despite the challenges we have all faced,” Principal George Clement said in a June 4 news release. “We are proud of them and overjoyed that we can provide a traditional graduation ceremony – a rite of passage – that they so truly deserve.”
In his speech to the graduates, Superintendent-Director Edward A. Bouquillon centered the theme on resiliency in the light of the many challenges students have faced due to the pandemic.
“Choosing to be resilient means you choose to see yourself as the person mainly responsible for your happiness. You are the boss of you,” Bouquillon said. He later added: “Adversity may bend you, but it did not break you. It doesn’t matter how many times that you fall. All that matters is that you get back up again and keep moving forward. Because every time – every time you get up – you exercise your resilience, and what gets exercised gets stronger.”
The class of 2021 valedictorian is Hannah Bardei*, an engineering student from Arlington. Bardei is the senior class treasurer, member of the National Honor Society and received eight scholarships from Minuteman.
Bardei speech
“I remember the first time I stepped foot into Minuteman,” Bardei said in her speech. “I saw the passion that so many students here had for their career major, and how much people here genuinely enjoyed going to school. At this moment I knew that this was the high school I wanted to be a part of.”
Bardei is passionate about sustainable energy and, in her speech, called climate change “the pressing issue of our time.” In addition to volunteer work with climate justice organizations, Bardei spent two years in a cooperative work program with Sense Labs, which specializes in green-energy solutions for homes. Bardei will attend the University of Virginia to study biology.
The salutatorian is Devlin Ih, a robotics student from Carlisle. Ih received the Adams Scholarship, the President’s Education Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence, the Alan J. McLaughlin STEM Scholarship, the Music Academic Achievement Award, the World Language Academic Achievement Award, and the Digital Federal Credit Union Scholarship. Ih will attend Olin College of Engineering to study electrical and computer engineering.
“I encourage all graduates to thank someone, today, and every day going forward,” Ih said in his speech. “None of us made it here alone, and none of us will get anywhere in the future without someone else. Remember, when we work together, not even the sky’s the limit!”
Outstanding tech student
Lucy Kitchenka*, a carpentry student from Arlington, the senior class president and member of the National Honor Society, wa s named Outstanding Vocational Technical Student of the Year.
Kitchenka also received the Adams Scholarship, President’s Education Award for Outstanding Excellence, Carpentry Career Program Award, History & Social Studies Academic Achievement Award, Digital Federal Credit Union Scholarship, and the Minuteman Principal’s Award. Kitchenka plans to attend Wentworth Institute of Technology to study construction management.
“In middle school I was not someone who really stood out or excelled at anything. At Minuteman, I had the chance to learn what I loved to do, to learn what I was good at, and to have the resources and opportunities to make the best of my four years,” Kitchenka said in her speech. “I would say I did pretty well.”
Minuteman High School graduates students from Arlington
Thirty-three students from Arlington were among the graduates. Twenty-five plan to attend college, university or career postsecondary training. Six are employed and/or working in their career trades of study. Dozens of scholarships were awarded to the Class of 2021.
Listed here are the Minuteman High School class of 2021 graduates by hometown other than Arlington:
ACTON:
Julia R. Champoux, Environmental Science
Samuel D. Cluett, Robotics
Mark J. Denaro, Plumbing
Shane J. Fitzgerald, Electrical Wiring
Jake E. McKelvie, Electrical Wiring
BELMONT:
Noe E.H. Chianese, Automotive Technology
Martin E. Gorman, Automotive Technology
Sarah O. Goodsell, Design and Visual Communications
Liberty A. Jacobs, Early Education and Teaching
Anneliese E. Linden, Environmental Science
Maya J. Moran, Cosmetology
Dwight M. Reed, Biotechnology
BOLTON:
Caspian Barrett, Early Education and Teaching
Kyle S. Kotlarz, Biotechnology
Teagan K. O’Connor*, Early Education and Teaching
BOXBOROUGH:
Victoria E. Gladyszak, Design and Visual Communications
Nina S. Michnovez, Automotive Technology
BROOKLINE:
Henry R. Price, Advanced Manufacturing
BURLINGTON:
Mario C. DeVincentis, Programming and Web Development
CARLISLE:
Alex N. Ostrowski, Design and Visual Communications
Devlin P.A. Ih, Robotics
CONCORD:
Emily M. Vacca, Advanced Manufacturing
DOVER:
Isabel O. Watson, Design and Visual Communications
EVERETT:
Samuel Mentor, Electrical Wiring
LANCASTER:
Zachary L. Bilotta, Metal Fabrication and Welding
Ariana R. Calder, Design and Visual Communications
Nathan P. Doherty, Metal Fabrication and Welding
Damien K. Fox, Health Assisting
Luciano J. Garreffi, Advanced Manufacturing
Colman J. Green, Advanced Manufacturing
Tyler J.S. Hanson, Design and Visual Communications
Shaynna A. Hovasse, Biotechnology
Jacob A. Lawrence, Carpentry
Caleb S. McLaughlin, Design and Visual Communications
Jeffrey A. Newton, Design and Visual Communications
Mia E. Novak, Automotive Technology
Samuel J. Quinn, Electrical Wiring
Erik M. Thacker*, Carpentry
Luke R. Thacker, Carpentry
Marko C. Venier, Culinary Arts
Grace T. Walsh, Metal Fabrication and Welding
LEXINGTON:
Zachary J. Campbell, Advanced Manufacturing
Nicholas P. Casey, Early Education and Teaching
Nicholas R. DiNush, Electrical Wiring
Isabella T. Fabbo, Electrical Wiring
Luca Gentile, Advanced Manufacturing
Mame Cheikh I. Gueye, Automotive Technology
Muntadar Hasan, Automotive Technology
Roman J. Martis, Environmental Science
Kaira K. Mathis, Biotechnology
Connor T. O’Brien, Automotive Technology
Shane F. O’Connell, Plumbing
Leo S. Pettersen, Environmental Science
Kailey S. Sowle, Early Education and Teaching
Louis J. Savarino, Environmental Science
Erin J. Terrett, Biotechnology
Jackson S. Thomas, Robotics
LINCOLN:
Marco Bagnall, Plumbing
Michael W. Harris, Advanced Manufacturing
Aidan Nunez-O’Doherty, Advanced Manufacturing
Molly P. Raghavan, Carpentry
Vianavi Romero, Early Education and Teaching
MIDDLETON:
Brenna S. Bell, Culinary Arts
NEEDHAM:
Samuel J. Danna, Metal Fabrication and Welding
Cameron W. Hebert, Plumbing
Drew A. Humberstone, Horticulture
Matthew F. McIntyre, Plumbing
Christopher T. Lesanto, Automotive Technology
Peter T. Lilja, Automotive Technology
NEWTON:
Joseph R. Hart, Horticulture
Brooke R. Low, Environmental Science
Emma S. Mooradian, Cosmetology
STOW:
Angelina K. Amico*, Design and Visual Communications
Markis X. Galea, Engineering Technology
Gabriel L. Herbertz, Robotics
Julie A. Lavin, Plumbing
SUDBURY:
Joseph J. Bisson, Plumbing
Colin P. Mitchell, Engineering Technology
Santino C. Tamburrini, Metal Fabrication and Welding
WALTHAM:
Arianna M. DiGiacomo, Cosmetology
Robert A. Vanaria, Horticulture
WATERTOWN:
Zoha Bibi, Health Assisting
Samuel L. Cerqueira, Horticulture
Jonathan D. Corbett, Advanced Manufacturing
Dayane M. Coutinho, Plumbing
Faith J. Daley, Early Education and Teaching
Maria E.C. DeFreitas, Early Education and Teaching
Gina M. DiRico, Carpentry
Patricia J. Farwell, Cosmetology
Izadora Karla P. Goncalves, Health Assisting
Lilyrose Love, Health Assisting
Cailyn M. MacVeigh, Design and Visual Communications
Autumn I. Sivits-Camara, Early Education and Teaching
Theodore D. Surenian, Programming and Web Development
Gabriel L. Tulipano, Programming and Web Development
Nicholas R. Vick, Plumbing
WAYLAND:
Morgan Calverley, Design and Visual Communications
Day A. Kolz*, Early Education and Teaching
Shawn M. MacLeod, Plumbing
WILMINGTON:
Ryan S. Garrant*, Environmental Science
WINCHESTER:
Kyliegh D. Cabral, Biotechnology
Peter D. Loschen, Robotics
WOBURN:
Scott E. Romano, Advanced Manufacturing
Kathryn G. Currier, Horticulture
This news announcement was published Monday June 7, 2021, and updated June 30, to highlight Arlington students. Providing the information is Dan O'Brien, who works for Minuteman.
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