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.