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Graduate and Class Valedictorian Manan Manchanda jokingly asks the audience to applaud after every sentence during his address at Trumbull High School's Commencement Exercises in Trumbull, Conn., on Tuesday June 18, 2019.
Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media
Rain and inclement weather didn’t damper the spirits of Trumbull High’s Class of 2019, who received their diplomas at an indoor ceremony this past Tuesday. For the graduates gathered in the Trumbull High gymnasium, the day marked the end of their time in the Trumbull public school system and the beginning of their post-high school careers. The festivities featured addresses from school principal Marc Guarino, Superintendent Gary Cialfi, Board of Education Chairwoman Loretta Chory, First Selectman Vicki Tesoro, salutatorian Camryn Fetzer, class president Nigel Hayes, and valedictorian Manan Manchanda.
“What do you want to do when you grow up?” That’s the question that principal Marc Guarino asked the graduating class of 2019. In his remarks, Guarino encouraged his now former students to “find your passion and follow it.” First Selectman Tesoro echoed these sentiments and urged students to “be open to new possibilities” and to “be people of honesty, integrity, and courage.” The first selectman also gave a nod to two presidents, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, when she reminded students that “every person can make a difference and every person should try” and “there is no limit to the good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.”
Tesoro also carried on the tradition of honoring the graduates of Trumbull High who will be enlisting in the armed forces, attending a service academy, or enrolling in an ROTC program. This year, eight graduates will be donning the uniform in service of the United States. Tesoro also recognized all the veterans in attendance, telling them and the military-bound students, “it is your service and sacrifices that make days like today possible.”
For class president Nigel Hayes, the word of the day was “legendary.” In his remarks to the class, Hayes said that the class’ success was a testament to “the long nights so many of us spent studying for exams and tests with little sleep, after winning championships and competitions in sports against the best teams in the state.”
The class of 2019 has had a banner four years at Trumbull High. On the athletic fields, the class’ athletes have boasted success in both FCIAC and statewide competitions. In the classroom, the class continued Trumbull High’s record of academic achievement, with many graduates bound for top universities such as the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard College, Brown University and Cornell University. In extracurricular activities, the graduates made their mark on stage, in musical performances, in mock courtrooms, in their community, and beyond.
At the end of the ceremony, graduates gathered for one final goodbye as a whole class, taking pictures and exchanging hugs. The consensus was clear, for the now former Trumbull Eagles, the past four years at Trumbull High have indeed been “legendary.”