The new field. A drone shot from Valley Aerial Optics.
DERBY — Families sat in rows of white chairs under a clear blue sky in front of the stage on Payden Park’s baseball field for the Derby High School Class of 2019’s graduation ceremony Tuesday.
Then the crowd stood to greet the procession of graduates, who wore red and white caps and gowns while marching onto the field by the scoreboard.
Yes, it was the school’s 143rd commencement ceremony.
But this was different.
Tuesday marked the first graduation — or public event of any kind — at the multi-million-dollar athletic complex, made possible by the generous donation of Joan A. Payden in honor of her father, Joseph R. Payden, a football player and valedictorian of Derby High’s Class of 1915.
“It’s an honor to stand with you in the newly constructed Payden Park,” Superintendent Matthew J. Conway Jr. said from behind the podium. “You are all part of history tonight, parents and students, as the first graduates at Payden Park.”
Survivor’s song “Eye of the Tiger” from “Rocky III” played as Conway told Derby High’s seniors to find their grit in pursuing their goals and not to stop until they reach the top.
Then he shared the story of Joan Payden, who first entered the workforce at an engineering firm out of college, only to be among the new engineers to be laid off.
Conway said Payden went on to show her grit by starting Payden & Rygel, a global investment firm that now manages more than $114 billion in assets. Payden is founder, president and CEO of the firm.
Conway said it was a daughter’s love of her father and the community that benefited the school and the city.
“What a beautiful gift we received from the Payden family,” Mayor Richard Dziekan said.
Joan Payden lives in southern California and could not make it to Tuesday’s ceremony. However, her cousin, Meg M. Lampazzi, stood in her place and served as the keynote speaker.
Lampazzi said Payden and her brother, Bill, encouraged her to pursue her passion for aeronautics growing up, when others discouraged her because not many women were in the field. Lampazzi is now a senior human factors engineer at Sikorsky Aircraft.
“Find your passion and follow it,” she told the senior class, adding no one can do it alone and they should find their mentors and team along the way.
Board of Education Chairman Jim Gildea encouraged the graduating class to perform community service and return to their Derby roots as the next city leaders, saying Derby’s best days are ahead of it.
Photo by Bill Bittar
Derby High School’s Class of 2019, administrators and staff, march along the track of Payden Park for their graduation ceremony.
Xavier Ibrahim, the class president, told his classmates not to live for anyone else, to choose their own goals and not to blame the world or others for their shortcomings.
“There’s power in unity and people can come together to make life worth living,” Ibrahim said.
Robert Wolf, the salutatorian, said the best work is done without procrastinating.
“You can procrastinate on some things, but not the important things,” he said.
Fellow salutatorian, Christopher Morales, spoke of the bonds the Class of 2019 formed in their four years.
“We’re all saying goodbye today,” he said. “Hopefully it will lead to another hello.”
Ryan Callaghan, the valedictorian, said there is nothing wrong with finishing college and coming back to Derby, but he also encouraged classmates to expand their boundaries.
“Never forget your roots and never let it hold you back,” he said.
Moments later the 69 graduates received their diplomas, Principal Martin J. Pascale gave more words of advice. Conway told the graduates to move their tassels from right to left.
The graduates erupted into loud cheers and tossed their caps in the air.
