Salutatorian Atyana Del Valle addresses the Class of 2024.
ANSONIA – Ansonia High School’s Class of 2024 is charging ahead: to college, to the military, to career training programs, and more.
On Saturday (June 8), 143 seniors walked across the stage to collect their diplomas. Speakers at the ceremony described their journey as one of overcoming: From starting their high school careers online in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, to graduating on a sunny morning at Nolan Field, surrounded by shouting family members and friends.
Salutatorian Atyana Del Valle told the class to give themselves credit for all of their accomplishments in life, big and small.
“Looking back on our past, you should be proud of everything you’ve done: from your hand turkeys, to your high school diploma,” Del Valle said.
She recalled obstacles students had overcome – from SAT prep in the morning, to late nights spent studying for exams – before telling the class that the future is theirs to take.
“In a world filled with uncertainty, let us be the flower that blooms in winter,” Del Valle said. “We don’t know what the future holds. But we do know that, whatever it is, it has no chance against an Ansonia Charger.”
Principal Paul Giansanti recalled some of the class’s other achievements. Students from the class of 2024 were accepted to colleges in 19 states, and about 70 percent of the seniors had earned college credits while still enrolled in high school. A full quarter of the class was accepted to the University of Connecticut..
Also meriting note were the class’s athletic achievements: During their time, the class of 2024 played a part in boys’ and girls’ basketball titles, record-setting girls’ soccer and tennis records, and back-to-back state cheer championships.
As students walked across and down the stage, they were greeted by a row of elected officials to shake hands with, including board of education members, Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti, state Rep. Kara Rochelle, and state Sen. Jorge Cabrera.
Valedictorian and class president Fahmida Chowdhury, who plans to major in biochemistry and international relations at Wellesley College in the fall, rounded out the hourlong ceremony by crediting the class’s resilience through both the routine struggles of high school and the extraordinary struggles of the pandemic.
“We made it. We persevered,” Chowdhury said. “All of us have the strength, passion and courage that will continue to drive us forward.”
Chowdhury led the class in flipping their tassels from the right to the left. Students threw their graduation caps, many decorated with flowers, into the air, along with a beach ball that had been bounced around the audience during Chowdhury’s speech.
A full list of graduates is reprinted below from a program handed out during the ceremony.
Graduating Seniors
Brighton Geraldine Ahearn
Jair Albaladejo Rivera, Jr.
Dezryel Allick
Andre Altamirano
Patricia Afriyie Amankwah
Jade Antrum
Nicholas Robert Ardito
Michael A. Arias
Ray Jordan Badillo
Thomas A. Barfi
Jhani Barge
Victor Benitez
Skyla Ann Bethea
Alexandra J. Bevan
Rickayla Ayana Blagrove
Mason Bodine
Kasey Bonilla
Jamar William Booker, Jr.
Trevon Booker
Geno Borrero
Blaine Bostic
Arielle LaVonne Bracey
Lailah Daisy Bromell
Alivia Shila Brown
Javarr Bryant
Wilberte Carlie Brumaire
Chariot Burden
Hailey Kristina Burton
Samantha Ann Burton
Dakota Camillo
Jamiah R. Carrillo
Shellymar Casillas
Fahmida Chowdhury
Logan J. Coon
Ellsie S. Cotto
Jamie Lynn Cronin
Kenneth Roberto Curet, Jr.
Alessandro DaGraca
Nevaeh Davenport
Se-Nirha Miwaylin Degro
Nina Alexa Delgado
Atyana Lily DelValle
Aliah Maria DePina
Christian A. Deutscher-Cordova
Angel Manuel Diaz
Tatiana A. Diaz
Kyle William Disley
Dynastee Monay Dixon
Jazmin Dixon
Preston Vladimir Dziubina
Benjamin Eads
Gwyneth Fasciano
Ali Asar Ferguson
Zoe Lynn Frager
Jacob Xsavier Gaffney
Angela Christine Garcia
Gabriela Ivelisse Garcia Franky
Isaiah Madera-Garcia
Ariana Gomez
Emily Cecilia-Ronney Gonzalez
Joel Alfredo Guachichullca
Jayvante Hernandez
Kiera A. Hopkins
Kelly Sofia Horjatschun
Machi Renell Ingram
Addyson Ray Izzo
Julia Jarmoszko
Ashley Nicole Jenner
Jahzye A. Johnson
Landon Joseph Kerr
Jonathan James Kish
Shayla R. Kovacs
Erald Kukaj
Jacob R. Kurowski
Jovan Alexander Lilly
Christopher A. Lopez
Brendan Daniel Lynch
Alexandra Makowski
Steven Andres Martinez Santos
Rasheed Martinez Estronza
Tatyana A. Melendez
Mark A. Meredith
James W. Mikita III
London Khia Morales
Maqila J. Mosley-Williams
Kassidy Musnicki
Thyrene Mweze
Jennipher Aysha Najeeb
Leonardo Gabriel Navarrete
Emilyanna Yasmine Negron
Anna Nguyen
Michael J. Oates
Elizabeth Ortiz
Jade Jellianny Ortiz Gonzalez
Justin Owens
Paul Adam Palmer, Jr.
Samantha Paige Palmieri
Domenic Pardy
Zoe Jean Pastor
Ashmer Isaiah Pedraza
Marc Peet
Aiyanna Bonnie Pempleton
Kaleeah Cyniya-Latres Philoche
Jamirah Pickering
Angel M. Pinto
Julia Grace Pinto
Matthew Chester Pinto
Jayden J. Pires
Faith Emma Quiñones
Samuel Reese, Jr.
Jovan Raul Reyes
Izaiah Nakai Ribeiro
Shawn Anthony Richards, Jr.
Eliana Samantha Josefina Rico
Karyangelis Rivera
Mathayus Nicholas Rivera
Nathaniel Luis Rivera
Lilly Jane Rogers
Thomas S. Rolfe, Jr.
Melisa Naiomi Rosario Reyes
Caroline Gabriela Ruiz-Robinson
Arianna Essynce Santana
Cassandra M. Santiago
Jayla Elease Saunders
Davia T. Scill
Andrew C. Smith
Vivea Smith
Robin Sorto Ramos
Riana Lynn Sullivan
Emalie Renee Terifay
Jaquan Thomas
Eliana M. Torres
Madison Rose Torsiello
Amy S. Vann
Jensen Y. Vázquez Medina
Jalen D. Velez
Arianna Villafuerte
April Walfall
Faith R. Walker
Rashaan O. White
Andre T. Williams, Jr.
Isaiah James Wooden
Julia Katherine Wright
Antwain Yopp
Miguel X. Zapata
Justin Zepeda
