Ansonia High School Class of 2023 President Sabrina Ortega
ANSONIA – For Ansonia High School’s Class of 2023, the last four years were nothing short of a rollercoaster ride, packed with ups and downs that helped them emerge more resilient than ever.
That’s how AHS’ Class President Sabrina Ortega summed it up in the speech she gave before her fellow 122 graduates and family, friends and others who gathered at Nolan Field Saturday for the 2023 commencement.
“I remember freshman year, walking into AHS (in 2019) being overwhelmed by the new environment and the overall feeling of being unprepared for the years ahead,” Ortega said. “By springtime, it finally felt like I finally got a handle on how to navigate things.”
But just as Ortega began feeling she had a grasp on school, the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 turned life upside down.
“I remember not seeing my friends (in person) for a year and had to relearn how to navigate high school, only now online,” Ortega said.
Sophomore year was a blur of online-only classes and trying to keep connected with friends and classmates by playing “Animal Crossing.” Junior year slowly started to get on track when students returned to school in-person but that was only from behind masks.
Slowly but surely high school life got back to normal, and for Ortega and her fellow classmates, senior year was one filled with nothing but great things, like the return of Friday night football games, the Ansonia Chargers clinching the state NVL championship, the return of homecoming and the prom.
Class Valedictorian Dana Usarz echoed similar sentiments about the challenges of the last four years.
“We have shown resilience and didn’t let anything stop us from continuing to learn and grow,” Usarz said. “All of your determination and hard work during these four years is just an indication of the great things you’re all capable of achieving in the future.”
Usarz said despite her classmates being forced to remain six feet apart for so long and obscured by masked faces, they found a way to stay connected.
“After each hurdle we were able to recover and come back stronger and tougher than ever, something that we will take with us to our future,” Usarz said.
The following list of Ansonia High School 2023 graduates was sent by the school district:
Cadence Alicea
Jacob Ambrocio
Roscoe M. Anderson-Benton
McArthur Antoine
Zachary T. Arias-Bimmler
Carlos Ayala Mendez
Jelani Jorge Baez
Reina Sarah Balonze
Thomas E. Barragan
Nathaniel Beall
Evan Bellone
Ja’Nazja Careen Bethea
Malachi Hassan Bracey
Jackie A. Brown
Kayla Brown
Angel L. Burgos, III
Malcolm O. Carruthers
David Cassetti, Jr.
Colin Xavier Cepeda
Tiffany Lynn Cole
Alesia Marie Coleman
Elizabeth Collins
Mia G. Cortigiano
Joseph Paul Czajkowski, Jr.
Darwing De Pena
Alanna Janelle Dear
Brianna Rochelle Dear
Marcus Desir
Fatima DeLeon Escobar
Jeferson M. DeLeon Guerra
Zach S. Desilva
Nasir Amar Diaz
Nestor Diroche
Shelby Rae Douglas
Shannon Duncan
Hannah Durivage
Giuseppe Eaton
Dylan T. Ellison
Tianna Marie Gause
Mia E. Georgis
Treighton Godfrey
Te’Nasia S. Gonzalez
Eileen A. Guzman
Matthew P. Haas
Viviana Ham Breeden
Ryan T. Hanaif
Mekhi Jomar Henton-Garrett
Angelis M. Hernandez
Daniel Hernandez
Johnathan J. Hewitt
Megan R. Howard
Matthew Hurely
Jordan B. James
Hailie S. Jimenez
Jordan Q. Jimenez
Ariyah Rae Johnson
Caleb Jones
Christopher Kaminski
Endri Kamolli
Kassidy Keeler
Jenna Evgenia La Branche
Jalyla Lopez
Christyan Mais
Sihara Martinez Diaz
Richmond Martinez
Stephanie Martinez-Santos
Michael Mascia, Jr.
Carl McIntyre
Desnerdis E. Mercedes Vasquez
Alianna Elise Mills
Anthony John Misenti
Yazlyn Molina
Matthew Mongillo
Elijah A. Montgomery
Anaya Monae Moten
Karolina Asia Morrell
Anakin J. Murphy
Tyler Myers
Delyzabeth Nunéz
Sabrina Angelina Ortega
Nathan Paul Ossie
Derek James Owens
Bryan Palacios Silva
Leonardo Perez-Santana
Josiah Pratts
Sierrah B. Ray
Tracey Ray, III
Matthew A. Reid
Dia’zea Nevaeh Demetrius Richardson
Jacob Justice Riley
Chanmonita Rith
Rameses Rivera
Katherine Rojas
Skyla Roman
Alexander Romanowski
Janesse Rosado
Samantha Mary Rotteck
Joel E. Ruales
Jaden Sahed Saleh
Jonathan Salgado
Jailyn Santana
Christian Matthew Dene Schloemer
Jaydan Manuel Serrano
Christopher Sevigny
Aidan T. Sheehy
James Sherman
Caleb Skiparis
Jake Sobolisky
Destiny Steeves
Kymya Zy’elle Stratton
Anthony P. Sullivan
K’yanah Kamajah Thomas
Michael E. Torres
Elif Su Ugurlu
Dana Usarz
Jacob Vasas
Melanie S. Vasquez
Khalil Meshac Walker
Brittania Rayann Walters
Brooke Lynn Yezik
Jordyn C. Zealor
Madison T. Zealor
