The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
More than 580 Franklin High School seniors took their final official stroll through Warriors stadium June 29 during the annual commencement ceremony.
The ceremony represented a return of sorts to the school’s normal graduation observance. The Class of 2020 was graduated in six separate ceremonies held over two days in July because of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions in place at the time.
The ceremony also was the last for FHS principal Frank Chmiel, who is leaving the district on July 30 to take over as principal at Princeton High School. Current Franklin Middle School – Hamilton Street campus principal Nicholas Solomon will assume the helm of FHS on July 1.
Chmiel made note of his leaving during his comments to the graduating class, whose FHS career mirrored his principalship.
“I was a freshman principal, so to speak, as you were completing your freshman year, so we all came in together, and we are all going out together,” he said.
The past school year, during which many students continued the distance learning that was instituted in March of 2020, “was a terrible and trying year for learners and educators alike,” Chmiel said.
“With the pandemic, we all felt like we were floundering and struggling to uphold who we are, where we stand and what really matters,” he said.
But the students, parents, faculty and staff persevered to bring them to this day, he said.
Chmiel’s message to the graduates was simple: live slowly.
“My message to you is this: Make the most of every day,” he said. “Try to find as much happiness as possible every day. Know when you’re working too hard.”
“Also be mindful of when you’re not looking up to spend time with the loved ones who are around you,” Chmiel said. “Find ways to enjoy each other’s company in person.”
“Take time to enjoy your natural surroundings,” he said. “Stop when you see blue sky, interesting cloud formations, beautiful moons … waves in the ocean when you’re down the shore, ripples in lakes and streams …”
Salutatorian Aliya Kpamegan also celebrated the fact that she and her fellow graduates came through the Covid-impacted school year.
The pandemic, she said, brough the school community together.
“Today is a reminder of this close-knit community that we have,” she said. “From holiday concerts to social justice movements, Franklin has proven time and time again that we are united by compassion for one another.”
“Graduating high school is not an easy thing, and I am so fortunate to be doing so next to you,” she said.
Class Valedictorian Patrick Alan Pangilinan told the class that one of his fondest high school memories was failing a math test he didn’t think he had to study for in his sophomore year. That also taught him a life lesson, he said.
“It taught me that you have to work hard for your grade,” he said. “You have to work hard for nearly anything and everything in this world. That was a real wake-up call for me.”
“In the future we will all change, it’s inevitable,” he said. “But let’s control how we change. Let’s change into a better person.”
Following are some scenes from the graduation ceremony in an extended photo gallery:
Franklin High School 2021 Candidates For Graduation
Hamzah Abdlkader
Justin Abraham*
Aaliyah Acevedo
Zachary Adam
Oluwademilade Alao*
Giovanny Alberto
Bryan Alegria
Anyia Alexander
Andrea Allen
Rugiatu Allie
Sahiba Aloko
Alexander Alves
Jason Amaro Davila
Aditya Amin
Nicholas Amoakoh
Desmond Anderson
Gabrianna Andrews
Benedetta Anim-Adu
Enoch Anthonio-Mako
Bertin Aparicio
Christopher Arana
Keyli Arana
India Archibald
Rosa Arevalo-Contreras
Ruth Arevalo-Contreras
Reyna Arya*^
Jayden Ashford
Jordan Ashford
Bobo Au-Yeung^
Julian Auguste
Tristan Auguste
Jack Aumack
Glorius Averette
Emily Ayala
Jennifer Ayube*
Louis Azar
Orbit Azcona
Aabid Azeez
Megan Baab
Hamid Badru
Nichelle Bagner
Jahir Bakari
Zulika Baksh
Ashday Bangura*
Ashley Bangura
Mohamed Bangura
Mikhael Baqiri
Christian Barahona-Rivera
Caleigh Barnes
Joanna Barr
Isayah Barton
Brittany Bautista Rodriguez
Armando Bautista Rojas
Da-nell Baxter
Cara Beckhorn
Camila Bejar
Isabella Bejar
Christoper Betancourt
Yash Bhatt*^
Emily Bhimsen
Alexa Bidlack*
Riya Billa
Angilee Blake
Amari Blocker
Claire Bochaberi*
Cordell Booker
Micaela Booker
August Boomer
Isaiah Booth
Brittney Borneo
Christoper Brown
Joshua Brown
Massan Brown
Jayla Browne
Matthew Bruno
Malachi Bryant
Melchi Bryant
Aidan Byrne
Jescenia Camarillo Velasquez
Julio Camejo Del Nogal
Gerardo Campos-Meneses
Alicia Cardenas
Saleema Carter
Madison Castillo
Ivan Castro Tejada
Juleiddy Catalan
Kelly Chin
Adrien Choy
Gabriella Ciccone*^
Juliana Ciccone*
Cameron Clemon
Derrick Clemons
Tasha Coelho
Alexa Coleman
Shyyane Coley
Saddie Colegna
Andrew Consiglio*^
Esther Conteh
Daniela Contreras
Karalyn Cornell
Rasool Craddock
Amaad Cromedy
Kennedy Crump
Maria Cruz Hernandez
Edilberto Cruz Vasquez
Leah Cundiff
Vito D’Ambra
Isabella D’Orsogna
Brent Daly
Savion Dames
Jenna Danielsen
Leonardo DaSilva
Imari David
Amani Davis
Chance Davis
Dalmar Davis
Gabrielle Davis
Nia Davis
James Davis-Albert
Isaiah Dawkins
Gavin Dawson
John DeChavez*
Hillary De La Pas Mota
Nelisson De La Rosa
Kyierah Dempsey-Toney
Diya Desai
Kashish Desai^
Om Desai*
Ria Desai*^
Christian Diaz
Heidy Diaz*
Stephanie Diaz*^
Jessica Diaz Tapia
Joseph Diaz-Genchi
Ataeviya Dilworth
Jareth Dominguez Hernandez
Jacqueline Drakeford
Gwenaelle Du-Thumm*^
Alexa Dominique Duaso-Joaquin
Rachel Duran-Ynfante
Kenrick Eagar
Evangeline Edwards
Tymirah Edwards
Jaelyn Elliott
Major Elliott*
Ikenna Eluwa
Matthew Estevez
Diamond Evans
Joseph Fadairo
Owen Faherty
Kiara Faro
Carlie Fehrman
Alexis Fernandez
Ryan Fernandez
Darisbel Fernandez Azcona
Jason Ferner
Karla Flas
Ricardo Folkes
Nevaeh Forehand
Keith Fortson Jr.
Robert Franklin
Ashly Freeman
Justin Freeman
Xavier Frison
Calina Furlong*
Anthony Galasso*
Aastha Axay Gandhi*
Dev Gandhi
Anthony Garach
Albert Garcia^
Jesus Garcia
Karl Garcia
Karla Garcia
Rodolfo Garcia
Alvaro Garcia Paredes
Renato Garcia Paredes
Ashlee Gardner
Keilly Garrido
Brandon Garris
Jose Garza-Flores
Lily Gayden
Jude Gibson
Saraya Gibson
Snow Gibson
Julia Glassen*
Curtis Glover
Stephanie Gomez
Franz Gonzales
Antoni Gonzalez
Natalia Gonzalez^
David Gonzalez-Aparicio
Alexis Goode
Kaylyn Goodman*
Declan Gordon
Eamon Gordon
Scott Gordon
Lily Gralnick
Al’Mira Granger
Ian-Tyler Grant
Bryce Gray*
Na’iem Gregory
Myles Griffin
Simeon Griffin
Garrison Griffith
Ashlynn Guions
Darrin Guo
Nataly Gutierrez-Morales
Janae’ Hamilton
Melissa Hansraj*
Amari Harris
Anika Hatalkar*
Amour Henry
Bryson Henry
Lizeth Heras-Bernardino
Gabriella Heredia
Ashley Hernandez
Sandra Hernandez Betancourt
Kimberlyn Hernandez Yanes
Darlenny Hilario Duarte
Kiayana Hill
Trenyce Hinds
Jeremiah Holman
John Houston
Markell Howard
Elaina Hrabec
Harrison Huguenin
Tahj Hyman
Ryan Hussey*^
Saicharan Idhayan
Favour Ihezue
Pedro Irizarry
Donnay Irving
William Jacas-Alcantara*^
Ayanna Jackson
Erica Jackson*
Mark Jackson
Ra’Shaunti Jackson
Damien Jaquez
Ronald Jaquez Uceta
Tehillah Jenkins
Annie Karolina Jimenez
Anisli Jimenez Bigay
Brandon Johnson
Degraft Johnson
Joshua Johnson
Keith Johnson
Morgan Jones
Robert Jordan
Logan Kagan
Konstantinos Kalogeroupoulos
Ahmed Kamara
Brima Kamara
Mohamed Kamara
Jeanai Kane
Jasmeen Kaur
Simran Kaur
Samuel Keane
James Kemp
Nadia Khan
Mokhidil Kobilzhonova
Omkaar Kothavale
Anuoluwapo Kpade-Johnson
Aliya Kpamegan*^
Samuel Kpedi
Scott Kraft
Isabelle Kuethe
Leysha Kumah
Shaley Kumah
Joshua Kuroda-Grauer^
Benjamin Lam
John Lam*
Simran Lamba
Jaylen Lamin
Jaren Lane*
V’Zhanae Lawson
Jacquelyn Layton-Brown*
Alfredo Lazo
Evan Lee
Preston Lee
Shira Levine
Conor Lindsay
Elle Lisner
Zheng Xiu Liu
Ashanti Locke
Kevin Locke
Zaiquan Lopez
Keyla Lopez Espinoza
Ishalys Lopez Fermin
Suanny Lorenzanna-Sanchez
Xochilt Lorenzana-Sanchez
Jilli Louis
Haley Lucev
Joanna Lucev
Kristine Anne Mabilog
Hina Mahmood
Zeyad Mahmoud Awad
Sanya Majmudar*
Samantha Maldonado
Darwin Maldonado-Morter
Farhan Malik
Sabrina Mangroo
Sarah Mansuri
Ananya Marathe
Hemani Marfatia*
Deysi Marin
Joel Marquez
Hannah Marshall
Steven Marte
Bianca Martinez*
Brenda Martinez*
Emilio Martinez
Patricia Martinez Barragan
T’mi Mason
Shay Mathews
Saniya Mathurine
Emily Matos
Matthew Matos
Takeshi Mayer
Terry McCoy
Lynsey McDonough^
Nala McMullen
Leah McQueen
Vrishank Rao Mechineni
Jayden Medina
Joseph Medina*
Josue Mendez Tejada
Odalis Mendoza Ramirez
Anthony Milligan
Kevin Millman*^
Nyaira Milton
Nazirah Minor
Krish Mistry*
Emma Moley*
Morgan Moncrease
Kevin Montenegro
Anaya Montgomery
Tyler Moore*
Luis Moreira De Moura
Gabrielle Morgan
Hannah Morgan
Brayan Moronta Adames
Nyiah Morton
Jazzmine Moss
Thomas Mrotek*
Ajiana Muhammad
Ajinae Muhammad
Talha Mukhtar
Akhil Munipalli*^
Sabrina Munir*
Adonis Munoz
Sameera Murji
Tyson Murray
Amaria Mustapha
Scarlet Navarro Liranzo
Kaiyrah Nelson
Quincy Nelson
Quinton Nelson
Nadris Nesbitt
Donya Nicholson
Kristina Nieves
Jesse Noupin
Eric Ntigbu
Alanny Nunez
Matthew O’Dell^
Oluwatobi Odukoya
Kenechukwu Okoye
Reese Oliveri
Sanai Onque-Shell
Nicole Onyeze
Brian Ordonez
Fredy Ordonez-Alvarado
Giovanni Ore
Brooke Owens*
Sydney Owusu
Jasmin Owusu-Ansah
Jordan Paige
Vicktoria Panczenko
Patrick Alan Pangilinan^
Zareena Paracha
Karen Parada Munoz
Christian Paredes
Molly Parks
Da Shawn Parks-Clark
Alexandra Parrone
Desha Patel
Dev Patel
Dhanvi Patel
Esha Patel
Isha Patel
Krish Patel
Nand Patel
Nishi Patel*^
Palben Patel
Siya Patel
Snehal Patel
Sparsh Patel
Swayam Patel^
Tejal Patel*
Tirth Patel
Uttam Patel
Vivek Patel
Gabrielle Pearson
Atrell Peart
Joseph Pelaez
Tatiana Peral
Coraima Perez
Jacob Perez Aguilar
Wilvin Perez Luciano
John Petrine
Naasir Philip
Faith Phillips
Kimberly Pineda Duran
Isabella Pitra
Celine Plaisir*
Emely Polanco Morla
Jody Anne Popa Matos*
Marc Priccaciante
Dorene Priddy
Lamont Pride
Jeremiah Primus
Janiya Prisco
Meredith Proctor*^
Cameron Pugh
Yousuf Qari
Edgard Quintana^
Evelyn Quiroz
Alexa Racine
Ruhee Rajwani*
Ariel Ramirez
Haley Ramirez
Roger Ramirez
Leonardo Ramirez-Manzanares
Sabrina Ramlogan
Kevin Ramos Balderas
Jenifer Ramos Tapia
Jayman Rana
Kylie Ratliff
Alaisha Reeves
Steven Reitemeyer
Danielle Renda*
Brisa Reyes
Christopher Reyes
Cielo Reyes
Araceli Reyes Mendoza
Stephanie Reyes-Colon^
Brian Reyes-Jimenez
David Riano
Christopher Rice
Savannah Richards
Diego Rivas-Velez
Jaden Rivera
Jonathan Rivera
Tanainy Rivera
Bryce Roberts
Jalen Robinson
She’maad Robinson
Maria Robles-Leon
Angel Rocha Davila
Joseph Roche
Sophia Rodas
Darlyn Rodriguez
Juan Rodriguez
Kiara Rodriguez
Yeidy Rodriguez
Brianna Rodriguez Alcantara
Arianna Rodriguez Colon
Jennyfer Rodriguez Maceda
Leyshka Rodriguez Pagan
Miguel Rodriguez Taveras
Luis Rojas Torres
Steven Rojas-Valdez
Joseph Rojek*
Daniela Roman
Juan Romero
Axel Romero Uffre
Euri Rosario
Jordy Rosario
Serena Rose
Andy Ruiz
Madison Ruiz
Parker Ryan*
Mark Saba
Samantha Said
Alexis Salazar
Jacob Salib
Jadyn Salvagno
Patrick Samson
Michael Santiago
Ashley Santiago Reyes
Saul Santiago-Rodriguez^
Jennifer Santos
Yaasmeen Sanzar
Charles Schiermeyer
Isaiah Scott
Michael Scott
Geornel Seaman
Kiara Seaman
Justin Serrano*
Osman Sesay
Farhan Shah*
Maya Shah
Mukundan Shanmugasundaram
Imani Shereef
Faryn Shields
Anika Shroff
Christiana Sillah
Jillian Silva
Christopher Silva-Perez
Tonei Silver
Parth Sinha
Ramatulai Sisoko
Ariel Smith
Damien Smith
Jacob Smith
Kenneth Smith
Sean Smith
Johany Solano*
Damani Somerset
Eddy Sosa
Corey Statum
Zaniyah Stewart
Antonio Stone
Saquoia Stone
Madison Straub
Isaiah Suarez
Delilah Summerer
Christian Summers
Troy Sumpter
Logan Swillinger
Mary Tagoe
Navin Tamesar
MarkLouis Tan*
Syncere Taylor
Nicole Tedesco
Tyriq Terry
Diarra Thompson*^
Myles Thompson
Rebecca Thompson
Cindy Ton*
Ruddy Torres Lorenzo
Anderson Torres Urena
Ibrahim Trabelsi
Peter Trinidad
Rithika Vadapalli*
Abigail Vaddis
Maria Valentin
Jonathan Van*^
Aaliyah Van Cooten
Destiny Van Ness
Jorden Vanderveer
Belly Vargas Bonilla
Brandon Vargas-Amador
Jesus Vazquez Ruiz
Siby Venkatesh
Naimisha Vidavalapati
Saurav Vidyadhara
Nathalie Marie Villa
Joshua Villanueva
Samuel Villar
Vincent Villuri
Neel Viswanathan*
Adanna Wainwright
Di’Ojah Walker
Safwan Wallace
Mitchel Walton
Elias Wambugu
Gabrielle Werner
Madison Wheeler
Morgan Wheeler*
Jamira Whitaker-Fletcher
Taejhon Whitted
Byata Wilder
Daysha Williams
Edwin Wiliams
Jaden Williams
Katrina Williams
Myles Williams
Taniya Williams
Jaylin Williams-Mitchell
Hailey Wilson
Tyler Wise
Joseph Wood
Davionne Wright
Toni Wright
Jalysse Wynns
Janine Yanes^
Michael Yeager
Amanda Zeitler
Mekhi Zimmerman *= National Honor Society
^= 4 Year Honor Roll
