Area students graduate from Chase Collegiate

#MIDDLEBURY #CHASECOLLEGIATE

Area students among the 2016 Chase Collegiate graduates were, back left to right, Jason Knies of Oxford, Timothy Healey of Middlebury, Thomas Brayton IV of Bethlehem, Graham Reitman of Middlebury, Alden Landry of Middlebury, Nicholas Bujnowski of Southbury, Rahul Kumar of Southbury, and Eli Gardella-Westervelt of Woodbury and front left to right, Mikayla Powers of Middlebury, Samantha Salerno of Bethlehem and Olivia Alosco of Middlebury. (Chase Collegiate photo)

Area residents were among the 42 members of the Chase Collegiate School Class of 2016 who received their diplomas in front of faculty, students, family and friends Friday, June 10. The Chase Commencement Ceremony embodied the school’s rich traditions and celebrated its commitment to academic excellence and lifelong learning.

After a bagpipe processional led the students in, 42 graduating seniors clad in traditional white were told by Head of School Polly Peterson that they have developed into young men and women “filled with confidence, courage, compassion, and yes, resilience.”

In the senior address, Madison Jensen of Naugatuck acknowledged that it was difficult to say goodbye to Chase, but added, “We know that we are prepared to take on whatever’s in our direction.”

Graduates, families and friends gathered at the South Porch of the 150-year-old private school for the event, which included performances by the Upper School Chorus and the Chase Collegiate School Band.

For the commencement address, the school tapped Kevin Lownds, ’05, a senior associate at the international law firm of WilmerHale in Washington, D.C. He urged the graduates to use the opportunities they were given to take action towards their goals, think critically, and gain perspective about the world around them – “quite frankly, to defy the stereotypes of our generation and recognize that we have tremendous capacity to alleviate suffering other than our own.”