Toll Gate High School Class of 2020

toll gate high school titans

P

ntin g e the Cla s e r

ss o f

A Special Supplement From the

Warwick Beacon June 2020

Proudly Sponsored by:

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Grads one at a time

Mayor’s Remarks

The first of Warwick high school commencement ceremonies was held on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 as grads crossed the stage at Toll Gate to receive their diplomas in front of a nearly empty auditorium. Here Samantha Bertrand, who was a Beacon carrier in elementary school, displays her artistically decorated cap. (Warwick Beacon coverage)

Warwick mayor

Joseph J. Solomon

GRADUATION 2020 As Mayor of the City of Warwick, it is my distinct honor to be here addressing the graduating class of 2020.

This is certainly not what any of us envisioned when we thought about your graduation. It’s not what your parents have dreamed about and planned for, probably since the day you were born. It’s not what you expected for graduation or for all of the experiences you had hoped to have had this past year. Instead, we are all practicing social distancing. And for your teachers, principals, Superintendent, School Committee and all of our school staff – distance learning is no longer just a concept that anyone was considering, but a reality.

None of this current reality is what any of us had hoped for. When I became Mayor just over 24 months ago, I certainly did not imagine I would be guiding our city through an unprecedented catastrophe.

Mayor and Mrs. Joseph J. Solomon

But here we are.

And from this experience, I hope you have learned how resilient and determined you are – those are qualities that will come to serve you well no matter what path you pursue in the future. You persevered despite all of the disappointments and challenges that came before you, and now you have earned your diploma. No one can ever take that away from you, and it’s a big step in building a better future for yourself.

In fact, this class will go down in history. You have lived through challenges that no previous graduating class has ever experienced.

I hope these challenges have made you stronger. I hope from this you have seen our community come together to make sure you all would have the opportunity to graduate. Your teachers have spent countless hours reconfiguring their lesson plans and other activities so that you could continue learning online, and so that you could graduate on time. This was a tremendous undertaking, and all of your teachers deserve a huge thank you.

I hope you have seen how, even during tough times like this, there are opportunities for us to all come together, and as a community, we are stronger together than we are apart. While this pandemic has been devastating for so many people, it has also showed us some of the best in humanity: restaurants, themselves struggling with drastically reduced revenue, bringing meals to first responders and hospital workers. Local businesses changing how they operate so they could instead make masks or sanitizing solution to help keep people safe. People volunteering to pick up groceries for a neighbor unable to leave the house.

I don’t know if any of you watched Mr. Rogers. That may have been before your time, but it was part of my time. Mr. Rogers had a saying: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

That is so very true. We have seen so many helpers during this crisis.

But today, I want to also ask you to BE the helpers of today and the future. Help make our community a better place. Help make our world a better place. We need people like you – young leaders, graduates of today – who care about our community. If you see an issue that needs to be fixed, don’t just wait for someone else to fix it. Help find a solution.

If we were all at the graduation ceremony we had originally envisioned, I would ask you to look around the room. Instead, I ask you to take a moment and think of your classmates. Think about your own goals and aspirations. Some of you will go on to shape our community or maybe even the world. Some of you will make an impact that may not be as obvious, but is equally important.

In previous years, I have told graduating seniors that the path to success, when faced with the unexpected, will be using your ability to adapt, embrace new challenges, and have confidence in your abilities, experience, and intellect. No class has learned that more than you, the class of 2020.

Thank you, good luck in your future endeavors, and thank you for being a part of this great city.

class 2020

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A Message from Warwick Superintendent of Schools

Philip Thornton

To the class of 2020.

We are here today celebrating your achievements. We celebrate you virtually as we continue to navigate our current efforts to keep all safe amidst this very sobering point in our history. History is punctuated at certain points in time with defining moments important unforgettable indelible moments in time.

You the class of 2020 have been bookended by a defining moment...9/11 at the start of your lives and now you are living through this current point in history, Covid 19, that will forever be a part of all of us.

It is in these times that our actions,how we deal with these difficult times, and how we treat others, define us now and for the rest of our lives.

It has been my experience, that as difficult as these times are, people are at their best with the expression of their humanity.

Having a virtual graduation is certainly something no one could have foreseen last September when your senior year began, still it’s our current reality in the midst of this global pandemic event.

I want you all to know that the relationships you have forged and the memories you have built are what will endure the test of time years after you have graduated from high school. Speaking on what matters most in life, I am often reminded of Robert Fulghum’s words, author of “All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten”. Fulghum said “Every person passing through this life will unknowingly leave something and take something away.” Most of this “something” cannot be seen or heard or numbered or scientifically detected or counted. It’s what we leave in the minds of other people and what they leave in ours. Memory. The census doesn’t count it.

Nothing counts without it.

Graduates, I offer you my congratulations on your graduation day. I wish you the very best as you move forward with your lives and encourage you to live full lives and make memories.

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A letter from Principal Candace Caluori

Graduation June 3, 2020 Hello Class of 2020, To say that this has been a difficult year is the understatement of the decade, perhaps of the last few. I am not one to use quotes or sayings in a speech but I find the next one to be quite appropriate to the current times we find ourselves in. “True character is not shown by how many times you get knocked down, rather by how many times you rise up and continue to fight and move forward”. You have met challenges that have never been seen before.

You have risen up to meet them with dignity and grace.

Although the recent pandemic has changed everyone’s life, I would like you to focus on the past four years. Focus on the great times that you have had at Toll Gate. Focus on the hard work that has gotten you your diploma.

Focus on your family. Focus on the teachers and staff, that have helped you throughout your high school career.

Focus on your future. That future will look different for all of you. Regardless, the future you make will be yours and yours alone. Yes, you will have help and guidance along the way. I hope that we have given you some of the tools to find your way through the future that awaits you.

Little did we know that due to the flood earlier in the school year, that we would be a little more prepared for what distance learning would look like. We are trendsetters my friends. We got knocked down, but got back up and dealt with being out of school for a week due to a flood. This is just one example of what you have overcome.

I am so proud of how you have dealt with adversity. I know that this is not how you saw the end of your senior year playing out. I do know that your high school memories are not contained in just a few months. I urge you to think about high school in its entirety. One of the greatest joys I have every year is seeing you complete this phase of your life and receiving your diploma. I am happy that you will be able to walk across the stage in your own auditorium to do so. I know I said that I don’t like to use quotes or saying in speeches, but I will leave you with one more from Alicia Keys. “Rise up”. Rise up my very special students for what is to come in your life. Meet challenges head on and keep getting up when you think that you cannot. You all possess true character.

Congratulations Gianna Travis Class of 2020 Toll GaTe CosmeToloGy We are so proud of you, Grandma and Grandpa

I have never been prouder of my school, my students, my teachers and staff. When you leave us, please know that you were truly cared for with love and dedication to making you smart, compassionate, you can do anything you set your mind to students. The class of 2020 makes me a proud principal. Once a Titan always a Titan.

Miss Caluori

Celebrating your hard work and achievement, so give yourself a pat on the back.

Best wishes and may all your hopes and dreams come true.

ED LADOUCEUR Councilman Ward 5 401-447-7181

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Congratulations Class of 2020

Valedictorian

and best wishes for your next adventure!

From Councilman Steve McAllister

Kaylah Staknis

Sam’s New York System est. 1968

Sandy Lane Across From Thayer Arena 742-2105 • samsnys.com

We all hated it for so long but we would all love to be out of breath walking up the TG Pride steps one more morning. We would love to hear Mr. Kane or Mrs. Caluori tell us to take our headphones out. Or play one more speedball game in gym. We missed out on our last pep rally. Our prom. Our senior walk- through the halls we dreaded being in everyday but which we miss a whole lot right now. Don’t you guys wish we appreciated Toll Gate a little more when we had the chance?

While I’m so grateful to be able to walk across our own Toll Gate stage one last time, it breaks my heart to not be able to make my speech to our class of 2020 all dressed in red and blue. Together one final time. And given closure on this chapter of our life.

Our time at Toll Gate has been a roller coaster ride, but it’s definitely brought us together.

We made it through a few pipes bursting and power outages. We’ve dealt with the loss of a loved principal we barely got the chance to know. And the loss of a fellow student that was felt throughout the school. After every hardship, Toll Gate has picked up the pieces and bounced back.

It definitely doesn’t seem like it now, after months trapped inside the four walls of each of our houses, but the world will eventually bounce back. We will all step onto our college campuses. Or start basic training. Or go to the first day at our new job. I hope when that happens we don’t take the little things for granted anymore. If there’s anything we learned from losing out on one of the most important times of our lives, it’s that we’ve got to enjoy today because tomorrow might never come.

Stop complaining about and dreading the negative. It sounds cliche, but seriously take in and enjoy all that you love. Think about all the laughs you had in the morning with your friends walking up the TG Pride steps. Think about all the good songs that came out during high school that were the reason the principals had to tell us to take our headphones out so many times.

Take with you what has happened to our senior year as a lesson. Take moments to step back and appreciate the people and places you love. Stop rushing each weekday waiting for Friday.

Don’t put off your happiness to the future. Tell the people that have made an impact on you how much you appreciate them.

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CONGRATULATIONS Don’t follow where the path may lead.

Go instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.

So, I of course want to thank my parents and my sister for always being my support system.

And all of my amazing friends, my Homeslices, for never failing to make me smile. And I want to conclude my speech by thanking the entire Toll Gate community for shaping me into who I am today. Once a Titan, always a Titan.

732-3234

www.FriendlySeptic.com

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Graduates…

Salutatorian Jaemin Hyun

If you can dream it, You can do it!

ter ’s (Formerly Pe d) Coney Islan

2298 West Shore Road Warwick, RI 02889 401-732-6499•pbandjsri.com

Congratulations & Good Luck to the Class of 2020

KUCINSKI

JEWELERS

Owners Tom & Marta Kucinski

Thank you for joining us for the virtual graduation ceremony of the class of 2020 of Toll Gate High School. I also thank the faculty and administration for allowing us to have this event despite the difficulties in the midst of a pandemic. It is an invaluable privilege to send this message to all those who are watching and especially to my fellow graduating classmates of 2020.

We know that we have waited far too long and endured far too much to arrive at this very moment today. As we depart from a place where most of our memories from the last four years grew and depended upon, we look back on the traces we left behind and share the things we took away from Toll Gate High School.

Onward & Upward Class of 2020!

401-921-6706 2362 West Shore Road Warwick

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When I turn around to look at my footsteps from freshman year until now, many thoughts and pieces of memories cross my mind. I got dragged into doing cross country my freshman year and used that priceless opportunity to experience how it feels like to run, just run, as a sport. I would run as if I never ran before. That year with cross country and track, frankly the only year I tried to overcome my limits, was the fastest I have ever been and will ever be in my life. I was pretty fast, and not gonna lie, I saw some potential in me as a runner. But never again did I regain interest in the relentless pain of running and have enough motivation to be better at it. If there is one thing that running has taught me three years ago, it is that walking is a superior mode of transportation than running.

As such we have made mistakes on the way, some trivial and some irreversible, but I believe that there have been more laughs than tears and more achievements than failures. We might have had some people who had doubt in our graduation, the typical pessimistic and hostile individuals who can’t stand our success. To those who didn’t believe in us, let’s show them our diploma and tell them to mind their own business. To those who want and expect us to fail, show them our diploma to prove them wrong and devour the cloud of negativity that is hovering around their presence. Don’t loosen the grip over the diploma as it is the very evidence of our success and the very evidence that our sweat and tears have been paid off.

As we feel the texture of the paper in our hands, we are reminded of the last few months that made our journey especially difficult. Many of us complain that coronavirus has ruined our senior year, that the pandemic has deprived us of all kinds of senior privileges and activities. I cannot agree more. That was our reality. But, we are forgetting how we still have the three and a half years worth of memories to appreciate and remember.

Despite all the unwanted things that happened to us, to our class of 2020, and all the wonderful things that we can no longer do, despite how painful distance learning has been and how much we missed our friends and teachers while in quarantine, with all those undesirable aspects of our life aside, our time at Toll Gate is a singular memory and experience that we cannot possibly repeat. The ups and downs, the happy and not so happy mornings, the exciting and exhausting classes, the funny and weird classmates, and the sweaty days in the summer and the brick cold days in the winter. All the good and bad - they are still our high school memories that have already passed and will never come back.

It does feel weird to witness an end of something that we always thought to be neverending. Now I understand what other people meant when they said that high school will be a blast and before we even realize we will be off to college. When we were living in the moment, every second felt like a drag, but when we have the chance to look at our footprints from afar like we do now, meeting our freshman teachers and classmates for the first time on our first day doesn’t feel like a distant memory. We used to look up to the seniors when we were underclassmen because we had respect for their experience, knowledge, or just the idea of being a grown up. But now we look at ourselves, how clueless and scared we are of our future and what’s to come, and can’t help but to correct our misunderstanding at the time. The world seems so vast and we feel so insignificant and powerless. So we, in reverse, miss knowing so much less and thus having so little concerns and worries about anything.

Now we see the endless challenges that are ahead of us, and the weight of that knowledge lets us down. No longer can we take advantage of the lenient school environment for reckless aspirations to explore the forbidden. And no longer can we exploit our inexperience and lack of sense of reality to think mindlessly and act impulsively . Now, as soon as we graduate, we are on our own to achieve higher and better things and think creatively and act fearlessly. We have mistaken school as a prison-like environment that limited our freedoms, but sooner or later we might realize that nowhere can we ever be protected and sheltered like we were in school. Not only are we going to miss school for our friends and teachers, but more than anything we are also going to miss school for the status of a high school student.

We didn’t expect, nor did we invite a pandemic of coronavirus to strip us of memorable and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities as seniors in high school. We didn’t want, nor did we deserve our high school journey to expire like this. But, let us not cry because of how it ended but smile because it happened. Let us forever keep the exploding energy of sports games and seasonal pep rallies. Let us relive the time when we expected a poor grade on an intense exam but received a score much higher than we ever imagined. Let us know by heart the names and faces of those who helped us get up in our toughest times. The harder our lives become in times to come, the memories made at Toll Gate will resonate even stronger as a souvenir to our youth. The more uncertain our futures become, the connections we made with our friends and teachers will remind you of the hopes and dreams we once held to our hearts. Let us use the unforgettable experiences from Toll Gate as a motivation to help us overcome whatever adversity that may weaken our determination and break down whatever walls that may be in our way of success and happiness.

And lastly, let us never forget that we are Titans in our hearts as we always were and that we have each other to rely on as we always will. I cannot say don’t be sad for sadness is a warm reflection of all the good that have come and passed by our lives. But when we meet again, by coincidence or not, whenever that may be, I just hope that we can all turn around to look back at the path we all walked and the memories we all share with a smile on our face.

It’s been fun, it’s been an honor, and it’s been real. Thank you.

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Congratulations to the Class of

2020

Wishing all the graduates a bright and successful future.

The best is yet to come.

Donna M. Travis Council Ward 6

401-354-7966

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CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2020 We are honored to celebrate this achievement with you and we wish you all the best today and always.

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Class Essayist

Congratulations Class of 2020!

Berit Olsson

Hello Toll Gate Class of 2020. If there is one word to sum up our class, I think it should be resilient. We have lived through so many unexpected blocks in our time at Toll Gate. We have lost beloved faculty members and students, survived floods and storms, overcome pipe bursts and power outages, and now we have literally lived through a world-wide pandemic. Against all odds, we ended up scraping our way to the finish line. There is this little voice in the back of my head that is saying “this was supposed to be the easy part,” but we are going to ignore that for now and celebrate in the best way we can.

Thank you all so much for listening to this by whatever means of communication you are using. My name is Berit and I went to highschool with most of you. This is not how I expected to be addressing our class. I was supposed to be giving this speech to so many of the outstanding students in our grade at Rhode Island Honors Night, but instead I have been given the unique opportunity and pleasure to address my whole class, and within these strange times, I am very thankful for that.

While we know this isn’t the graduation you imagined, the current situation in no way diminishes the hard work and dedication it took for you to reach this milestone.

Your graduation is cause for celebration - for all you’ve achieved and for everything that’s to come. Best wishes to the Class of 2020 from your friends at Washington Trust!

A s k Wa s h Tr u s t . c o m ~ 8 0 0 - 4 7 5 - 2 2 6 5

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I want to start off with a thank you for all the parents, teachers, and faculty members that got all of us to this point. Even before our way of life was so drastically altered, there was no way to thank all of you. To thank our parents for supporting us and being there for every success and failure along the way. To thank our teachers for guiding us and being merciful on assignments. To thank our principles and so many faculty members for their devotion to getting us to the point today. But, in the past few months, those thanks have changed to an unprecedented amount of gratitude. Parents have turned into teachers, teachers into therapists, and faculty members into advocates for our class. We have all had to take on roles that no one expected us to take on, and it is for this reason that this accomplishment of graduation we reached today is truly so impressive.

The last few weeks have been nothing from what I thought my last senior months would look like. We all were excited to celebrate in a memorable way, to say goodbye to our high school career. Instead, we unknowingly had our last day of school on March 13, and have been left on a cliffhanger ever since. We have certainly dodged certain bullets being home. Many of us have evaded the daunting task of senior project. I imagine attendance has improved. Rather than waking up at six and getting ready and heading to school, we just had to go from horizontal to vertical, while staying in bed. And I am sure we all like the improved school hours of 8 to 12:25. But, despite these benefits, we have obviously lost so much. I think the most important part of what our gradation was supposed to mean was a really fun way to say goodbye to our childhood selves and say hello to who we want to be for the rest of our lives. Without this, it will be difficult to move on. However, despite the dark twist our journey has taken, I think there is always an opportunity to view the glass as half full. Being home the past few months has certainly made me appreciate all the things in my life I took for granted. From seeing my friends everyday to talking to my teachers to playing sports to being involved in our schools community. Honestly, I think the way we have spent the last few weeks is going to help us in the next chapter of our lives, whether it be college, joining the workforce, joining the military or anything in between. We will never forget to grab every opportunity that comes our way when we can reach them. We have had all of our hard work taken from us. I wish that I had paid more attention during Shakespear day on that last Friday, and that I had said more “Thank You’s” to my teachers on that last Friday, and that I had taken in all that Toll Gate gave me in the last few years on that last Friday. Because now, I am sure we all wish we could go back and have that last bit of normalcy and closure.

We cannot go back, we can only go forward and that is why it is so vital to take these lessons and sacrifices we have made today and broadcast them over the rest of our lives. I will never again overlook day-to-day human contact, or busy work, or avoid opportunities because I’m lazy. I think we are going to be an outrageously productive graduating class because we have lived through the alternative, a life with no purpose, and I have no desire to live through it again.

So, with that, I want to say congratulations to the Class of 2020. Not just for fighting the odds and making it to graduation, but for all the energy and work you put into our school. We are such a spirited group and our passion and drive never ceases to amaze me. I am certain with every ounce in my being that each and every one of us is going to accomplish amazing things. We have proven to ourselves, to our communities, to our loved ones, and to our teachers that we can overcome what life has to throw at us. Overcoming and persisting are lessons that take some lifetimes to learn, and we have all learned them just barely having graduated high school. We are off to an amazing start, and I am so excited to see the finish.

Thank you for the memories and relationships, and congratulations to the Class of 2020… We did it!

Congratulations & Best of Luck!

Steve Merolla Council President

Paid for by the Friends of Steve Merolla - Sandra Smith, Chairperson

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g i h h e scho t a g ol ll class of o t

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Kaylah Staknis As Valedictorian of the Class of 2020, Kaylah Staknis dedicated her time and strong personal drive to many programs at Toll Gate during her four years of high school.

She will be attending the University of Notre Dame this fall on a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship.

She will major in political science Engaging frequently with the community during her time at Toll Gate, Staknis served as President of her class junior year and as Treasurer of Student Senate. She was also captain of the Academic Decathlon team, as well as a member of both the Best Buddies program and the Unified Volleyball team. She also participated in Indoor and Outdoor Track as a hurdler. For her active participation and many achievements, Staknis received a National Merit Scholarship Program Letter of Commendation, the Harvard Alumni Association Prize Book Award, and the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award.

When reflecting on her high school experience, Staknis was adamant about her belief that her friendships and personal bonds made for the most impactful memories.

“As much as I loved pep rallies, school dances, and sports games, what I will remember most are the little special moments. I’ll miss chatting with my friends while doing hurdle drills at track practice, meeting up at coffee shops to study together, and trying each other’s food at lunch,” she wrote. “These little things made me smile everyday and led to strong friendships.”

“I also had amazing teachers at Toll Gate like Mr. Politelli, Mrs. Franco, Mr. Belanger, and Mr. Areson that always challenged me. They offered great knowledge and advice that allowed me to be the best version of myself… I always wanted to achieve more than I did the day before and to feel the satisfaction of giving 110 percent to all that I set out to do.”

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top ten Jaemin Hyun Jaemin Hyun ranked second, earning the title of Salutatorian; he credits his success to a strong hope within him to see his efforts in school rewarded with future success in life. He matched with Princeton University as a member of the Questbridge National College Match scholarship program; this fall, he plans to pursue a degree in international relations and public policy.

Hyun was a devoted athlete, serving as a member of the Track and Field team, the Cross-Country Track team, and the Unified Volleyball theme. In addition to serving as President of Student Council sophomore year, he was also Secretary of Student Senate and the leader of Toll Gate’s High School Democrats of Rhode Island chapter. Hyun additionally participated in Best Buddies, Academic Decathlon, Science Olympiad, and the Drama Club. He was inducted into the National Honor Society and National Spanish Honor Society.

For his efforts, Hyun received many awards, including the AP Scholar with Distinction Award, the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Award, the Renee Tetreault Newell 9/11 Scholarship, and an 8th place ranking in the nation for the Group Website category of the National History Day competition.

“One thing that I cannot possibly forget from Toll Gate is the perfect balance I maintained between academic pursuit and personal satisfaction in life. I can only hope to recreate this balance in college and on so that my life can be as stress-free as it always has been and can be,” Hyun wrote.

“People that I interacted with outside of school, especially those already in college, taught me how to be mature and responsible in high school based on their own regrets about their high school experience.”

Berit Olsson

Berit Olsson ranked third, receiving the title of Class Essayist; she cites her parents and teachers as main pillars of support throughout her high school career. She will attend Williams College in the fall: while her major is still currently undecided, she hopes to pursue either physics or astronomy in the future.

Olsson was a prominent leader at Toll Gate, serving as President of the National Honor Society, Captain of the Mock Trial team, and a Junior Captain within the Varsity Athletes Against Substance Abuse (VAASA) program. She also participated in Drama Club and Academic Decathlon, and competed in Volleyball and Softball at both the JV and Varsity levels.

She earned the Suffolk Book Award, was named Best Scorer (2019) and a Gold Medalist for Speech (2020) in Academic Decathlon, and was named an AP Scholar with Distinction. Olsson was inducted into the French, National, and Rhode Island honor societies; she also joined the Mock Trial team in traveling to Reno, Nevada for the 2018 National Competition.

“The majority of my time in school was spent working hard and exerting everything I had into academics, but it was my extracurriculars that made all of that worthwhile,” Olsson wrote. “The creative outlet that Mock Trial, Drama, and Academic Decathlon enabled me to have were certainly my favorite parts of high school. Overall, I just loved being able to explore each and every one of my passions in the past four years, from art, to science, to acting, to athletics.”

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Kerrin Li

Graduating second in the Class of 2020, Sophia Piperata Kerrin Li ranked fourth in her class, striving to achieve for both her parents and her own high standards and goals. She will attend George Washington University in the fall, where she will double major in both Biology and Political Science.

Li was a leader and role model for her fellow students at Toll Gate; she served as President of the Student Senate, as well as Vice President of the Best Buddies Program. She was also a member of the Drama Club, as well as the Math Team, Science Olympiad, and Toll Gate Tribune newspaper staff. Li was also a successful athlete, playing on both the Varsity Lacrosse and Tennis teams. She received the Springfield College Book Award for her academic achievements, as well as an award for her success in the National History Day competition.

She wrote that her friends and teachers contributed most to her enjoyment of high school; she stated that helping to organize pep rallies, as well as senior night for the Tennis team, would be her most memorable experiences at Toll Gate.

Carlos Betancur Carlos Betancur ranked fifth in the Class of 2020, writing that his parents,

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Siya Parekh

Siya Parekh ranked sixth, citing her passion to succeed and her desire to make her family proud as major factors in her success. She will attend the University of Rochester this fall, where she plans to major in Biology on a pre-med track.

Parekh was a devoted member of the Varsity Swim and Unified Volleyball teams, in addition to participating on the Math Team, Science Olympiad, Drama Club, and Student Senate.

She was also involved with the Academic Decathlon team, as well as Best Buddies, Coding Club, French Club, and Badminton Club. For her success, Parekh received the AP Scholar with Distinction Award, and was inducted into National Honor Society and National French Honor Society.

“Besides my family who always encouraged me to do my best, I had some of the best teachers who saw potential in me and made classes worth enjoying,” wrote Parekh. She credits her close friends and they laughs they shared together as some of the most memorable experiences she had in high school, as well as inspirational school assemblies and the spontaneous days schools was cancelled due to pipe bursts or other random occurrences.

She credits her motivation to excel to her dream to become a doctor, and the additional desire to make her family proud.

friends, and teachers motivated him to excel. He will attend Brown University this coming fall, where he plans to major in computer science on a premed track.

Betancur was dedicated to music, becoming a Section Leader within the Rhode Island Philharmonic Symphony Youth Orchestra; during his time at Toll Gate, he also served as a first violinist in the Chamber Ensemble. Within the medical field, he became an intern at the Providence Prenatal Diagnosis Center, as well as an ambassador at Rhode Island Hospital; he also served as an intern at Amgen through the PrepareRI Internship Program. He was a Ministry Leader at St. Patrick’s Academy Youth Ministry, and a student ambassador for Toll Gate; he also participated in Civic Action Coalition, Academic Decathlon, and Mock Trial.

For his achievements, Betancur received the Rhode Island Solo and Ensemble Superior Medal for Violin Performance, as well as membership in the RI All-State Orchestra. He participated in the Yale Young Global Scholar summer program, and received the Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship as well as the AP Scholar with Distinction Award. He is also an alum of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

“Having immigrated to the United States, my parents made several sacrifices in order to ensure their children were given more opportunities than those they grew up with,” he wrote. “I feel it is my responsibility to make use of these opportunities in order to achieve the success my parents have always wished for me.”

Yashaswini Mandalam Yashaswini Mandalam ranked seventh in her class, crediting her

friends, parents, and teachers as the keys to her success and happiness. She plans to attend the University of Rhode Island, where she will major in computer science.

Mandalam served as Vice President of the National Honor Society, as well as participating in both Math Team and Science Olympiad. She was a recipient of the Bryant Book Award, as well as the Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award.

When asked what she would remember most, she wrote: “The teachers who have been amazing role models and have helped me become better as a person.”

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Natalie Aloisio

Elana Caparco

Elana Caparco ranked tenth, stating that the collaborative nature of her friend group helped her to thrive and succeed. She will attend American University, where she will be majoring in international relations.

Natalie Aloisio ranked eighth, speaking of her inspiring experiences with sports, teachers, and her school committee. She plans to attend the University of Connecticut, where she will major in biological sciences on a pre-med track; she will also minor in physiology and neurobiology.

Caparco served as President of Best Buddies and Vice President of Student Senate; she also participated in Math Team, Academic Decathlon, Science Olympiad, Newspaper, Student Council, and Drama Club. She was also a member of the Varsity Swim, Tennis, and Lacrosse Teams.

Aloisio served as Vice President of her senior class, as well as Treasurer for the National Honor Society; she was also a Student Ambassador for Toll Gate, and was inducted into the National Spanish Honor Society. She also achieved considerable success as an athlete; in addition to serving as a member of VAASA, she was Captain of the Basketball and Track and Field teams and a participant on the Volleyball team. Music was also a significant part of her high school career, as she was a performer in Concert Chorus, Chorale, Show Choir, and Stage Band.

Aloisio received the Wellesley College Book Award, as well as the RI Civic Leadership Award and the Stephen Chrabaszcz Memorial Scholarship Award. For her achievements in athletics, she received the Coach’s Award and All-Class Award for Track and Field, earned First Place in the JV States Long Jump, and received the Sister Charlene Academic All-State Award for Basketball.

“I will mostly remember the connections I made at Toll Gate. Among my closest friends, teachers, and staff, I could not have a better support system by my side,” she wrote. “They have pushed me to my fullest potential, and I became the best version of myself because of it.” She also remarked that Mr. Royster and Ms. Catanzaro were influential teachers during her time at Toll Gate.

“Throughout all of high school I have aimed to make my mother proud. After passing away in 2013, I have always known my mother has remained by my side through my struggles and successes. Knowing that she also went to Toll Gate High School and played volleyball, basketball, and track and field, I had someone to motivate through both sports and academics.”

Justin Caron Justin Caron ranked ninth, noting that his friends helped him enjoy high school in both classes and simple fun. He will attend the University of New Haven, where he will major in biomedical engineering and chemical engineering.

In addition to being President of the Toll Gate Orchestra and a member of the Band, he was also a member of the National Honor Society, the National Italian Honor Society, and the Rhode Island Honor Society. He wrote that his music classes, which served as a good change of pace from the rest of the school day, were always a source of fun and relaxation.

“My motivation to excel came from a simple yet rare quality. I simply wanted to excel; whether I was top 10 or not wasn’t important and still isn’t,” he wrote.

I excelled because I wanted to, but I did this while also recognizing the lack of need to be the best or the smartest. My motivation was myself and myself alone. I excelled because I wanted to.”

top ten

She received a Gold Medal for Speech in Academic Decathlon, as well as two Gold Medals for Interview. Caparco was also named an AP Scholar and a Questbridge Finalist; she also received the Horatio Alger National Scholarship, and was a Semi-Finalist for the Coca-Cola Scholarship.

“Above all I’ll take away all of the valuable relationships I formed and what each of them has taught me. The friends I’ve made and the teachers I’ve met have each made an impact in my life,” she wrote. “Without all of those people high school would not have been as enjoyable of an experience.”

“I discovered that nothing exceptional comes easy therefore I would need to strive for success in school. When I struggled with my workload I relied on the idea of having a stable future to motivate me. I focused on my dream of pursuing a degree in foreign diplomacy whenever I lost focus.”

reflections

By TARA MONASTESSE

The last three months of senior year weren’t exactly what the Toll Gate High School Class of 2020 expected with the usual spring traditions and celebrations interrupted by a global virus unlike anything seen before in their lifetime. However, Principal Candace Caluori hopes that her graduating students will step back to see the big picture of all four years, not just the unusual times near the end.

“I am so proud of my students and staff as they have risen to the challenge that was put in front of them,” Caluori wrote. “Our seniors are now a little more prepared for real world experiences.”

“I wish the best for our students moving forward with whatever they choose to do… I am happy that we could give them a graduation, and be able to walk across their own school stage.”

This year’s top ten ranking scholars will find themselves pursuing their passions across the nation, pouring the same dedication into their college classes and activities just as they did their high school ones. While the future of the world is uncertain, their devotion and perseverance will work to ensure that positive changes will take place after they graduate.

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Members of the 2019 – 2020 National Honor Society

Members of the 2019 - 2020 Rhode Island Honor Society

Toll Gate has thirty-four (34) seniors who maintained their GPA requirement, as well as, completed 20 hours of community service.

These students will receive a NHS pin and a gold cord to signify this accomplishement.

We have a total of 88 students who have achieved this accomplishment.

In recognition of their achievement, each student will receive a certificate acknowledging their membership in the RI Honor Society, as well as, a “Gold Tassel” that signifies this accomplishment.

To qualify for the National Honor Society (NHS) students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.70 throughout high school.

These students have earned and maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.30 throughout their High School education.

Rhode Island Honor Society 2019 - 2020 2019 - 2020 National Honor Society Officers Berit Olsson, President Yashaswini Mandalam, Vice President Isabella Caldarone, Treasurer Natalie Aliosio, Secretary Anya Volluci, Historian Seniors: Rawan Al Tekreeti, Diana Alarcon Calvo, Natalie Aliosio, Sophie Amore, Elizabeth Barrett, Carlos Betancur, Mackenzie Blackmer, Allison Butera, Isabella Caldarone, Elana Caparco, Justin Caron, Hailey Clark, Fabiola Claure, Joshua Costello, Sabrina Dengel, Thomas Fargnoli, Michael Graves, Morgan Hobbs, Camille Hopkins, Jaemin Hyun, Eunji Jang, Kerrin Li, Tiffany Mai, Yashaswini Mandalam, Isabella Martinez, Delaney Moffat, Berit Olsson, Siya Parekh, John Renzi, Mathew Roache, Liam Roberts, Carlo Sousa, Kaylah Staknis, Anya Vollucci In addition, Toll Gate has forty–three (43) juniors who qualified for membership in the NHS. These students will receive a certificate to acknowledge their accomplishment.

Juniors: Livia Adler-Maranhao, Cassandra Cirella, Mollie Cunningham, Olivia DeGaetano, Gianna DelMonico, Madison DeSousa, Hope Flaherty, Lauren Fracassa, Liam Hart, Hayley Hindle, Abigail Ignagni, Jessica Joubert, Jessica Joyce, Gabrielle Kalian, Kaci Kanterman, Julia Kaya, Samantha Larrivee, Aidan LeBlanc, Jasmyn Lee, Kelsie Lefebvre-Halsband, Christopher Levin, Madison Lodge, Ella McNally, Alex Mehta, Meghan Merrow, Tara Monastesse, Destiny Moua, Madison Nolan, Daniel O’Hara, Joshua Paiva, Amanda Penney, Cassidy Pepin, Sage Pierce, Jaeden Porter, Bethany Prendergast, Camille Remillard, Sara Rhodes, Shannon Roberts, Marli Rose, Max Savaria, Abriana Skipworth, Alexandra Staples, Jillian Walsh

Lord Kendrick Aguilar

Kyle Hackworth

John Renzi

Jovanny Costa

Thomas Fargnoli

Berit Olsson

Isabella Caldarone

Yashaswini Mandalam

Colin Meunier

Grace Barta

Garissa Johnson

Chimeng Thao

Rawan Al Tekreet

Sarah Healey

Matthew Roache

Joshua Costello

Kiley Ferns

Siya Parekh

Elana Caparco

Cameron Martin

Delaney Moffat

Samantha Bertrand

Kaya Kucinski

Isabella Ventre

Diana Alarcon Calvo

Isabella Higgins

Liam Roberts

Riley Costello

Rose Flaherty

Deep Patel

Justin Caron

Isabella Martinez

Fallon Neves

Carlos Betancur

Kevin Lewis

Anya Vollucci

Natalie Aloisio

Morgan Hobbs

Noah Santagata

Tyler DaSilva

Logan Flinn

Stephanie Pauley

Jillian Caruso

Kayla Massie

Vy Ai Nguyen

Mackenzie Blackmer

Kerrin Li

Ryan Vuz

Sophie Amore

Camille Hopkins

Megan Sarza

Sabrina Dengel

Brandon Fontaine

Justin Perreault

Hailey Clark

Samuel Maynard

Austin Noon

Joseph Boisvert

Alexandra Lopes

Abby Wildgoose

Antonia Andreason

Jaemin Hyun

Carlo Sousa

Ariana DeSilva

Ashley Grant

Julia Plante

Fabiola Claure

Bailey McGlynn

Kyle O’Keefe

Allison Butera

Antonio Luongo

Erik Williams

Katherine Arthurs

Eunji Jang

Kaylah Staknis

Zoe DeSilva

Michael Graves

Jennifer Ray

Joshua Cornell

Araya McKeon

Erin O’Toole

Elizabeth Byrnes

Tiffany Mai

Zoe Estrella

Elizabeth Barrett

Owen Johns

Joshua Stepalavich

Warren Mercier

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Modern World Language Honor Societies

Congratulations & the very best to all the amazing Warwick 2020 grads!

Kudos to the Pre-K, K, grades 5, 8, & 12 students!!!!!

~ The Class of 2020 ~

The quarantine did NOT define them!

They learned - they Zoomed, "hung out," created, wrote, calculated, coded, discussed, collaborated, sang, danced, laughed, & more - all virtually!

Graduating during a pandemic? Mission accomplished! ...and a special shout out to our PHS senior, Abbey!

"What she tackles, she conquers!"

- The Testa Family

Members of the 2019 - 2020 Modern World Language Honor Societies.

In order to qualify for the French, Italian, and Spanish Honor Societies, these students have met the following guidelines for membership: be in their junior or senior year of studies, meet high academic requirements for four (4) completed semesters in the language, demonstrate good character within our school community, and complete an oral interview in their language of study.

National French Honor Society:

Diana Alaracon Calvo, Elizabeth Barrett, Carlos Betancur, Hailey Clark, Madeline Davis, Camille Hopkins, Colin Meunier, Berit Olsson, Siya Parekh.

National Italian Honor Society:

Lhord Kendrick Aguilar, Isabella Caldarone, Justin Caron, Yashaswini Mandalam, John Renzi, Liam Roberts, Isabella Ventre.

Congratulations to all our 2020 Graduates.

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.

The important thing is not to stop questioning."

-Albert Einstein

Camille Vella-Wilkinson

RI State Representative District 21

Attention Family and Friends of the Class of 2020

Would you like to contribute to these pages?

Add a personal message, photos, etc. to honor your special grad in the Toll Gate High School e Edition.

Contact us at 732-3100 or e-mail: mor@rhodybeat.com

ASPIRE TO BE GREAT CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2020

National Spanish Honor Society:

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Rawan Al Tekreeti, Elijah Alcantara, Natalie Aloisio, Sabarina Alves, Sophie Amore ,Mackenzie Blackmer, Elana Caparco, Fabiola Claure, Ariana DeSilva, Kiley Ferns, Michael Graves, Kyle Hackworth, Morgan Hobbs, Jaemin Hyun, Eunji Jang, Kerrin Li, Tiffany Mai, Isabella Martinez, Araya McKeon, Matthew Roache, Carlo Sousa, Kaylah Staknis

h i g h sc h e t a g class of o l ol ol

2020

We’re proud of you graduates and wish you a bright and beautiful future.

Congratulations and may your future be filled with continued success and much happiness.

618 Toll Gate Road, Warwick, RI 02886 Call 401.239.1800 for Same Day Appointments AspireDermatology.com

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Presenting the toll gate high school

class of

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h i g h sc h e t a g class of o l ol ol

2020

Austin Robert Abaga

Calvin B. Burt

Jenna DeSimone

Dylan Jacob Grayson

Nicholas R. Lemoine

Marie G. Moreau

Kristi Lois Reed

Isabella Barbieri Tavares

Lhord Kendrick A. Aguilar

Giovanni Burton

Cody Edward Dessaint

Noah Light Greene

Luis Leonardo

Kenneth Junior Morel

Lawrence J. Reid

Chimeng Justin Thao

Rawan Al Tekreeti

Allison Bailey Butera

Megan M. Devlin

Lynn H. Gurchik

Kevin J. Lewis

Jacob Morse

John Escher Renzi

Diana Ximena Alarcon Calvo

Elizabeth Monrroy Byrnes

Dominic Dion DiBiase

John P. Gyra

Logan Thibeault

Elijah Alcantara

Isabella Cecelia Caldarone

Zachary Diedrich

Kyle A. Hackworth

Kerrin Li

Allyson Elaine Myers

Julian Rhaney

Brandon Karl Aldrich

Alea De Campagnone

Luke Joseph Dillon

Caden Patrick Haley

Alexandra D. Lopes

Jenna Nakopinski

Madison Ribeiro

Shayla Rose Almanzar

Dean James Canning

Ian Alexander Donohue

Rory T. Hall

William Lovering

Papa Mamadou Ndoye

Alexis Ann Ricci

Fallon Marie Neves

Bryce A. Riddle

Jazmai Jenise Thompson Justin Tirrell Gianna Gabriella Travis

Natalie Rose Aloisio

Elana Caparco

Joseph R. Doucette

Zachary Hansen

Antonio J. Luongo

Diego Alvarez

Kenneth Antonio Capellan

Julia Patricia Doucette

Madison Taylor Hart

Tiffany D. Mai

Vy Ai Nguyen

Brandon Patrick Rios

Sabrina Alves

Justin Nicholas Caron

John Anthony Duran

Julia Love Harty

Alexander Maker

Alexa Antoinette Nichols

Matthew B. Roache

Sophie Angelina Amore

Matthew R. Carr

Ethanial Darryl Durand

Sarah Healey

Yashaswini Mandalam

Anthony Quynton Nicholson

Liam T. Roberts

Christa Maye Vaught

Robert Casey Adam Andrade

James R. Caruso

Aidan James Dwyer

Jordan Heng

Lauren M. Manney

Austin William Noon

Julia Lynn Rooney

Angeline Natalya Velazquez LeClair

Antonia Rose Andreason

Jillian Lin Caruso

Nicholas James Dwyer

Isabella Carol Higgins

Connor Archambault

Abigail Joy Censabella

Hunter Gunner Edwards

Morgan Hobbs

Robert Marks

Kyle James O’Keefe

Vincent Michael Rosati

Isabella R. Ventre

Samantha J. Arnold

Zacharey Thomas Champlin

Izabella Marie Emery

Camille Hopkins

Cameron W. Martin

Aaron John O’Malley

Victoria Lynn Rose

Colby Joseph Vinacco

Katherine Arthurs

Hailey Elizabeth Clark

Devin Edward Erminelli

Jack R. Howe

Lance Patrick Martin

Erin Elizabeth O’Toole

Isabel Florence Ruiz-Barter

Caitlyn Colleen Bacon-Thompson

Fabiola Claure

Zoe Rose Estrella

Jaemin Hyun

Paul Eugene Martineau

Berit Wheeler Olsson

Andrew P. Santagata

Nicholas M. Badway

Isaac M. Colon

Elizabeth D. Evans

Sylvestre Inderere

Isabella Martinez

Ronald Palardy

Noah A. Santagata

Matthew David Banspach

Danielle Elizabeth Concepcion

Thomas Charles Fargnoli

Brady M. Jacques

Kayla Amber Massie

Siya Parekh

Megan Marie Sarza

Dylan A. Barlow

Joshua Cornell

Gage Alexander Fellela

Eunji Jang

Sheridan L. Mattox

Deep R. Patel

Patrick F. Saytes

Elizabeth Michelle Barrett

Damion R. Costa

Kiley M. Ferns

Abigail Carolyn Jencks

Stephanie Jeanette Pauley

Caleb R. Seale

Grace Elizabeth Barta

Emily T. Mauricio

Jovanny Correia Costa

Joseph Anthony Ferri

Owen A. Johns

Joshua J. Costello

Barbara L. Fife

Garissa M. Johnson

Dylan Matthew Pellegrino

Anthony Terrell Shaw

Abby Marie Wildgoose

Hayli Beaudreau

Samuel Charles Maynard

John Thomas Beaulieu

Riley Elizabeth Costello

Rose Flaherty

Johnnie Nelson Johnson

Nathanial McCamish

Alexis Elizabeth Peloso

David Scott Simpson

Erik James Williams

Thomas P. Berard, Jr.

Sara J. Crook

Logan D. Flinn

Adriana Rose Johnston

Bailey McGlynn

Justin David Perreault

Jaylen Naythra Sip

Taren Anton Williams

Georgia Marie Bernard

Casey J. Darcy

Destiny Evelyse Florentino

Ashley E. Keenan

Araya McKeon

Halie M. Peters

Nadya Lizbeth Sotski

Luke Milton Wilson

Jordan James Bernard

Dayanna Aunna DaRosa

Izabella Pauline Foley

Ashton J. Kenney

Daniel McQuade

Julia Elizabeth Plante

Carlo M. Sousa, Jr.

Samantha Rose Bertrand

Deeanna A. DaRosa

Brandon Alexander Fontaine

Dalton James Knotts

Gianna Marie Medeiros

Rachel L. Porcaro

Lindsey Ann Sousa

Carlos Betancur

Tyler DaSilva

Brianna Nicole Gayer

Ethan I. Kowalski

Brandon Menard

Kaitlin Ismay Quinton

Brendan M. Squillante

Mackenzie Blackmer

Madeline B. Davis

Briana Marie Gibbons

Kaya O. Kucinski

Joseph Anthony Boisvert

Daniel DeFelice

Adam Gilbert

Jacob Kwasny

Warren Theodore Mercier

Kalia Audrey Quinton

Kaylah M. Staknis

Madison E. Brady

Cody Deleo

Elizabeth M. Gilbert

Darek M. Lallo

Daniel Alvin Meservey

Jake Thomas Randall

Nicholas A. Staradumsky

Ashton Brito

Sabrina Marie Dengel

Angel Kevin Gomez

Zachary Theodore Leavitt

Nathan D. Mester

Kalisa Randall

Ethan Thomas Stefon

Joshua Albert Brockmiller

Joseph James DeRensis

Isaias Louis Gonzalez

Zack Joseph Ledo

Colin Meunier

Christian Rapoza

Joshua Charles Stepalavich

Zachary Zickendrath

Zachary Robert Brodeur

Ariana Nicala DeSilva

Cameron Gothberg

Carleigh Jade Lefebvre

Trinity Ann Mitchell

Jennifer L. Ray

Gregory R. Sundstrom

Evan Zollo

Bartholomew Brooks

Zoe Elizabeth DeSilva

Michael Joseph Graves

Alexis Faith Lemoi

Delaney Jules Moffat

Matthew D. Ray

Gabriel Joseph Tameirao

Amedeo Ucci Ezequiel David Vargas-Morales

Anya Isabella Vollucci Ryan Matthew Vuz Nathaniel Michael Wager Julia Anne Walsh Mackenzie R. Walsh

Isabella Jade Wright Danny Z. Wu Emily Elizabeth Wynne Leana D. Zappe Adam Charles Zelano

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the best of the best

senior athletes

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titans 2020

Although the Titans were unable to capture state championships in the fall and winter, many teams made runs in the playoffs and even more athletes shined on the big stage.

The football team qualified for the playoffs despite a rough start to the season, while the field hockey team too showed resiliency, reaching the playoffs with the youngest roster in the division.

The biggest surprise of the year for Toll Gate was the boys soccer team, which enjoyed a thrilling playoff run to reach the Division III finals.

The Toll Gate wrestling team impressed once again, winning its division for the second. The basketball teams also extended their playoff streaks, qualifying for the big dance once again.

The gymnastics team also shined at the state meet, taking home a second place finish overall.

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PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT

PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT

PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT

PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT

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Representative Joseph J. Solomon Jr.

Congratulates the

titans toll gate

On Their Graduation

Joseph Solomon Jr. STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 22 Paid for by Joseph Solomon Jr.

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the class of 2020

toll gate high school warwick beacon coverage

Pomp for Class of 2020 given the circumstances

By LAURA WEICK During Warwick’s high school graduations last week, rapturous crowds were replaced by empty auditorium seats.

Temperature checks at the door replaced lavish, grand entrances. And instead of shaking a principal’s hand, graduates nodded or smiled while accepting their diplomas, avoiding any unnecessary contact.

“It wasn’t normal, it wasn’t like it should have been because of this hole thing, but we still got to walk across the stage,” Connor Eilinwood, a senior graduating from Pilgrim High School, said. “It was way better than just having a video to watch at home.”

In order to meet social distancing guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while still maintaining a sense of accomplishment, Warwick’s two public high schools held graduation by appointment. Toll Gate High School and Pilgrim High School had each of their graduating students walk alone across the stage in their school’s empty auditorium. Alimited number of graduates would arrive during designated time slots to accept their diploma in front of their principal, vice principal and a limited number of family members. Each graduate’s walks were edited together to create a video of each school’s graduation.

Warwick Mayor Joseph Solomon addressed both classes in a video, congratulating them on obtaining their high school diplomas. He emphasized the class’s resilience in graduating during a pandemic, and also advised them to use their experience to develop empathy and make a difference in the world.

“Today, I want you to also be the helpers of today and the future,” Solomon said. “Help make our community a better place. Help make our world a better place. We need people like you, young leaders, graduates of today, that care about our communities. If you see an issue that needs to be fixed, don’t just wait for someone else to fix it. Help find a solution.”

HER GRADUATES: Toll Gate Principal Candace Caluori Warwick School Committee Chairwoman Karen Bachus kept a safe distance and took off her mask to wave to the and Warwick Public Schools Superintendent Phillip Thorn- graduates as they passed by the offices of the Warwick ton also spoke for both school’s ceremonies. They each dis- Area Career and Tech Center. cussed how the pandemic will be remembered in the future, and how students have proven their perseverance during it. learned from it.

Thornton and Bachus attended both graduations as well as “Take with you what has happened to our senior year as members of the School Committee. a lesson,” Toll Gate valedictorian Kaylah Staknis said. “Take “My advice to you is to be yourself, to continue to perse- moments to step back and appreciate the people and placvere, not to be afraid of failure,” Bachus said. “Your failures es you love. Stop rushing each weekday waiting for Friday. make you smarter and stronger. They actually lead you to Don’t put off your happiness to the future. Tell the people success.” that have made an impact on you how much you appreciate A total of 286 Toll Gate received their diplomas on June them.”

3 in a ceremony similar to that of their peers at Pilgrim.

Ollson also advised her classmates to count their blessings Students who were chosen to speak at graduation recorded and keep everything they experienced to heart. videos of their statements. Valedictorian Kaylah Staknis, “We cannot go back, we can only go forward and that is salutatorian Jaemin Hyun and class essayist Berit Ollson all addressed the pandemic, as well as what they each have why it is so vital to take these lessons and sacrifices we have

made today and broadcast them over the rest of our lives,” Ollson said. “I will never again overlook day-to-day human contact, or busy work, or avoid opportunities because I’m lazy. I think we are going to be an outrageously productive graduating class because we have lived through the alternative, a life with no purpose, and I have no desire to live through it again.”

Toll Gate High School Principal Candace M. Caluori told the graduating class that they always managed to persevere, from when the school was flooded by a leak earlier this year to the transition to remote learning over the past few months. Voicing school spirit and pride towards the students, Caluori reminded them to cherish their high school memories and prepare for the future.

“Focus on the great times that you have had at Toll Gate,” Caluori said. “Focus on the hard work that has gotten you your diploma. Focus on your family. Focus on the teachers and staff, that have helped you throughout your high school career. Focus on your future. That future will look different for all of you. Regardless, the future you make will be yours and yours alone.”

A total of 349 students graduated from Pilgrim High School on June 4. Principal Gerald J. Habershaw gave a prerecorded speech to these students.

“To the class of 2020, I ask that you do not allow this experience to ruin your future hopes and dreams,” Habershaw told the graduating class. “I ask that you continue to persevere and attain your goals. Life will never be the same, but we must adapt in a positive manner.”

STEPPING UP TO A GRADUATION: After lining up in the parking lot, Toll Gate grads and their families climbed the stairs to the school where they walked through the corridors to the auditorium.

Valedictorian Jamee Salisbury, salutatorian Sophia Piperata and class essayist Marissa Birmingham were Pilgrim’s student speakers. They each thanked teachers, family and friends, while encouraging their classmates to look forward to their futures despite the pandemic.

“This disruption that we are experiencing is not our misery” Piperata said. “It is only our opportunity for comparison. It allows for every future celebration to be that much more joyful.”

After her graduation appointment, Birmingham reflected on her and her classmates’ ceremony.

“It was definitely different from what I expected,” Birmingham said about the ceremony. “But I know that they did the best they could in the circumstances, so I’m proud to have the experience.”

Birmingham will attend the University of Connecticut in the fall to study biological sciences. She explained that the pandemic has made her more determined than ever to succeed in her career interests.

“I want to be a doctor, so it has motivated me even more seeing the doctors going out of their way to help people, even if it puts them in danger,” Birmingham said. “I want to be like that too; cautious, but not afraid.”

ONE OF THE FIRST TO GRADUATE: As graduates were scheduled to receive their diplomas alphabetically, Austin Abaga was in the first graduating group at Toll Gate. His parents Sam and Bobbie-Jo gathered for a photo before joining their son in the auditorium.

GALLERY OF GRADS: As graduates and their families arrived Wednesday for Toll Gate-graduation ceremonies photos of the more than 230 graduates lined the way.

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What does future hold? 3 grads give their perspective

ENOS

SALISBURY

STAKNIS

With high schools across the country closed since midMarch in the face of the sudden COVID-19 pandemic, how are leaders in Warwick high schools looking forward to their futures after crossing the stage at a much smaller graduation ceremonies than they could have ever anticipated?

It turns out that the path isn’t uniform, with different majors, outlooks, and post-secondary career and education plans for each student giving them their own hopes and goals for navigating the world during and after the coronavirus. The Beacon conducted phone interviews with three outstanding students in the graduating Warwick Public School classes - two valedictorians and one class president - in order to hear their opinions on what the future may hold for both them and the global community.

Jamee Salisbury, Pilgrim High School’s valedictorian, said that losing events such as prom and her outdoor track season has been a major setback for her graduating class. Without the usual fun senior activities to send off the soon-to-be graduates, she said that the experience of senior year was seriously altered from the predictions that she and her classmates originally had.

As she plans to major in finance this fall once she begins her studies at Temple University, Salisbury related that her chosen field will likely face enormous challenges as many businesses have suffered from a struggling economy as a result of the pandemic. She remains optimistic, however, that the pandemic will result in a higher standard for sanitation in many industries, especially food service.

While she says that Temple University currently has plans to welcome students back to the physical campus in Philadelphia in autumn, there will still be social distancing precautions in place by then, as well as an early end to the fall term.

Personally, Salisbury experienced little disruption in her own college application process; however, she acknowledged the difficulties many students have faced when not being able to visit the campuses of their potential choices, and mentioned that the pandemic may deter some students from going to schools far away from home.

Instead of giving a traditional live address to her classmates in person; Salisbury pre-recorded her speech in late May to be shown virtually instead.

“It’s harder to make jokes or to relate to the audience,” she responded when asked how her speech would be different without her graduating class there with her. However, she said that she was grateful for the chance to still participate in her class’s final ceremony.

“It’s definitely been hard for the track team not having a final season,” said Kaylah Staknis, Toll Gate High School’s

graduating valedictorian this year and an involved athlete in her school community.

Looking back, Staknis wishes that she had spent more time at sporting events with her friends before schools closed for the spring; she described “putting off happiness” and focusing on her studies with the resolve to enjoy herself later at the end of the year. Now that her senior spring has been interrupted by COVID-19, she has resolved to always appreciate what she has in the moment, and to never again delay the opportunity to make memories with the people she cares about. She notes the loss of a proper senior night for the indoor track team, as well as an entire lost season of outdoor track, as particularly devastating.

Staknis described how her sports teams became a second family to her, always there to provide support no matter what time or place. She pointed out how Mr. Ricci, their outdoor track coach, was also a substantial influence on her team during their years of competition, and leaving without a sense of closure has been difficult.

She will attend the University of Notre Dame this fall on an ROTC scholarship, where she plans to major in political science. Afterwards, she will pursue five years of service in keeping with the scholarship terms.

While the pandemic may have disrupted her life, Staknis says that it has ultimately strengthened her initial resolve to make a difference in America through politics.

“This has made me more passionate about the field and really solidified my interest in it,” she said. Staknis believes that the ability to persevere through difficult and unexpected experiences will help not only her, but her chosen field as a whole, develop as time goes on in order to be more versatile and effective.

She recorded her graduation speech on the same day she went to pick up her cap and gown, noting that the experience was vastly different than how she could have ever expected.

“I’m grateful to have been able to do it on the Toll Gate stage, but it was hard for closure without the audience,” she said. “Not having that final moment was really difficult.”

While the state of Indiana may change its policies later on, Staknis says the current plan for the University of Notre Dame is to open in early August in order to complete a term before Thanksgiving, reducing the likelihood of students bringing the virus back to campus following an autumn break.

The nature of the pandemic is especially personal to Madison Enos, who served as Class President of Pilgrim High School’s 2020 graduating class; she plans to pursue a biomedical sciences degree on a pre-med track at Quinnipiac University this fall. She particularly lamented the cancella-

tion of her Science Olympiad team’s final competition this spring, which takes nearly the entire preceding school year to prepare for. As Enos graduated eighth in her class.

Spotlight on medicine In terms of awareness, she says the pandemic has contributed to a greater public appreciation of the valuable work done in the medical field.

“It’s showing everyone not just the doctors and the surgeons, but what the nurses do,” she said, noting that their work goes far beyond simple tasks like checking vitals. “I think it’s really opened everyone’s eyes to what healthcare is.”

Enos considers herself lucky as far as college decisions go; she was able to visit one of her two final choices for college prior to the pandemic, which allowed her to rule out that school and decide on Quinnipiac as her final choice. She also credits extensive online information put out by Quinnipiac University, as well as guidance from a family friend who went there, as helpful assistance in the process of making a decision regarding her post-secondary education. She said that students will arrive at the university two weeks prior in order to undergo COVID-19 testing.

She hopes that she will be able to use her love of innovation to engage with the medical community after high school, in order to address new challenges as they come with creative solutions.

While Enos wishes her high school graduation ceremony could be more traditional, she acknowledges that the social distancing guidelines in both Rhode Island and Warwick specifically could have been a lot worse. She appreciates the opportunity to bring family members, as well as the chance to experience walking the stage.

As for the Warwick students yet to begin the process of applying to college, certain aspects of the typical application timeline have been disrupted; in-school administrations of the SAT were canceled in March, with testing dates now set to be held in-person with social distancing guidelines in place starting this August. While priority registration will be given to students who have not yet acquired a score, the window to retake the test has been greatly reduced. The College Board, who administers the SAT, has begun requesting that colleges adopt a more flexible outlook on test scores and their role in the admissions process.

The Capstone Project for rising Warwick seniors, which will serve as a modified version of the traditional senior project, is also now entirely virtual to ensure that it is possible to complete regardless of whether or not students will return to physical classrooms in the future.

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You Will Soar, You Will Shine.

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