‘Go Out Into the World and Have Fun’: Class of 2023 Graduates from NCHS

Michael LeDuc, a science teacher and department chair at New Canaan High School, once heard a colleague draw an important distinction that has stayed with him, between mere entertainment and the true fun that results from diligence.

On Wednesday morning, he urged members of the NCHS senior class to make time for entertainment in their lives, but to understand that “there is a difference between entertainment and true, meaningful, lasting fun.”

“Don’t mistake entertainment for the good stuff—the meaningful and lasting fun that you earn through hard work,” LeDuc told the class of 2023 during its graduation ceremony, held at Dunning Field under overcast and comfortably warm skies. 

“Look at your high school experience,” he continued. “You worked really hard to be where you are today, on this beautiful day. You took on many challenges, some out of necessity. You navigated high school through some of the most challenging educational obstacles in the last 100 years. Zooming, cohorting, isolating, testing, social distancing, masking and more. You just kept learning and working hard nonetheless. You spent hours working on your junior research paper, cranking through problem sets on whiteboards in math, studying for Model UN conferences, designing labs and writing lab reports, running lines for the play, lifting and conditioning with your teammates, working and reworking that piece of poetry, writing and debugging lines of code. That hard work is what leads to the genuine fun that we are enjoying today.”

LeDuc counseled the graduating seniors to continue taking on “the big challenges” in their lives.

“In addition to the reward of accomplishing your goal, you’ll have a surprising amount of fun along the way,” he said. “And while you are the ones who will walk across the stage in just a few minutes, this day isn’t just about you—it’s about your support network, as well. Your parents, family, teachers and friends. They told you the things you didn’t want to hear but needed to hear. They nurtured and supported you every step of the way on your journey to today. They shared their insights and guided you through your education. Today is next-level fun for them, too. In your own way, find the time to thank the people that helped to get you here. You will never regret sharing your gratitude with them, and you never know how much it might mean to them. So my parting advice to you, class of 2023, is to seek out true fun. By that I mean, go work hard, take on the challenge, write the thesis, engineer and redesign and redesign your solutions. Make your community better. Take the time to help people and be kind, even when it isn’t convenient or easy. Do something you can be proud of and leave your mark on the world. Remember, the hard work that you do results in the most meaningful and lasting fun. Class of 2023, go out into the world and have fun.”

LeDuc—a national champion steeplechase and cross-country runner in college who once ran the mile in 4:05 and holds a bachelor’s degree in botany from Connecticut College, a master’s degree in biology from Washington University in St. Louis and an advanced degree from Southern Connecticut State University—was the keynote speaker during the NCHS Annual Commencement Exercises.

The roughly 90-minute ceremony featured a welcome from Kristi Carriero, administrator for the class of 2023, “The Star-Spangled Banner” performed by students from the NCHS Choral Program, “An Irish Blessing” performed by seniors in the program, Pledge of Allegiance led by senior Addie Cannon, reflections from seniors Avery Morawa, Toby Woods and Kelly Marchiony and comments from Cannon, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi, First Selectman Kevin Moynihan, NCHS Principal Bill Egan (who noted the retirements of Anna Moody and Lenore Schneider) and Board of Education Chair (and class of 2023 mom) Katrina Parkhill, and a spot-on rendition of Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out” by NCHS teacher Aaron “Ace” Gallo, accompanied by the NCHS String Ensemble.

In introducing LeDuc, Luizzi noted the geophysical and environmental science teacher’s “understanding and his love for his students.”

“Mike is authentic in all that he does,” Luizzi said. “He treated his students like the young adults that they are and he truly is a champion for all kids. Mr. LeDuc is an expert in his content, but he doesn’t teach science—he teaches students. And everyone learns more in his classroom than they ever thought possible.”

Parents, family and friends packed both sets of risers at Dunning for the ceremony, which culminated with all students receiving their diplomas and personal congratulations from Egan and Luizzi, with a number of educational figures–including teachers, administrators and Board of Ed members—looking on from the shared stage.

Carriero in addressing the students said that in her role as class admin it has been “an honor to guide and support you through your challenges, through your triumphs and everything in between.”

“I am immensely proud of the individuals that you have become, and I am confident that the future holds incredible achievements for each of you,” she said. “As you embark on your new journeys, may your presence continue to bring that same joy to those fortunate enough to know and work alongside you.”

Parkhill, whose daughter Ellie graduated with the class of 2023, said she herself has been “so lucky to be part of your community, to watch so many of you grow up and achieve this special milestone in your lives.”

“So my message to you today is one of celebration,” Parkhill said. “In a world where there seems to be a constant loop of conflict and divisiveness, it’s easy to question our place in the world. But we can choose to see things differently. We can choose to see and celebrate all that is right in the world, and especially in this community. How lucky you all are to have been raised in a community where education is the priority, in a town that values and invests in children, in a nation-leading school district, with incredible teachers and a support system that have inspired your journey K to 12, and with parents who have been engaged every step of the way. And I see you, passionate young people who are ready to embrace the world. That is something to celebrate.”

Parkhill, who notably helped guide the district through the COVID-19 pandemic as Board of Ed chair, noted that the class of 2023 “didn’t have the most typical high school experience.” (Luizzi noted that the seniors belong to the only class that experienced high school before, during and after the pandemic.)

“But you taught us about resilience, perseverance and courage, and the value of friendships and connection,” Parkhill said. “And look at you. You are compassionate problem-solvers and knowledge-seekers. You are polite and you are kind. You have so many talents and interests. We saw how you showed up for one another, and we have witnessed your tremendous growth. You have given so much of yourselves to shaping and then reshaping this school, reigniting old traditions in school spirit and modeling collaboration and leadership for your underclassmen. You are the definition of a community, and that is something to celebrate. So today we celebrate you. You make us all so proud to serve on the Board of Education, and we celebrate with your parents, your grandparents, your family and friends who are so proud of all that you have accomplished. So please be patient with us when we give you a hug and hold on a little too long, or ask for just one more family photo. It’s because you are loved. And that is something to celebrate.”

Here are excerpts from the other speakers:

• 

  First Selectman Kevin Moynihan addresses the NCHS class of 2023, on graduation day, June 14, 2023. Credit: Michael Dinan

  Moynihan: “For you graduates, New Canaan will always be fondly remembered as your hometown—whether you were born here or moved here. I grew up 90 miles north of here in the heart of the Berkshires in western Massachusetts and I moved here 42 years ago when my job transferred me to New York City from Chicago. New Canaan is therefore really my second hometown because New Canaan is where my wife Mim and I raised our two children, both of whom are proud graduates of New Canaan High School. You graduates are very fortunate to have New Canaan as your hometown because New Canaan is a very special place. New Canaan is special because we are a community filled with educated, talented and generous people, like your parents. New Canaan is special because we are a community that values public schools with great administrators and great teachers. New Canaan is special because we are a community that values achievement in the classroom, on the athletic field, in the arts and in volunteer activities. New Canaan is special because we are a community that cares for and respects one another and we celebrate each other’s successes. New Canaan is special because we are a community that values diversity and is welcoming to all, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. And New Canaan is special because of graduates like you. You have worked hard and achieved. New Canaan is proud of you and, on behalf of our town, I congratulate each and every one of you for your accomplishments and honors. Now, it’s traditional that elders offer just a few words of advice to graduates at a high school graduation: First, your youthful energy, your originality, your idealism – they are all needed in our local communities. So be involved, become a volunteer, care about your friends and neighbors and do your part to try to make our world better. Second, be informed about the world around you. Read newspapers and books and study the issues. Don’t just rely upon social media for information. And, most importantly, be an informed voter and vote. And finally, remember to thank your parents for all their love and support. You didn’t become who you are today without their sacrifices, guidance and love.”

• 

  NCHS Principal Bill Egan addresses the class of 2023 on graduation day, June 14, 2023. Credit: Michael Dinan

  Egan: “I am honored to stand before you today to celebrate the graduation of your incredible children. As the principal of New Canaan High School, I have had the privilege of watching these students grow and flourish over the past four years.Before we say goodbye to the Class of 2023, I would like to take a moment and bid farewell to two incredible teachers – Anna Moody and Lenore Schneider are retiring this year. The two have a combined 89 years of experience between them. Now that’s a lot of wisdom shared. A few fun facts—some things that did not exist when they started teaching are Smart Phones, GPS, or access to the Internet. In all seriousness, Anna and Lenore, You have been mentors and friends. When I needed advice, I would seek your wisdom. I know how much you love your students, and it was hard to decide to retire. Congratulations, and I wish you a retirement filled with laughter, joy, and much time spent with family and friends. I know all the parents here today (well, anywhere) will agree that parenting is no easy feat. My daughter, Ella, is also a senior, and it’s no surprise that parenting can be quite the emotional rollercoaster ride filled with joy, frustration, hope, and pride. Since my daughter is graduating too, I have double the pride standing before you today. Looking back, it seems that time has flown by with lightning speed, and in this instance, I can’t help but reflect on the importance of cherishing every precious moment we have with our graduates. The sleepless nights spent cradling them in our arms, the laughter and tears shed during moments of both triumph and defeat. (I can’t deny I didn’t shed a few tears on my car rides to NCHS while going down memory lane.) We witnessed their physical and emotional growth from their first steps to their first day of school. We supported them through the ups and downs, guiding them the best we knew how as they navigated the challenges of life. As they embark on their new journey, I know we will carry these precious memories close in our hearts and, at the same instance, are excited for the incredible future that awaits them. Today is a time for celebration. Students, you have accomplished so much over the past four years, from athletic victories, beautiful performances, and creative pieces to personal growth. It seems like just yesterday, you walked through the doors of NCHS as eager freshmen, and now I proudly watch you leave as confident and accomplished graduates. Today marks the end of a remarkable journey, and I do not doubt you will achieve great things. So, with immense pride, we say goodbye to the Class of 2023. You have made us all proud, and I am confident you will go out into the world and leave an unerasable mark. May your future be filled with love, joy, endless opportunities, and many wonderful memories. Remember to come back and visit us because once a Ram, always a Ram.”

• Cannon: “Contemplating the monumental changes that are to come, I am reminded of my favorite song, Landslide, by Fleetwood Mac. This song has held a special place in my heart since I was a young girl, but as my time in high school comes to an end, its meaning has evolved. In the words of Stevie Nicks, ‘Well, I’ve been afraid of changing cause I’ve built my life around you.’ We have built our lives around this town, this community, and this school, which is precisely why we should not be afraid of the changes that lie ahead. New Canaan high school has undoubtedly prepared each of us for bright futures. ‘But time makes you bolder even children get older, and I’m getting older too.’ We have faced challenges, we have conquered obstacles, and we have grown stronger through our experiences. The past four years at New Canaan High School have molded us into individuals capable of boldly facing the challenges that await. ‘Can I sail through the changin’ ocean tides?’ Throughout our lives, we will certainly continue to face adversity. The changing ocean tides are the tests we encounter along the way. They will sometimes feel overwhelming, but we must believe in our ability to navigate through them. We possess the resilience and knowledge to overcome any storm that comes our way. ‘Can I handle the seasons of my life?’ As we prepare to enter this next season of our lives, it is my hope that we can each find a community like New Canaan that will lift us up. More importantly, I hope that wherever we may be, we can serve our new communities as we have been served during our time here.”
• 

  Avery Morawa addresses her fellow NCHS classmates on graduation day, June 14, 2023. Standing at left are Kelly Marchiony and Toby Woods, who also addressed the Class of ’23. Credit: Michael Dinan

  Morawa: “As we gather here today to celebrate our high school graduation, I am filled with a sense of pride, accomplishment, and gratitude. We have worked hard to get to this point, and it’s an honor to stand before all of you as we mark this important milestone in our lives. What I cherish most from my high school experience was painting the class mural with the art club. From my first sketch in January to laying the final brushstrokes together in May, creating the mural has been a labor of love and an act of service to the school that has challenged me to grow and change. A lot of people ask me what the big black circle in the center of our class mural is. The short answer is that it’s a rendition of the first ever photo of a black hole taken in 2019. The next question I get is, why on earth would we choose a black hole for a mural? We chose to depict this photo because it represents the collaboration of people with diverse talents, interests and experiences coming together to achieve goals that are larger than the individual. Our class is a compilation of award winning artists, athletes, scientists, writers, mathematicians, and musicians that have contributed greatly to the school, the town, and the greater community. We didn’t know what our high school experience would be like come second semester of our freshman year, but look at how far we have come. From winning the football State championship and the girl’s tennis state championship our senior year to putting on performances from Music Man to the Little Mermaid and galleries like the Senior Art show and Through Our Eyes to competing in science bowls and Model UN conferences, starting Feeding 500, an organization feeding thousands of people in Fairfield county, and winning second in the entire nation in the TEAMs engineering competition, our school community is at the epicenter of everything we have achieved and everything in the mural. It’s evident how much our school appreciates our community, but the reciprocal is true as well: the town cherishes our school and takes great pride in us. As we move on to the next chapters of our lives, I encourage you all to carry these memories of collaboration, teamwork, and diversity of talent and thought with you. Hold on to our experiences together and remember to learn from others and work together to accomplish great things.”

• Woods: “One of my first ever memories was when I was three years old, on the first day of kindergarten for my older brother. He had his backpack ready to go, my mom had just made sure both of our shoe laces were tied, and we were leaving the house to walk down the driveway to the bus stop. And I was absolutely convinced in that moment that I was just about to follow my brother onto the big yellow school bus with him, that is until my parents had to enlighten me that I was, in fact, still in preschool, and I wouldn’t be able to take the bus to school for another two years. I was distraught. You see, even back then I had this irresistible tendency to look forward—a mindset we know all too well. We were so excited to grow up and become adults and get some more independence, not realizing that these moments in our lives may become some of our most cherished. By definition, school is kind of all about getting us to the “next thing”; getting us ready for the future. Back in middle school, it was all about getting us ready for high school level classes, and for these last four years we’ve been in the shadow of college applications. And the same is true outside of academics: we spend all this time practicing so maybe one day we can make the varsity team and even become a senior captain; we spend all this time rehearsing so one day we might get the lead role in the play. Take, for instance, course selection in the spring. It was always one of my favorite moments: I’ve taken so many wonderful classes with the most amazing teachers, so it was a very optimistic time, and I was always excited to think about what would come next. But every time when I was making these decisions, in addition to thinking how much I would enjoy each class, the thought of “how will this look on my college application” also loomed. I absolutely loved all of the classes I took, just that when I look back on my four years here, I wish I didn’t have that part of my thought process where I got so fixated on getting to this coveted “next thing”, and only living for the future, not the present. It’s a bit of a rat race, to be frank, and I’m also a bit embarrassed to say I developed a sort of addiction to refreshing the powerschool app. It’s so easy to do so much for the future that we forget about now. But now, we’re all at a turning point in our lives: we’ve just gone through 13 years of what is pretty much exposure therapy interspersed with some learnings about how the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, and how using the Rule of Three can make your writing more effective, concise, and memorable. School has been our world, our reality, but today, we’re moving on. And so, today offers no better opportunity to put future planning on hold and meditate on these last few crazy years: that awkward bottle flipping phase we went through in middle school; when the whir of fidget spinners filled our classrooms; how we’ve probably had a couple too many cookies from the school cafeteria; the few too many late nights trying to figure out that last Physics WebAssign problem due the next morning; the dozens of hours spent in our wonderful windowless classrooms; and of course, the always disproportionately large crowd at first lunch. It was these moments with our friends and classmates—our relationships—that define our time here at NCHS, not the grades on our transcripts. So in the end, what is it that really matters? What if we all forgot about this mask we put on to impress others and to make it seem like we’ve got our lives all figured out? What if we forgot about that and gave ourselves permission to be the person we really are? What would that change? So much of our existence is spent catering to others, seeking their approval, and mimicking their values. But our life is our own, and nobody holds the authority to take that away from us, so live your life, pursue what you love, and give yourself the permission to relentlessly pursue your own vision. Take those risks to follow your heart; as my grandmother told me, ‘Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.’ Thank you, Class of 2023, for these chaotic, sometimes stressful, but absolutely wonderful 13 years. Each and every one of us is at the dawn of a wonderful life—a life that we get to design for ourselves; a life where we get to decide the person we want to become; a life where we get to create a legacy, so don’t let anything get in your way.”
• Marchiony: “It’s an honor to stand before you today. In many ways today is both the end of a journey, and the start of a new one. Some of us have been friends since pre-school, others moved to town and joined along the way. Regardless of how you got here, each of us now makes up a unique piece of the fabric of the class of 2023. Today is also the beginning of a new journey.We are about to embark on 300 individual paths. Sitting before me is a class of Rams that will contribute amazing talents to the world. Musicians, engineers, doctors, architects – and maybe even some teachers. We are still in the early chapters of our life stories. But, unlike a novel, we can’t skip ahead to see the ending, or see how long the next chapter will be. And we shouldn’t want to. Exciting pages are yet to be written, and I’m looking out at a lot of protagonists who are easy to root for. As for the chapter now ending at New Canaan High School, I will look back fondly on so many good times we’ve had together. For instance, congregating at the spiral staircase in between classes. Pretending to keep a 6-foot distance from each other during covid, when the staff walked by. The excitement of a Dr. Luizzi email declaring a snow day… (even though they don’t really exist anymore). Mr. Egan’s weekly updates with unsuspecting candid photos. (And when I say candid, I mean embarrassing shots of us with eyes-closed and mouths-open.) I also loved my role doing morning announcements over the school’s loudspeakers. I got to leave class early with one of my best friends (shout out to Reagan Bailey..) and head to the school office where Ms. Cognetta would be waiting for us. Mr. Egan would also be anxious to see us, and eager to make suggestions about which song to play in-between classes.You would be amazed at his range—from Hootie and the Blowfish to Pink—he’s like a human jukebox. I could go on and on about these special memories, which I’m just realizing now have nothing to do with studying or school work. I guess what I’m trying to say is that while I know we’re all proud to go to one of the best high schools in the country, what really makes it special is its environment and the people who make it so great. Mrs Cognetta, Officer Deak, Mr. Egan, Mr. Rothman, Mrs. Pescatello and many others care about us as people…not just as students. Let me finish with some thank you’s. Thank you to our teachers. You are the best staff in the world and so often go above and beyond. Thank you to our guidance counselors. Special shout out to Mr. Willet. They truly did counsel us – and even switched a few classes to help sort out our schedules. Thank you to our security guards, Hampton, Pat and Bob, who protected us, but also made driving in and out of the school a fun interaction. Thank you to our families – especially our parents – for always supporting us. And finally, to all my friends in the class of 2023 thank you. While this is not goodbye, I’m going to miss seeing your faces each day. I wish you all the best. And can’t wait to see you fill out the pages of your stories.”