'Failing is perfectly acceptable', the message to Waterford graduates

June 14, 2024 8:31 p.m. • Last updated: June 14, 2024 8:38 p.m.

Luke Bozarth celebrates as he walks across the stage to receive his diploma during Waterford High School’s commencement Friday, June 15, 2024, at the high school. (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy Photo Reprints

Graduates listen to one of the speakers during Waterford High School’s commencement on Friday, June 15, 2024, at the high school. (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy Photo Reprints

Phoebe Brown receives her diploma from Waterford School Board President Pat Fedor during Waterford High School’s commencement Friday, June 15, 2024, at the high school. (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy Photo Reprints

Chris Landry, left, director of athletics and student activities, applauds graduates and Emma Way, center, smiles during the Waterford High School commencement procession Friday, June 15, 2024, at the school secondary. (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy Photo Reprints

Salutatorian Payton Smith speaks during Waterford High School’s commencement Friday, June 15, 2024, at the high school. (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy Photo Reprints

Graduates Tristan Beltran, left, and Darren Guppy take a selfie while waiting for the start of their Waterford High School commencement ceremony Friday, June 15, 2024, at the high school. (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy Photo Reprints

Valedictorian Vaysi Sharma speaks during Waterford High School’s commencement on Friday, June 15, 2024, at the high school. (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy Photo Reprints

Graduates Emily Johnson, left, and Skyler Jones pose for a photo with Waterford Police Department comfort dog Hodges, carrying a mortar, taken by Officer Eric Fredrics while waiting for the commencement ceremony to begin on Friday, June 15, 2024, at Waterford High School. . (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy Photo Reprints

Graduates sit on stage in the auditorium during Waterford High School’s commencement Friday, June 15, 2024, at the high school. (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy Photo Reprints

School: Waterford Secondary School

Number of graduates: 165

Ceremony location: Waterford High School Auditorium

Valedictorian Suhana Sharma: “Today is a day of celebration. We celebrate the achievement of a major life goal: finishing high school. We are equal and today we are – or rather we sit – proud to be together as graduates. And while we celebrate, let’s also recognize the other side of success: failure. Because by getting to this point, we have all failed. And in the future, as we pursue our next goals and dreams, we will fail again and again. But here’s the thing: failing is perfectly acceptable. Everyone fails, even those at the top.

Salutatorian Payton Smith: “I set many goals throughout high school to reach this point. Of course, there were academic goals. Straight As, for trying new topics. Go through physics without panicking every day. I would say this goal was achieved about 75% of the time. More seriously, I wanted to find people with whom I would be friends for life. I wanted to try new things. I wanted to experiment as much as possible. I wanted to cherish my teenage years before the next stage of my life. And I can say with enthusiasm and gratitude that yes. I hope you all did too.

Waterford High School graduates

Yana Abramova

Yasmine Maricela Ahearn

Eden C.Alexandre

Sidney Annisha Alexandre

Logan M. Anderson

Léa Elisabeth Arnold

Caden Elias Arruda

Ian Christopher Balfour

Gracie-Marie Bartelli

Zachary M. Bartkowski

Nora M. Bartkowski

Jacob J. Beardsley

Cooper Stephen Bellos

Tristan John Beltran

Jaden Bénitez

Jake Eric Benvenuti

Cole S. Berry

Karas Renée Boluch

Jonathan Way Stand

Thomas Édouard Bourez

Luke Cameron Bozarth

Cameron Ireland Brown

Phoebe Ann Brown

Anabel Bueno

Bueno Analysis

EmersonJeanne Bunnell

Tighe Lawrence Burridge

Nathan T. Campbell

Jolina Violette Campisi

Jordi Cassar

Kaden Sagawa Castle

Sonibel A. Cepeda

Eli James Champion

Natalie Chan

Catherine Chen

Elliot J. Childs

Allison Cioci

Frank Emanuel Cirioni

Alexa Simone Collins

Thomas J. Corbi

Victoria Ann Louise Danz

Allison K. Dazy

Lilliana Skye DeJesus

Xavier J. DelGrosso

Paul John Deon, Jr.

Francesca R. DeSantis

Louis Édouard Alexandre Dhervilly

Marializ Diaz

Jase Anthony DiBuono

Kal A. Dioquino

Clare C. Donnelly

John Daniel Donnelly

Kennedy C. Dunican-Benoît

Aidan Riley DuPont

Mohammad Sadra Farmani

Jamie Rachel Gannon

Cole Joseph Gaynor

Isabelle Rose Geer

Aubrielle J. Girard

Daniel Kevin Girard

Javier Enrique Gonzalez

Maddy Gorra

Kolby J. Gray

Darren Guppy

Sarah Hage

Alistair J. Haglund

Isabela Isis Haque

Aeracura Harney

Dominick Armando Haie

Hunter John Heikkinen

Megan Herrera

Lilly Hill Fern

Kecelia Elaine Marie Hill

Amarys Jiménez

Alivia J. Johnson

Emily Rose Johnson

Skyler RM Jones

Simon KC

Kayla Rose Kelly

Farrah Alexandra Kelly-Driss

Cole Daniel Kempke

Kla WO key

Roberto R. Kiefer

Brianne Mary Kilcomons

Kim Bomin

Michael Anthony Kirchhoff,Jr.

Josaphina Lee Klusek

Sean Michael Kramer

Tenzin Kyijong

Lillian Rose Labrie

Madison Blanche LaForte

Jeremy Laguerre

Nicolas M. Lambert

Emerson Jean Lane

Lara K. Lanuza

Quinn Fischer LeBelle

Alyson Nicole Jalynn Lewis

Chase Benjamin Linski

Michelle Siqi Liu

Jace Martin

Melanie Rose Martin

Joseph A. Mayer

Oscar A. Menjivar-Zelaya

Harley Jayson Mish

Jonathan Christophe Mitchell

Lauren Mary Montanari

Juan Carlos Morel, Jr.

Connor James Motzko

Jax Bentley Murray

Aidan M. Neal

Griffin D. Neal

Cienna Joelle Nummy

Avyn CG Oehler

Emily Marie Orga

Giovanni T. Ortiz

Madeline MackeyParent

Jaden Peck

Samuel Trevor Pennington

Emilia Andria Podeszwa

Kendall Lynn Potts

Powers of Devon

Colton Jack Price

Ysabella Elizabeth Radecki

Julissa Christina Ramos

Molly-Anne Reilly

Rebecca Lynn Roarke

Carlie Grace Robinson

AmarisElisa Rosado

Zachary Édouard Ruest

Jamison Quirino Rush

Saeeda Habiba Samed

Elizabeth Jane McCullough Saucier

Julian T. Secchiaroli

Thalia CheyAnn Senkewitcz

Coby James Sestrom

Vaysi Suhana Sharma

Samantha Ann Silva

Maple Xin-Yi Siu

Murray Catherine Smathers

Emma Amelia Smathers

Olivier René Smith

Payton Louise Smith

Zachary LeRoy Smith

Quinn Speller

William O. Stahl

Peter Andrew Schur

Grace Elizabeth Stilphen

Porter D. Swenson-Cardwell

Nanyelis Tellado

Camryn Arcadia Thibodeau

Rhys Evan Tickner

Ava Grace Tinnerello

Jacqueline Jade Tran

Caleb Michael Turner

Lucas Matthew Turner

Sophia Mairead Turpin

Luciana María Valencia

Emma Catherine Way

Eva Weir

Noah James Westkott

Marie Roseanne Wohlforth

Hisham Khan Yousafzai

Jay Patrick Zimmermann

Zoe Kathryn Zito

Isabelle-Marie Zweir