Semmel to Class of 2013: ‘Never Forget Where You Came From’

Inhale and take in your surroundings, Southington High School Principal Martin Semmel told the graduates of the Class of 2013 on Friday night. Look at your lab partners, friends, teammates, first crushes, teachers, coaches and family and remember the faces, he said.

“Before you journey forward, remember those right here with you in this moment,” Semmel said. “As you complete your journey, sometimes without those here with you now, remember where you came from. Without them, your journey forward is not possible.”

The advice to the 482 graduating students of the class was concise and direct Friday evening during the 2013 commencement at Southington High School: remember where you came from, remember your core values and always think of those around you.

For a complete list of graduates, click the link provided.

It was a message delivered not only by Semmel, but by Board of Education Chairman Brian Goralski – whose son Andrew was part of the graduating class – and School Superintendent Joseph V. Erardi Jr. The three all told the class, which they described as caring and one of the more talented in recent history, that they have everything to gain as they start life beyond Southington High School.

Graduate Danielle Charamut said she intends to hold onto the many good memories she’s made while at the school – too many to count, she noted – but is also looking forward to the next chapter in her life.

“It’s just an exciting moment. It’s hard to describe how you feel,” Charamut said. “It’s the end of one part of your life, but it’s just the start of another.”

As the students move beyond high school, class Valedictorian Bryan Davis and Essayist Molly Potter told their classmates to never stop learning, never stop having fun and when things get difficult or scary, remember being that young kindergarten student in the colorful classroom who was never afraid to try new things.

Potter talked on books such as Green Eggs and Ham and Where the Wild Things Are, noting that as a child it seemed just like a fun story but that they held deeper messages.

“We giggled at the absurd idea of eating green eggs and ham, and all of the silly places where Sam-I-Am suggests they can be eaten,” Potter said. “Little did we realize that our teacher was using the story to teach us about overcoming fear and trying new things.”

Ending the speeches Friday, Goralski paused a moment as he looked out at the students then smiled before giving them one final sentence.

“We’re proud of you,” he said.

Be sure to watch the video to check out some of the comic relief provided in an entertaining but poignant speech from Class of 2013 Salutatorian Jonathan La Follette.

Make sure to like Southington Patch on Facebook or follow on Twitter for breaking news, daily updates and more!