caption, page 1:
The Woodstock Academy commencement June 12 from above. More photos on page 4. Photo courtesy of Matthew Godzik.
captions, page 4:
'We're graduated!' Photo courtesy of The Woodstock Academy.
Livia Armstrong. On page 1: the Manchester Pipe Band.
Yale Cup Winners: Ciara MacKinnon and Riley Chapuis
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
WOODSTOCK — Perspective. The common cord in The Woodstock Academy’s 131st Commencement June 12 was perspective.
The gift of the pandemic perspective.
Class President Clayton Singleton said, “Our traditions were wiped away by something that we could not see.” The pandemic “changed my perspective. My perspective shifted.”
He decided to look at that shift as an opportunity to “reflect and grow.” “We now have an understanding of the value of relationships,” he said.
Sophia Mawson, presented “Unity with Tranquilty,” her award-winning Kathryn Robertson Essay as the graduation address. In comparing life to the individuals/ the whole of a symphony, the shift in perspective was “others, not self.” Emotional intelligence comes with finding the balance between solos and playing as one. If there is no unity with tranquility, she said, humanity will collapse.
“Let us not be selfish but selfless,” she said.
Emma Heimgartner, the academy’s first poet laureate, read her poem “New Dawn.” Her classmates redefine resilience, like wildflowers blooming through the ashes. “We champion ourselves,” she said and blaze new trails. “We are the promise of brighter days ahead.
Link to watch the entire commencement including Poet Laureate Emma Heimgartner’s “New Dawn” poem and Sophia L. Mawson’s Kathryn Robertson Essay Award winning graduation address, “Unity with Tranquility.”
https://www.facebook.com/WACentaurs/videos/2662831487350830
The Yale Honor Cups went to Ciara MacKinnon and Riley Chapuis. The Donald and Hope Williams Scholarships for Outstanding Academic Achievement went to Chapuis, MacKinnon and Zhiyan Du and Ethan Bove. Co-valedictorians Bove and Du both received state of Connecticut General Assembly Official Citations from Head of School Christopher Sandford.
In attendance at commencement this year were two members of the Class of 1971, “Golden Centaurs.”
The Woodstock Academy Class of 2021:
Alexia Taylor Adams 3, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16; Michael D. Adams; Pipeloluwa Roland Ajayi; Kyle W. Alcy; Daimler Krishjanis Aleksjuks; Emily N. Anderson; Hunter Bradye Anderson 18; Brian R. Antunes 17; Nicholas Stewart Apley; Livia M. Armstrong 4, 7, 10, 12, 15, 16, 17; Kaylee R. Arpin; Emma-Leigh Josephine Arsenault; Jacob Aseltine; Ethan William Aspiras 3, 12, 13, 14, 15; Emma Barrett Auker 4, 12, 14; Trey L. Ayotte; Zachary A. Banning; Tyler James Barrett; Nicola R. Bastien; Iris Rosemary Bazinet; Hunter Mark Beaudreault; Sierra Michelle Bedard 13; Kathleen A. Ben; Kimberley J. Bennett; Aden Berthiaume; Rianna Terry-Elexus Bessios; Tabitha Jeannette Bezanson 4, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15; Cedric Joffre William Bilica; Timothy Robert Billings; Kaitlin R. Birlin; Liam Thomas Blanchflower 15; Luke Allen Boardman; Glenn Greene Boies; Amanda F. Bond; Ethan Daniel Bove 1, 3, 11, 12, 14, 16; Matthew Daniel Brady 5, 17; Steven Bratu; Katelin Briere 17; Logan James Brock 3, 7, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17; Zachary F. Brody; Abigail Elizabeth Brown 17; Jacob Daniel Brown 6; Isaac Budd; Emmalyn Linda Bunker; Charles Jonah Burrows; Kaelyn Amber Bushey; Nicholas A. Caggiano; Eshete Calvo; Rachel Leigh Canedy; Yuxin Cao; Ashley Marie Carpenter; Justin R. Cave; Amanda Carolyn Cerrone; Riley Peter Chapuis 3, 6, 12; Stefan K. Chervenkov 8; Demosthenes Konstantinos Chrisovechotis; Nickolas Alan Chubbuck 18; Emily Rita Condon 14, 15; Sara Qiuyu Cotillo Soria; Sydney A. Michelina Cournoyer 3, 12, 13, 14; Sydney Diane Couture 3, 7, 12, 13, 16, 17; Christian Lee Cudworth;Cody Shawn Currie;Emma R. Curtis;Hannah Marie Darigan 3, 12, 14, 16;Julia Churchill Dearborn 3, 9;Alexander Blake Dehler;Sarah Alexandra Delaney;Thursten Wallace Delaney;Connor Chase Dexter;Arianna Di Domizio;Jackson Riley Dias 4, 14;Andrew Nicholas Dilko 18; Charles Alex Dimock;Stella M. DiPippo 3, 12, 14;Estella Mae Douglas 5;Riley Patrick Douglas;Oliver Bushnell Driscoll 9, 14; Zhiyan Du 1, 3, 7, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16;Eliza J. Dutson 5, 13, 14;Raymond Espinal-Guzman;Adrian Thomas Essex; Adam Charles Exley;Guerin Brad Favreau 8, 13;Jocelyn Emma Foisey;Chloe A. Forsten;Joel Seth Gagnon;Kileigh Niland Gagnon 4, 13, 16;Zipeng Gao;Gabriella May Garbutt 4, 13;William J. Gaug;Huck Gelhaus;Gabriel Eugene Geyer 3;Da’shon Gittens;Grace Anne Gronski 4, 12, 14, 16;Colby Groves 4, 17;Kaden Robinson Gucwa;Giana Raffaela Guida;Ashley Nicole Guillot 4, 12, 14;Lillian Mae Hagerman;Amanda Ann Hair 10, 17;Caleb Edward Hall 3;Ryan Joseph Hansen;Chelsea Christine Harda;JiaHao He;Cierra Louise Heersink;Kwesi Kamau Harold Henry;Jacob William Hernandez 5;Yago Herrera Moreno de Acevedo;Richard D. Hickson;Emma Kerry Hovestadt 3, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16;Joey Ignacio 3, 14, 16;Travis J. Jewell;Andrew Barry Johnson;Noah Jeffrey Keaten 17;Keegan J. Kelleher 17;Megan E. Kelly;Hailey M. Kerouack;Avery Clayton Killingsworth;Taeoh Kim 18;Hailey Helena-Horniak Klar;Dominick Kollbeck;Kelsey Paige Kosior;Brynn Avery Kusnarowis 3, 12, 13, 14, 16;Dylan Jakob LaBrecque;Kaily Elizabeth LaChapelle 4, 13, 14;Jadyn LaFlamme 17;Also: Isabelle R. Lanoue;Amelia Carey Large;Hannah R. Laurens;Re Lee;Wonwook Lee;Cassandra Ann Leighton;Caitlin Elizabeth LeSage 3, 14, 16;Mackenzie Leveille 5;Aochen Li 3, 10, 11, 12, 14;Jerry Lin;Skyla Grace Lindell;Ishaan Lingayat;Colin Liscomb;Samuel Steven Listro;Hanna Jane Longwell 3, 7, 12, 14, 15, 16;Angela Lu 3, 12, 14;Brandon Maciolek 18;Ciara Maeve MacKinnon 3, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16;Avery Kate MacNeil 5, 16;Harriet Rachel Majek 4, 7, 12, 14, 15;Nathan Majewski;Marco Bañolas Maluf 3, 11, 12;Matthew David Marshall 6;Samuel D. Massey 3, 8, 12, 14;Jessie Lin Masterson;Sophia Lorraine Mawson 3, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17;Marissa Jacquelyn Mayhew;Emily Catherine McClure 4, 12, 14, 16;Lexi Amaya McCullough-Murphy;Lucy K. McDermott;Kathleen Annette McDowell;Ella Joy McMahon;Jonah N. McNamara;Francis Patrick McNerney;Stephanos Jack Menounos;Alina C. Michalski 8, 13, 15;Emme Laurenne Miglietta; Electra Sophia-Renee Migneault;Gavin Michael Miller;Carly J. Millette;Colby Thomas Mills;Karissa H. Minkema 8;Bailey Kathleen Mitchell 3;Isah Mohammed;Miguel Angel Morales;Macey Lynne Morse;Salwa Naveed 5, 15;Kamden Nelson;Anais Emma Newall-Vuillemot;Nikita Nezhin;Edward John Niejadlik;Katelynn E. Niejadlik;Ian Scott Nielson;Zachary Kenneth Niemann;Jacob Alexander Niemiec;Aedan Robert-Thomas Noel 18;Giovanni T. Nuccio;Ashley Morgan Nunes 3, 7, 12, 15;Meaghan Jane O’Brien 5, 12, 16, 17;Alissa Rae O’Connor;Molly O’Connor 15, 16;Evan David Odorski;Nathan A. Olson;Olivia Mae Ott 5, 7, 12, 13;Avery Richard Pajak;Aidan Anthony Pappas;Xavier Lee Parker;Alyssa A. Patel;Lily Song Patenaude 4, 6, 7;Deziree Marie Patridge;Melanie Pazienza 8; John Forster Peabody 3, 12, 14, 15; Alexa Katerina Pechie 15;Sebastian Isaah Pelletier;Payton A. Peterson 18;Eric Phongsa;James Phongsa;Violet Pietrowski;Maria Fernanda Pires Trevisan;Dylan Michael Ponkala;Dante T. Poth;Megan Beatrice Preston 3, 7, 12, 13, 15, 16;Gillian N. Price;Isabella Rosemarie Price;Arriel N. Quant;Connor J. Quinn 3, 11, 14;Maxwell Jeffrey Racicot 5, 15;Haven Marie Renshaw 17;Brandon Russell Richards;Owen T. Ritzau 3, 8, 11;Jeremy Samuel Romano;Luke R. Rossi 18;Nicholas James Round;Asier Ruiz;Taegon Ryu 4;Avery Francis Sabrowski;Elijah William Saine 10;Noah Converse Salsich 3, 8, 12, 13, 14;Ida Aminata Sanders 3, 16;Maria Santucci 3, 7, 13, 14, 15, 16;Peyton Grace Saracina;Gavin M. Savoie;Chayton Frederick Scheuritzel;Adam M. Schimmelpfennig 5;Alexa M. Schimmelpfennig 3, 8, 12;Heather Grace Schofield 3, 11, 12, 14;Quinn Murphy Schuler;Alyssa Mary Jean Sharrow 17;Kyra Marie Shaw;Madeline J. Silbermann 3, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15;Suzanne E. Silbermann 4, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15;Clayton Warren Singleton 3, 7, 8, 12, 15, 17;Benjamin James Sivertsen;Emily Rose Skellett;Christina M. Skellinger;Meghan Terri Yayun Slate 3, 6, 17;Alexander Jamal Smith;Colin Shea Smith 3, 12;Donovan P. Sokolovsky;Aleksa Stevanovic;Brinn A. Stimans;Dominic Isaiah Strother;Mya Symington-St.John 3, 7, 11, 14, 15, 16;Sybaljan Azizovna Tahirova 3, 7, 11, 14, 15, 16;Logan Arthur Talbot;Sarah Tavares 7;Nicole A. Terjesen 3, 16;Jake Paul Tingley 18;Steisi Topalli 3;Mallory Ann Tyimok 5, 7, 12, 14, 15; Alexandra R. Vaida 3, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16;Rockwell Valentine 3, 10, 12, 14, 17;Ibo Luis Villanueva;Kassidy Ann Walden;Allison R. Wall;Mengqi Wang;Eli Matthew Werstler 3, 12, 14, 16;Caroline Sue Wilcox 4, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16;Alexander Jaffe Williams 3, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17;Alex Wojciechowski;Wesley James WoroneckiAwarded Postumously: Yuhang Yang; Jiacheng Ying; Alise Grace Yonush; Ethan Michael Young; Alexis Reagan Zagrodny; Hongli Zhang 8; Jialei Zhang 4; Dmitrii Zinchenko.
* Honor Codes
1. Valedictorian, 2. Salutatorian, 3. Summa cum laude, 4. Magna cum laude, 5. Cum laude, 6. Chinese National Honor Society, 7. English National Honor Society, 8. German National Honor Society, 9. Italian National Honor Society, 10. Latin National Honor Society, 11. Math National Honor Society, 12. National Honor Society, 13. Scholar-Athlete Honor Society, 14. Science National Honor Society, 15. Social Studies National Honor Society, 16. Spanish National Honor Society, 17. Tri-M Music Honor Society. 18. Military.
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caption, page 2:
Winning Team
The Woodstock Academy girls’ golf team, from left: Coach Earl Semmelrock, Alex Vaida, Kaily Lachapelle, Mia Dang, Ciara MacKinnon and Maria Santucci. Photo contributed by Woodstock Academy. Photo by Earl Semmelrock.
Golfers win
Div. II state
championship
Mia Dang walked down the 18th fairway at the Farmington Woods Golf Club with one thought in mind.
“Just par it. There is nothing wrong with par,” the Woodstock Academy junior said was what she was thinking to herself.
She was leading by one stroke and even if Berlin’s Libby Dunn birdied the hole, Dang figured at worst there would be a playoff.
There was no need for one. Dunn topped her second shot and then topped her third, this one going into a hazard and finished with a triple bogey.
Dang got what she had planned for, a par, and that one hole provided the breathing room The Woodstock Academy needed to claim the inaugural CIAC Div. II girls’ golf championship by four strokes, 369-373, over Berlin.
Dang finished as individual state champion as she was medalist with an 8-over par 80.
The season didn’t come to an end for the junior until the weekend as she participated in the State Open Girls Golf Championship in Old Lyme June 19.
The state championship was a test.
It was the first time the girls had to play 18 holes all season and they did so in 90-plus degree temperatures.
“The course was really tough. It was hot as heck out there. The course was very hilly and it wasn’t easy for the girls to walk. It’s kind of unreal that we are riding home with a plaque and state championship medals. It’s a really good feeling. It validates what we do in terms of teaching the girls how to play and expecting them to play at a high level,” said coach Earl Semmelrock.
Dang and senior teammate Kaily Lachapelle, who both received Div. II All-State honors from the Connecticut High School Coaches Association, both agreed that they never thought the Centaurs would get as far as they did, never mind win a state title.
But Semmelrock had other thoughts. “I thought we had a chance if we showed up and played to the best of our ability and, guess what, it happened,” Semmelrock said.
It didn’t hurt that the Centaurs had Dang as the pacesetter.
“It was so helpful,” Lachapelle said. “I know our team could not have done it without her. I’m just so glad that she came to the Academy. She has already left her mark.”
Dang came to the Centaurs from St. Peter-Marian, a Worcester Catholic school that closed its doors.
She had played for that school’s boys’ team as a freshman.
The lesser lengths of playing from the red tees combined with playing against fellow females helped her game this season although it was difficult to judge just how good she was.
“I knew she was a good player, but she hadn’t been able to play against any high-level competition because she was the best player in the Eastern Connecticut Conference and we had two or three of the other four best players. So, she just got to play against them in practice, but in terms of a competitive tournament round, it was the first time I got to witness her playing ability and she really did well,” Semmelrock said.
Dang’s biggest attribute – her unflappability.
There was a girl in the foursome who was having a rough day and Semmelrock told Dang to try and block her opponent’s troubles out.
“She told me, ‘Don’t worry, coach. I do my own thing’ and she did,” Semmelrock said.
Lachapelle finished second for the Centaurs with a 92. “There were a few holes where I blew up and it was difficult recovering from that but I’m happy. I persevered for the team and that’s all that mattered,” Lachapelle said.
Fellow seniors Alex Vaida carded a 96 while Ciara MacKinnon finished with a 101 and Maria Santucci added a 113.
“We had three of the top 15 scorers. There was only one school who two players in the 80’s (Berlin), we had only one but backed that up with more consistent play from everyone else. Ciara did very well, had a couple of holes at the end which pusher her over 100, but she held tough. She told me that she stayed close to her Berlin opponent which is what I asked for. They all drank the Kool-Aid and did what they needed to do,” Semmelrock said.
Dang said, “As a team, it feels amazing and, individually, I worked really hard. The Berlin girl was really good. We battled through the entire 18 holes,” Dang said.
Berlin’s Dunn finished with an 81 to win the event by a stroke over Anna DeSanto of Hall High School. Dang finished with a 90.
“She played 14 holes in 4-over par and the other four she was 14-over on. That’s golf. It was absolutely a good experience for her,” Semmelrock said.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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Police: Woman
arrested after
threatening with bat
PUTNAM — A Putnam woman was arrested May 30, according to Putnam Police, after she allegedly threatened to damage a car with a bat.
Lori Oleszewski, 47, of Putnam was charged with breach of peace and carrying a dangerous weapon.
Police were called to the Quarterback Club on Kennedy Drive after a report of someone outside with a baseball bat. When police got there, the woman was gone.
Police said there was an altercation between the victim and Oleszewski and a drink was thrown on the victim. Police said that Oleszewski then allegedly retrieved a baseball bag from her vehicle and threatened to do damage to the victim’s vehicle. Bystanders retrieved the bag from Oleszewski and she left.
She returned to the scene, police said, and was arrested. No injuries were reported.
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The following charges were listed in the Putnam Police Department logs. The people charged are innocent until proven guilty in court. The Town Crier will publish dispositions of cases at the request of the accused. The dispositions must be accompanied by the proper documentation. The Putnam Police Department confidential Tip Line is 860-963-0000.
May 27
Michael Horton, 43, Grove Street, Putnam; disorderly conduct.
May 30
Lori A. Oleszewski, 47, George Street, Putnam; breach of peace, carrying dangerous weapon.
May 31
Amy Rosario, 44, Park Street, Putnam; disorderly conduct.
Alexander Rajewski, 27, N. Canterbury Road, Canterbury; operating under th4e influence of alcohol and/or drugs, operating a motor vehicle under suspension, failure to have headlights lit.
June 2
Dean Lavoie, 46, Robinwood Drive, Dayville; cell phone violation, operating unregistered motor vehicle, misuse of registration and insufficient insurance.
June 3
Brian M. Adams, 37, School Street, Putnam; operating a motor vehicle without insurance.
Christopher J. Peters, 25, Tilley Street, New London; criminal violation of protective order.
June 4
Raymond Champagne, 28, School Street, Putnam; second-degree threatening, disorderly conduct, two counts of risk of injury.
June 5
Emily Champagne, 40, Perry Street, Putnam; violation of protective order, disorderly conduct.
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