By Lindsay Carey Staff Writer For the second year in a row, school officials held a military luncheon to honor thae graduates from the Class of 2014 who are joining the service after graduation. The 12 graduates recognized at Wednesday’s luncheon were Daniel Brown, Myles Colon, Melissa Dube, Michael Hoffman, Visoud Kong, Jeffrey Kroeber, Emilie Labouliere, Anthony Mamula, Zachary Maxwell, Dylan Roach, Kyle Summa, and Matthew Voelker. Interim superintendent Karen Smith, who led much of the ceremony, proudly recognized students she has seen grow up in the Southington school system. Smith said it was an emotional afternoon for her, because she knew six of the graduates from elementary school. She even had Maxwell as a student in her kindergarten class. Smith presented the graduates with certificates and special military chords to wear at graduation. She, along with the town’s Veterans Partnership, presented the graduates with military caps, military challenge coins, and blue star banners. The blue star banners provided by the Veterans’ Partnership will set the graduates up with laptops once they get out of basic training so that they can communicate with their families. Town Manager and veteran Garry Brumback also emphasized the importance for graduates to maintain communication [...]
By Lindsay Carey Staff Writer For the second year in a row, school officials held a military luncheon to honor thae graduates from the Class of 2014 who are joining the service after graduation. The 12 graduates recognized at Wednesday’s luncheon were Daniel Brown, Myles Colon, Melissa Dube, Michael Hoffman, Visoud Kong, Jeffrey Kroeber, Emilie Labouliere, Anthony Mamula, Zachary Maxwell, Dylan Roach, Kyle Summa, and Matthew Voelker. Interim superintendent Karen Smith, who led much of the ceremony, proudly recognized students she has seen grow up in the Southington school system. Smith said it was an emotional afternoon for her, because she knew six of the graduates from elementary school. She even had Maxwell as a student in her kindergarten class. Smith presented the graduates with certificates and special military chords to wear at graduation. She, along with the town’s Veterans Partnership, presented the graduates with military caps, military challenge coins, and blue star banners. The blue star banners provided by the Veterans’ Partnership will set the graduates up with laptops once they get out of basic training so that they can communicate with their families. Town Manager and veteran Garry Brumback also emphasized the importance for graduates to maintain communication [...]