The valedictorian was Dylan O'Donnell; the salutatorian was his twin brother, Jesse O'Donnell.
GRANBY – Ninety-six students graduated from Granby Junior-Senior High School on Saturday morning in commencement ceremonies that took place in the school gymnasium.
“They are a wonderful class,” said Granby High School Principal Peter Dufresne. “They just embody our school motto, which is ‘Hard work conquers all,’” he said. “This is the hardest-working group of young men and women I have ever met.”
The keynote speaker at the event was chosen by the students. She is Granby High School Spanish teacher Cindy Kwajewski.
Dufresne said Kwajewski also “runs our largest and most active club at the school. It’s called HOPE – Helping Other People Everywhere. They just do good works.”
Valedictorian was Dylan O’Donnell. Salutatorian was his twin brother, Jesse O’Donnell. Both young men will be going to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst next year.
Ninety-four percent of the Granby’s class of 2011 will be going to college.
“I hope they all come back to Granby to stay,” said Dufresne. “They are all great kids.”
Granby Schools Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez handed out the Superintendent’s Award at the ceremony. Rodriguez had not been able to appear when other awards were given to students the previous Thursday night.
Rodriguez lives in Springfield, where her home was damaged by the tornado. In fact, since taking office in February, Rodriguez has endured a series of weather disasters, including one of the worst winters in memory, which caused damage to her schools.