Eyeing Bright Futures, 360 Graduate Cross

Aspiring electrician Nakarie Wills, pediatric nurse to-be Nathalie Hiraldo, and future music producer CheMi ​“CJ” McGee all walked across the Wilbur Cross graduation stage — taking big steps closer to their post-high school dreams. 

Those Cross seniors were three of 360 students to graduate from the city’s largest high school Thursday during a ceremony held at Cross’ athletic fields at 181 Mitchell Dr.

Wilbur Cross Principal Matt Brown, who also finished his first full year at the helm of the comprehensive high school, celebrated his students that made it through Covid, unstable school leadership, and typical and not so typical high school and life circumstances. 

A crowd of hundreds of family members filled in the fields’ bleachers, cheering on speakers and graduates throughout the two-hour ceremony. While listening to the ceremony’s lineup of speakers, the graduates occasionally turned around to give their parents a wave or thumbs up. Others played a few games of rock, paper, scissors or took selfies with flower- and flag-decorated graduation caps. 

Thursday’s keynote speaker was Karen DuBois-Walton, the executive director of the city’s public housing authority. She agreed that the students’ high school journeys were unlike any other, and commended the grads’ adaptability. ​“Be present. Be authentic. Be intentional,” she said. ​“Take up space, Class of 2024.”

Superintendent Madeline Negrón reminded the class that ​“you earned it. Nobody else on this field earned it for you.” 

Thursday’s stage was the second one senior Dakota Brewer walked this week. In addition to Cross’ Thursday, she also joined her Riverside class’ graduation on Tuesday at the Betsy Ross School Parish Hall in the Hill.

Brewer attended Cross for her first three years of high school and then transferred to Riverside for her senior year. She recalled the challenges of high school over the years but was able to celebrate each of them after crossing Thursday’s graduation stage a second and final time. ​“It took a lot to get here,” she said. Throughout the past four years Brewer worked to improve her attitude that caused her to often get into trouble. She learned to ignore people looking to cause problems and ​“not let things get to me,” she said, thanks to her mother’s motivation and support.

Nakarie Wills recalled his freshman year being ​“scary” and ​“awkward” because of remote learning during the first year of the Covid pandemic. His sophomore year was awkward as well, he said, because of the students’ requirement to wear masks in school. Once getting past that, Wills said he began to open up as other students also adjusted back to being in school in person. It also became easier for him to make friends. ​“It was like being under lockdown because I’d never been out of school for that long,” he said.

His next steps are trade school to become an electrician, he said.

CheMi ​“CJ” McGee described feeling excited after crossing Thursday’s stage as he faced the most challenges his senior year. One of those was that Cross was his third high school he transferred to this school year alone. He arrived at Cross in March and has spent the past few months getting back on track to graduate. 

“It’s done, and I’m ready for a new era of my life,” he said. 

McGee attended Highville Charter School for elementary, middle, and high school up until his senior year. He then transferred to East Haven High where he spent the winter months. His final landing was Cross. He said he transferred schools until he found the right fit and was able to transfer all of his credits. ​“I wanted to try something else, I was done with it,” he said. 

The next obstacle he faced was overcoming ​“senioritis” for the remainder of the year. He had lost motivation to attend classes but pushed through. ​“Senioritis tore me up but I got through, no matter what,” he recalled. 

Going forward, McGee plans to take the fall semester of college off then search for a school in the spring that will help him to work towards his dream of being a music producer and making beats. ​“I just love music. I found myself always listening to music so I wanted to do it myself. I like to put myself to a challenge and try new things just because I can,” he said. 

His parting advice to high schoolers was to ​“not slack and make sure you have a plan for the future.”

Nathalie Hiraldo left Thursday’s stage looking forward to starting a new chapter of her life as well. She said she’s excited to learn more about what she wants to do in life and to meet new people. She hopes to one day be a pediatric nurse. 

While recalling the past four years at Cross, Hiraldo said her freshman year was tough because of the distance remote learning brought to her and her peers. However, when students returned in-person her sophomore year she said she finally was able to ​“grow a family” at school. That was mostly possible due to her taking a chance on unexpectedly joining Cross’s soccer team. For three years Hiraldo played as the team’s goalkeeper, then this year decided to learn how to be a striker. Being on the team helped Hiraldo learn how to better communicate, work with others, and appreciate both losing and winning. 

Hiraldo and her family celebrated her ability to handle her heavy course load while also being a student athlete. Over the past four years Hiraldo was able to get 10 college credits through dual enrollment opportunities offered at Cross. She advised high schoolers that ​“if you need the help, search for the opportunities.”

Thursday’s salutatorian Ke Ren Tan and valedictorian Sophia Zhang gave thanks to the school staff that often go under-appreciated, like security guards, cafeteria workers, coaches, and guidance counselors, describing them all as mentors. Zhang added that Cross ​“taught us that ​‘we can.’ ” 

“We began high school isolated, staring at little profile pictures online,” Zhang said. ​“Now we’re showing all our faces together. Despite our distance, we faced it together.”