Amid Great Loss, Jaysen Still Graduated

After losing his father Louis Ortiz and four other family members in a matter of months during his time in high school, Metropolitan Business Academy senior Jaysen Anthony Threet didn’t think he’d cross the graduation stage.

But, last Thursday, he beat the odds. 

Each step across the stage marked his determination. He didn’t go without shedding a couple tears, before embracing former Metro Principal Sequella Coleman and remembering the support he received from faculty and the weight of his achievement.

Threet shared that moment along with 89 other graduates from Metropolitan Business Academy at graduation last Thursday. The ceremony was held in Fair Haven School’s auditorium on Grand Avenue. 

Threet relished the moment outside of Fair Haven School after Thursday’s graduation ceremony had ended. 

“I feel good, I don’t even know if words can explain,” he said.

Threet’s joy came after a wave of sorrow during his time at Metro. He said he lost his father, his cousin Jovani Ortiz, his aunts Mara Gomes and Thia Carmen, and his grandmother, whom he affectionately called Lela, all in a matter of months.

Despite the difficulties and stressors in his personal life, Threet still made a point to attend school, not letting his circumstances affect his attendance. School became a grounding place for him, giving him ways to emotionally decompress.

“My favorite part about high school is being able to go to school and be happy. Even though I got stuff going on, I was able to go next to my friends and stuff and keep a smile on my face,” he said.

His motivation throughout it all was his unwavering perseverance and support from faculty members like school counselor Heidi Pitkin.

“Before I transferred into the school I talked to her over the phone [and] had like an hour [-long] conversation just about my life,” he said. ​“That definitely locked us in.”

It’s this same mentality that he suggests to other students, emphasizing the importance of earning a high school diploma.

“Life do get real, so you just gotta finish school, do what you could to make sure you’re great and you good.”

Threet wasn’t the only Metro student celebrating the accomplishment of graduation after Thursday’s ceremony.

Taking pictures together were John Carlos Bustillo and Nada Zaimsassi.

A Branford native, Bustillo said he struggled at first to fit in at Metro, but was ultimately was able to find his way and made many connections, including with his best friend Zaimsassi. 

“I came here just to experience a new culture, a new kind of people, and I think that Metro really exhibits that beauty of New Haven,” he said. ​“Different types of people come to Metro to learn, to grow, [and] to prosper and I think that’s what Metro has been for me.”

During his time at Metro, Bustillo earned honors, a Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish, and completed an internship with an East Haven attorney. These accomplishments were all represented by the many chords around his neck, not to mention the medals he got. 

Bustillo is now heading off to Hamilton College in upstate New York to study government and art history. 

“I don’t know what I’ll do without him,” said Zaimsassi, who still has a year to go before graduating.

“Don’t say that!” he responded.

Math teacher Bobbie Davis couldn’t find a better word to describe the moment than ​“amazing” seeing her previous students all grown up, flaunting their gowns and cords. 

Davis’ introduction to Desiree Celise Rivera and her classmates was at Clinton Avenue School where she taught seventh and eighth grade math for five years. Now, Davis teaches math at Amity Middle School and has made it her mission to see her past students walk across the stage.

“This is my second graduation today,” she said. ​“I have two more to go to tomorrow. They’re spread out all over New Haven and I’m going to all of them and loving every minute of it.”

Davis still recalls Rivera’s energy and commitment to her class.

“Desiree: I love her to death. She was one student, she struggled so much in math and she never gave up. She was absolutely amazing and she still calls me all the time and texts me,” she said.

Rivera carried on that perseverance throughout high school, earning honors and a Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish.

“I was waiting to graduate but now that I graduated … I’m gonna miss it [Metro] for sure and my friends and stuff,” Rivera said, ​“but I’m happy that I graduated and I could just move forward and actually chase my dreams.”

Rivera also gave a shout out to Senior Class Advisor Stephen Staysniak and school counselor Heidi Pitkin as being key supporters throughout her educational journey.

“The number one teacher I’ll go to was Stays. He was definitely my first teacher since being on Zoom,” she said. 

Rivera plans to enroll at Gateway Community College to become an ultrasound technician before transferring to Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) to achieve her dream occupation of becoming a NICU nurse. 

Out on the lawn of Fair Haven Middle, Metro graduate Anesha T. Miller was the center of attention. Surrounded by family and friends, Miller took pictures with people individually before gathering for a group photo.

Miller will be going to study radiology in Florida, as she wants to ​“try something new” and be in the medical field. 

Like other students, Miller admitted that she struggled with remote learning and not being able to get necessary help from teachers, but was able to rebound after coming in person. 

“It was a struggle at first, but I got through it,” she said. ​“It was fun because of the people I met. And, you know, I fell out with people, but that don’t matter. I still graduated!”

Miller had a word of advice for seniors and underclassmen.

“Take junior year seriously because some of us didn’t take it as serious until we realized what it was until senior year. Do what you have to do your junior year and don’t skip classes. Just keep going.”