-By Chris Urban
The resilient Rye High School Class of 2024 beat intense heat and side-stepped expected rain last week to receive their hard-earned diplomas and toss their mortarboards to the skies.
Altogether, 220 seniors graduated on Friday, June 21, on a hot and sticky evening at Nugent Field, as clouds gathered but held off. To manage the heat on the field, staff added fans, buckets of ice water, and tents for senior citizens.
The festivities kicked off with a moving rendition of the National Anthem sung by Senior Eva Middleton. Eight seniors — Felicia Ambrogi, James Durran, Sofie Fu, Kiki Keith, Karis Repetto, Spencer Swiader, Sofia Tello, and Meredith Ward — performed a fun and upbeat version of “Sunday Morning” by Maroon 5.
Principal Suzanne Short introduced the class, arrayed before her on folding chairs, and encouraged the seniors to be self-reflective every day and to make themselves proud no matter what they do in the future.
Superintendent of Schools Eric Byrne congratulated the seniors for being the last high school class to go through the pandemic. Noting that the seniors had started their journey on Google Classroom as eighth graders, Byrne encouraged the class to “keep growing, let your arms stretch out fully, and take the sun straight on to change the world.”
The Senior Oration from Tucker Press got off to a rough start, when his microphone failed. But Press persisted — in keeping with the theme of his address. He spoke about the importance of overcoming hardships, saying that the Class of 2024 had come together and worked through challenges to become a collaborative and strong community.
The Salutatory Address by Senior Niklas Hofmann noted the many achievements of the class, including two New York State Championships, won by the football and girls soccer teams, as well as NYS Section Championships won by the girls and boys lacrosse teams. Hofmann praised the valuable education that RHS provides and thanked the administration for their support.
Seniors Sydnee Brown and Erin Ellis, with Ty Bibas on piano, sang “That’s Life,” the song made famous by Frank Sinatra — a performance that was met with loud applause.
In her Valedictory Address, Senior Amelia Brooks said that different groups of Rye students had come to share a strong sense of community. And she praised the community where she has grown up. “Every unimportant day can turn into a special day at Rye,” she said.
Chris Repetto, who is retiring after 12 years on the Board of Education, praised the seniors for being engaged, and emphasized the importance of thanking those who have come before.
The graduates then received their diplomas from Board of Education President Jane Anderson, shook Byrne’s hand, and gave Short a hug.
RHS Class of 2024 Graduates
Jack Acciavatti
Ella V. Adin-Atherton
Philip Harry Alexopoulos
Marco Antonio Altamura
Felicia Mayuki Ambrogi
Thomas James Anderson
Erika Maxine Attar
Sierra Jane Baden
Aurora Baer
Eamon Rainsford Bagley
Henry Flynn Bagley
Derek Jackson Bahl
Garrett William Balls
Ty Finnian Bibas
Trent Charles Bisceglia
Oliver Levi Leonard Bisogni
Jessica Mary Bourne
Sophie Louise Bourne
Jack Robert Brennan
Jillian Paige Brensilver
Thomas James Broderick
Amelia Elle Brooks
Sydnee Dinita-Taylor Brown
Charlene Nha Bui
Lila Whitlock Byrne
Hannah Rose Cali
Jonathan P. Capaldi
Anthony J. Caridi
Magí M. Castelltort Yago
Erick Cedazo
Karenna Coffin Chader
Joseph Jian-Hua Chai
Baobo Chen
Evan Cheng
Giselle Tavi Chorost
Harrison Vincent Conn
Max Patrick Crothall
Matus Cukrovany
Delia Elizabeth Drouin Degnan
Erin C. Delfs
Charlotte J. Derman
Amalya Ella Devitre
Riley Elizabeth Donahue
Seth Dorfman
Sean Robert Draddy
Walid Dudin
James Addison George Durran
Nicolas Pollina Echlov
William Henry Eggers
Erin K. Ellis
James Christian Fazzalari
Giovanna Dipiazza Gonzales
Ferreira
Hannah Fineberg
Mauro Flores
Christian Flosse
Jack Gerald Frenchman
Sofie Shiyun Fu
Delia Elizabeth Fuchs
Guendalina Girotto
Isabel Godden
Jason Joseph Gonzalez
Michael Joseph Gonzalez-Molina
Della Reed Goodman
Taylor Charlotte Gori
Justin Edward Gray
Shepherd Lloyd Griffiths
Guy Emir Guven
Shannon Kathleen Haines
Juliette Elizabeth Hamlen
Jiawen Hao
Gordon Sellers Hargraves III
Jeffrey Patrick Harrigan Jr.
Renord Gerrad Harrison
Hayden Gabriel Harvey
Isabel Victoria Harvey
Nicholas Heldman
Antonio Diego Hendler
Patrick James Hickey
Niklas L. Hofmann
Cameron David Holler
Ava Corinne Marie Hoogstra
Julie Maria Hovers
Shaddi Ibrahim
Logan John Jancski
Sydney Lauren Jones
Milena Jovanovic
Shannon Elizabeth Kaplan
Thalia Karajannis
Sophia Elizabeth Karl
Kathryn A. Keith
James L. Kennedy Jr.
Aine M. Kennelly
Meredith Joan Kenny
Ian George Khemlani
Samantha Nicole Khemlani
Margaret Rose Kirkpatrick
Polina Komarova
Eleanor Marieke Kruijtzer
Jamie Wyatt Lacombe
Holbrook David Langley
Andrew Latara
William Latara
Bryan Edward Francis Laverty
Alexander William Lee
Avery McLean Lehmann
Camila Alessandra Leon Bolivar
Aaron Zachary Leung
Clementine Levitt
James D. Lewis
Katharine M. Licis
Oliver Lincoln
Tayna Anais Lombardo
Isabela Lulaj
Hidaya Naima Machano
Charles Hanley Margiloff
Michael Joseph Maro
Alan Morgan Marusic
Gianna Kate Mazzilli
Patrick McEnroe
Maya McQueeney
Douglas Steven Mejia Rubio
Consiglia Rae Meloni
Eva Oliana Middleton
Avery John Miller
Sarai Aida Molina Mieses
Quinn Patrick Monaghan
Liam Miller Moran
Brandon Alexander Morgan
Ciara Lynn Morrissey
Jack Carl Morrissey
Hana Madison Murati
Gerald Mustafa
Michael Thomas Nolte
Ronan Mangan O’Byrne
Tilman Peter Oberbannscheidt
Lara Maya Oktay
Benjamin Anthony Orser
Takumi Otani
Finn Xavier Palermo
Henry Connor Paul
Matthew Paul Pellegrini
Chase William Pepper
Axel Akira Peters
Lillian Wade Peters
Noah James Poll
Justin Donovan Porter
Benjamin Chase Prata
Tucker G. Press
William R. Puzzuoli
Mathias A. Ramos Espinoza
Dorn Lee Redd III
Grace Elizabeth Regan
Grace Kiely Regan
Trevor Crawford Reno
Karis Evelyn Repetto
Layne Rigano
Aidan George Rinaldi
Emerson Ann Roche
Sofia Ann Rodrigues
Alyssa Ross
Grace B. Ruggiero
Scarlett K. Russo
Sage E. Ruttenberg
Samantha Grace Ryan
Morgan H. Salomon
Samantha Laura Keith Ibarra
Salvador
Jake Daniel Sammon
Christian D. Santos Jr.
Reece Santosusso
Charles Thomas Saurack
Kendall Paige Scansaroli
Gabriella Emilia Scarperi
Karlee Marie Schadt
Dillon A. Schmidt
Emily Schmidt
Sophia Elizabeth Sciulli
Katherine Davenport Seitz
Alexander T. Sheth
Ella Sofia Sheth
Sophia Rose Shoemaker
Harper Finley Smith
Sjef J.M. Smits
Florian K. Soezer
William G. Soviero
Rebecca Anne Speas
William Squarek
Lukas Christian Steinmann
Charles Scotland Stevens
Jesse Philip Stigliano
Marra Sophia Storey
Laura Virginia Svoboda
Spencer G. Swiader
Sofia Tello
Matthew James Templeman
Piper Morgan Tenney
Paulina Tepan
Koen Martijn Abraham Terlouw
Bryan George Thomas
Cole Thomas
Sydney Barbara Tischman
Kieran Charles Traynor
Tyler Davis Triolo
Lucas Isamu Tsuchida
Akachukwu Reward Udeagha
Victoria Paige Vanneck
Ivan Vasyuta
Madelyn Leslee Walsh
Meredith Frances Ward
Angelina Dora Watnick
Haileymarie Edythe Watnick
Owen Edward John Welburn
Gunnar Read Wey
Lillian May Whaling
Ameer J. White
Mali Katrina White
Kyle Woods
Miles Reagan Woolsey
Dan Nonoguchi Yamaguchi
Spencer W. Yeh
Jake M. Zion
