High School Graduation - 1988

Oliver Wolcott graduates 157

Oliver Wolcott Tech Class of 1988 graduation.
Reprinted without permission from the Torrington Register Citizen. By ROBERT F. LA FRANCO

Register Citizen Staff

TORRINGTON - Although only one cap spiraled into the air after all was said and done, the Oliver Wolcott Regional Vocational-Technical School class of 1988 jubilantly ended its high school tenure Saturday with a charged graduation ceremony in the Warner Theater.

During the ceremony marked by praises of parents, teachers and friends and a reflective commencement address by retired Oliver Wolcott teacher Michael Mauriello, the 157 graduates occasionally screamed or stood to celebrate their rite of passage into the post-high school world.

Special thanks were given to the Wamogo High School Band and its conductor Bruce Haynes for providing the music for the celebration less than 24 hours after some of its members marched through their own ceremony. The celebrated band performed a stunning version of Rimsky-Korsakov's Procession

of the Nobles while the graduates marched into the theater, the Star Spangled Banner and performed Mozart's Overture to the Marriage of Figaro in the ceremony's interlude.

Mauriello gave a speech centered around a recent trip he took to the Soviet Union with the wrestling team of Sacred Heart High School. Mauriello received standing ovations before his speech and after, and later greeted the graduates as they received their diplomas.

The speech chronicled the trip, some Soviet history, the contrasts between the Soviet and American people and an examination of the American system. Mauriello made a final plea to the graduates to make demands on their own lives and to work diligently to support the American way of life.

Diplomas were presented by Oliver Wolcott Director Dr. Wil- liam M. Perlotto, Warren J. Foley, a member of the state Board of Education, Dr. Fred Haddad.

137 get diplomas from Wolcott Tech

Reprinted without permission from the Waterbury Republican. By STEPHEN MORDENTI

Republican Correspondent

TORRINGTON - In a fitting invocation Saturday, the Rev. Michael C. DeVito asked that the graduating class of 1988 at Oliver Wolcott Technical School be given "strength and enthusiasm, so that they may rebuild our broken world."

It was a theme that other speakers would echo, as the 137 young men and women received their diplomas at the Warner Theater after completing four years of study in vocational and technical courses at the regional trade school.

Former teacher Orlando "Mike" Mauriello gave the commencement address, and he. too, encouraged the graduates to work for a better world.

"If we need a better system, we must work for it. We should dedicate lirselves to our life's work, and give (little more than a day's work for a day's pay."

Mauriello retired last year after more than 30 years of teaching, and the students asked that he be the main speaker at the ceremony. Oliver Wolcott Assistant Director Daniel Keefe introduced Mauriello by telling him that the students wanted 'to share their graduation with a friend."

And when Keefe thanked him "for coming home for a visit with his family," Mauriello received an ovation equal to the one the students had reserved for themselves, and for the Wamogo Regional High School band, which performed at their request.

Mauriello spoke of a visit to the Soviet Union in March with Water- bury's Sacred Heart High School wrestling team. He told of beingSof- fered black market goods in the more repressive society there.

He then compared that to growing "flrin an immigrant family in New York City during the Depression. In that environment, too, the black market was a temptation for poor families.

But his family had faith that the American system would prevail, and his mother told them: "We do not deal with the black market. So tighten your belts."

Mauriello said the same resolve is now needed if American goods and American workers are again to become recognized as the best in the world.

"Each of us must be the best we can in our work. The quality of goods and services is in our control. Excel- lence can only be obtained if we de- mand excellence in ourselves."

Valedictorian Richard Dewey, Salutatorian Peter Barella and Class President David Cross each made a short speech, thanking family, friends and faculty for their support.

Cross reminded his classmates of an important lesson from the school:

"We learned that mistakes are not failures, but learning experiences. Some of us have had a lot of learning experiences."

Oliver Wolcott Technical School Class of 1988 graduation The graduates of the class of 1988 are:

Automotive - John Rene Anctil, Robert Lowell Armstrong, Richard Frank Bottass, Jr, Theodore Joseph Kennedy, Christopher James Knox, Kyle Matthew Turgeon, Peter Loyd Wilson.

Carpentry - James Besanceney, David Michael Cross, Daniel Joseph Green, Mark Nelson Hilpert, Jonathan Michael Knight, Gregory Scott Lopardo, David Roy Murray, Darryl Sedgewick Nicholson, Jr., Charlene Rae Rogers, Jason Matthew Sayles, Steven Squeo, Ricky Joseph Stevens. Frederick John Wabrek, Robert Christian Warner.

Drafting - Adam Jay Belladella, Anthony Ira Bregonzio, Joseph Bradford Cass IV, Lee Michael Drozdenko, Richard Anthony Grustas, Kelly Lee Harris, James Eric Lawson, Patrick Michael Melaragno, Alisa Ann O'Connell, Andrea Jean Sears, Arthur Stephen Volinski, Donald Joseph Wasilonsky.

Electrical - Kenneth Albert Bradley, Glenn Alien Britiand, Dean Jason Cormier, Norman Henry Douchane, Brian Keith Duffany, Edward Charles Fritz, Matthew John Gnitzcavich, Lane Edward Grogan, Dennis Anthony Marolda. William John Minacci, Shawn Michael Shanahan, Frederick Harold Sidelinger, Timothy Ryan Young.

Electronics - Steven Jeffrey Anderson, Peter Michael Barella, Richard Franklin Dewey, Brian Craig Elliot, Kenneth James Hniedziejko, Wayne Edward Kubeck, Scott Barry Nelson, Craig Perlotto, Dean Michael Sileo, William Laroy Watson, Sean David Wilt.

Environmental Systems - Norman Benjamin Aldrich, Shawn loseph Asselin, Mark Thomas Bakula, Andy Lynn Brammer, Les Bartlett DiPippo, Roddy Alien Geddes. David Alien Godding, Jr., Criag Reginald Lefebvre. Robert Joseph Longhi, Angelo Patrick Lopiano, Michael John Macdonald, John Fredrick M'^arry, Jason Arthur Neri, William Scott E. erett Palmer, Thomas Francis Poole. Jason Roberts, William Clinton Roesing, Michael Andrew Ross, Richard Paul Roy, John Steven Squires, Hunter Davidson Weik.

Graphic Communications - David Kevin Barrante, Eric James Begin, Brian Gilbert Bodnar, Gregory Matthew dark, Kara Beth Graham, Matthew James Jasonis, Amy Elizabeth Lignor, Jana Lee Perry, Dirk Reginald Robertson, Brian Lunn Schlicher, Scott Michael Speaker, Karen Ann-Marie Zamkovsky.

Hairdressing, Cosmetology and Barbering - Leondina Calabrese, Karen Elizabeth Day, Tammy Lynn Day, JoAnn Decker, Michelle Mary Elizabeth LeMere, Teresa Lynn Martin, Dannielle Joan Normandin, Sandra Jean Pregno, Sheila Lynn Ransom, Kris Anne Sobol, Erin Jennifer Strandberg, Maria Tedeschi.

Health Service Occupations - Darryl Jon Bradshaw, Bonnie Ann Burgess, Robert'Paul Christiano, LeAnn Marie Eldridge, Lisa Sue Fulton, Jennifer Ann Hazard, Laurie Martha Jensen, Beth Ann Martinotti, Rachel Mary Nadeau, Krista Mary Noonan, Tina Lynn Peveri, Anita Marie Scarpelli, Lisa Marie Schoonmaker, Beth Marie Simmons, Randy Michael Spiegelhalter, Melissa Beth Storti, Tammy Lee Weeks.

Machine-Tool - Lloyd James Ball, Jr., Richard Butch Dean, Roger Edmund Cisowski, Robert Wolcott Cole, James Charles Daloisio, Edwin James Francis, Tony Keith Giannattasio,Bernard Lee Holmes, Robert Gustav Johnson III, Gregg Eric Lutz, Michelle Melinda McLellan, Alan Frederick Mosher, Troy Thomas Noreikis, Robert James Parsons, Jr., Robert Paul Sackett, Vincent Paul Scherbner, William Christopher Sulkazi, Deak Richard Thoma.

College Graduation

Perette M. Barella

NEW HARTFORD - Perette M. Barella of 100 Winchester Road, graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a bachelor's degree in computer science. Barella studied in RIT's School of Computer Science and Information Technology College of Applied Science and Technology. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clorindo Barella of New Hartford and a 1988 graduate of Oliver Wolcott Technical School.