Seniors, Superintendent and principal all say farewell to GHS: Commencement exercises for the class of 2026
- Peter Marteka
- Jun 27
- 5 min read
By Peter Marteka
Editor
For graduating Glastonbury High School senior Izzy Zimmermann, the lives of graduates come down to three simple processes: love, loss and life.
“Love is what drives us to do what we cherish most,” she said. “It is one of the core reasons why we sit on this field, adorning these well-deserved caps and gowns at this very moment in time. Love is discovered in our families, whether platonic, blood, or found. Love is around us, and it is most importantly what makes us who we are.”
Nearly 430 seniors became graduates during commencement exercises June 11 on the Baldwin Field behind the school. School officials, board of education members, faculty and graduates marched from the high school with water bottles and smart phones in hand and across new fields under construction kicking up dust as they navigated through an unseasonably hot evening.
Sochima Anaedo, class council president and Maansi Kedlaya, student council president, welcomed graduates, family and friends.
“While tonight is both a finish line and a starting point for our different unknown paths, there is something that will always tie us together. An invisible string connects us, stretching far beyond a zip code and deep into the memories we’ve built over the years watching each other bloom into who we are today,” Kedlaya said.
“But as we take our first steps into this new independence,” added Anaedo, “don’t forget the people who tied those first knots, our teachers, our parents, and the community we have here today. While from here each and every one of us will gain more connections, more invisible strings, to other people and places, don’t let them pull you away from this one. Let this string guide you into these new chapters of your lives.”
Board of education chairman Douglas C. Foyle honored retiring Superintendent Alan B. Bookman – by the numbers. For the past 42 years, Bookman never missed a graduation, has spent 55 years in education – 22 of them as superintendent and 19 as principal at GHS - oversaw 42 first days of school and has seen more than 18,000 students graduate.
“And thousands upon thousands of students, including our graduates sitting before us tonight, whose lives were shaped, directly or indirectly, by his leadership,” Foyle said. “Dr. Bookman's compass never changed. He always asked himself: What is best for students?
“Dr. Bookman’s decisions came from a place of genuine care for children and for public education,” he added. “Dr. Bookman has fostered a culture that expects excellence. A culture that values opportunity. A culture that believes every student matters. And graduates, you are part of that legacy.”
Foyle said over the years, Bookman has often spoken about how meaningful it is when former students approach him years later and tell him they still remember him as their principal.
“I think that says something important. People rarely remember every decision a leader makes. But they do remember how that leader made them feel. They remember whether they felt seen, valued, and supported,” he said.
Bookman himself recognized the GHS Parent Organization led by co-presidents Krista Aiello and Kristin Landry for their efforts like SafeGrad, teacher appreciation days, a freshman trip to Six Flags and sophomore trip to Block Island, as well as many fundraisers.
“Thank you to all the parents who are part of this organization and give of their time to make every year special,” Bookman said.
Bookman also recognized Bean as a leader “whose impact on Glastonbury High School will be felt for generations to come.”
“Many of you have witnessed Principal Bean’s undeniable joy. You’ve heard her signature laugh and experienced her enthusiasm. She is a leader who can light up a room with a smile and make people laugh when they need it most,” he said.
Bookman noted that over the years, he and Dr. Bean “spent countless hours working through issues together.”
“And what I have always admired most is that behind every decision, she saw people —students who needed direction, families who needed understanding, and staff members who needed encouragement. She approached each situation with care and compassion and was there to help others carry burdens and weather storms. Those moments rarely make headlines, but they define leadership,” he said.
The class gift was two donations - one to A Better Chance House, more commonly known as the ABC House and a second to the Glastonbury Friends for World Language to provide student scholarships for travel offered through the world language programs.
The class scholar awards went to Sochima Anaedo, Emilia Cernatescu, Jacoby Crawford, Samuel Hageman, Neha Jayachandran, Iyeon Kim, Derick Li and Afraz Sohail. The musical selection was “Take Your Life And Live It” with original music and lyrics by Hailey Evans, who received a standing ovation after she finished. “The Dog Days are Over” was performed by Elysia Dy, Hageman, Jayachandran, Alexis Marques and Zidane Syed.
Foyle said his great grandmother was born in the era of the horse and buggy and died in the era of space travel. He noted graduates were born after the invention of the iPhone, came of age during the rise of social media, and are moving into adulthood as AI expands.
“You are likely going to have changes in your life soon. Whether that is entering the workforce, pursuing more education or training, or joining the military, things will be different,” he said. “I will offer two things to keep in mind: First, as Roman philosopher Epictetus remarked: ‘It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.’ Change will happen. What will you make of it? Second, even as things change, you will have continuity in the supportive family members in your life, the friends that you have made and will make, and the knowledge you have gained and will gain.”
Zimmermann implore graduates “to reminisce on the love you experienced here.”
“Acknowledge the losses you’ve experienced and take from them something you can grow from. And finally, make this moment in life a memorable one by surveying the people around you. No matter how many beautiful moments, past quarrels, or subtle glances you may have had with the people next to you, take a moment today to take photos, say goodbye, congratulate them, hug them, apologize to them, ask them something, or even just say hello, because afterwards, we will all be graduating, loving, losing, living, and saying goodbye.” GL
