Senior Edition:

Congratulations

ECHS Class of 2019

E C H O East Catholic High Observer Vol. XLX No. 4

A Farewell from Student

Government….

2 Student Leadership

“As I look back on my four years at East, its not the things

I’ve done that I specifically remember, but the people I’ve

done them with. The best thing East has given me is the

people I’ve met and learned from. As I move to Virginia to

study project management at Liberty University, I’m contin-

uing my education in order to serve others through a career

in nonprofits. I’m excited to see what is in store for the rest

of my life but I’ll never forget my time at East Catholic. The

days go slow but the years go fast. ”

Thank you,

Danielle Burns, Vice President

At the end of my freshman year, I tried to transfer schools.

My first year at East was rocky, I didn’t quite feel like I be-

longed, and I was eager to explore other options. Thankful-

ly, those options didn’t work out, and I came back to East

Catholic my remaining three years.

I’ve been privileged to interact with so many talented peo-

ple here and it has truly grown me as a person. I’ve been

challenged and pushed to my limit, but my teachers, guid-

ance counselor (shout-out to Mrs. Luker!) and amazing

friends have picked me up every time I’m down. Thank you

to all of you and I’m forever grateful for all you’ve done for

me. East is best!

-Paige Plucker, Secretary

Colin Luca

In four years, I have been an athlete, a runner, a volun-

teer, a debater; been sleep deprived and stressed;

been bubbly and cheerful. I have thrown up in the

senior lot and finished essays a period before they

were due, lost two bibles, my skort, and a Spanish

textbook or two. I have been a freshman, tripped over

a freshman, been hit in the face by the backpack of a

freshman; I have looked up to seniors, been friends

with seniors, been a senior. In four years, I have been

many things, but above all, I have been an East Catho-

lic eagle with all of you. For four years, our stories

have been interconnected, and although it is some-

times bittersweet to imagine leaving, I know as I sing

the school song for the last time, looking over at eve-

ryone that I have grown up with, that when two or

three of us shall meet, we'll always gladden to repeat,

our pledge to blue and white.

Good luck next year everyone!!

-Irene Soteriou, Program Director

Over the last four years, I have taken a lot away

from my time at East. Friends and memories that

will last forever, the knowledge I have gained from

my teachers, and the skills and habits that I will

bring to college. While it’s hard to leave, it is truly

“time to test our skill and bid a sad goodbye.” I

thank East Catholic for bringing the people most

important to me into my life. In the fall, I will be

attending Purdue University to study cyber security.

I’m very thankful for the opportunities I have had in

high school and I am extremely excited for what’s

to come in the next chapter of my life.

-Chase Jagel, Treasurer

Student Leadership Cont. 3

Senior Class Officers

Jill Mountford, Senior Class President Alexia Hale, Senior Class Vice President

Bezawit Woldmichael, Senior Class Treasurer

4 Student Leadership Cont.

Memories

and New

Beginnings...

NAME Emilio Acosta

FUTURE PLANS Assumption College

ECHS MEMORY Laughing with friends in classes

NAME Isabel August

FUTURE PLANS Roger Williams – Biochem Major

ECHS MEMORY Art class

NAME Justin Bailey

FUTURE PLANS Quinnipiac

ECHS MEMORY Playing hockey

NAME Olivia Barret

FUTURE PLANS Stonehill

ECHS MEMORY Basketball games

NAME Caitlin Barry

FUTURE PLANS Auburn University –

Hospitality Management/Dance Minor

ECHS MEMORY Laughing with friends in classes

NAME Ryan Bebyn

FUTURE PLANS Bryant University – Finance Major

ECHS MEMORY Fantasy Basketball in study hall Junior

year

NAME Matt Bergquist

FUTURE PLANS Marist

ECHS MEMORY Basketball games vs Windsor

NAME Skylar Blackman

FUTURE PLANS U of North Carolina Greensboro –

English Major/Media Studies

ECHS MEMORY Junior Prom, pep rallies, Mr. Stella’s

classes

NAME Madison Blazejowski

FUTURE PLANS Gap Year

ECHS MEMORY Freshman tennis - tripping over air and

falling

NAME Joe Bouchie

FUTURE PLANS Bryant University – Data Science

ECHS MEMORY JV Cross Country

NAME Alexandra Bradley

FUTURE PLANS UCONN

ECHS MEMORY Operation P-29

NAME Caitlyn Brady

FUTURE PLANS Florida Atlantic University

ECHS MEMORY Going to football and basketball games as

a student and a cheerleader

NAME Kaitlin Brosnan

FUTURE PLANS Sacred Heart University – Elementary Ed

major

ECHS MEMORY Stage East – broken pipes and a day off

NAME Molly Brown

FUTURE PLANS Falling out of a 30’ tree Freshman year

ECHS MEMORY UCONN – AFROTC

NAME Danielle Burns

FUTURE PLANS Liberty College – Project Management

major

ECHS MEMORY Going to Mohegan Freshman and Senior

year

NAME Matt Byam

FUTURE PLANS Marist College

ECHS MEMORY Winning the Basketball State

Championship

NAME Vinnie Caccavale

FUTURE PLANS Playing baseball at Western New England

ECHS MEMORY Basketball Games

NAME Gabrielle Carroll

FUTURE PLANS Central Connecticut – Social Work

ECHS MEMORY Attending all the boys basketball games

NAME Cathy Chen

FUTURE PLANS Art Center College of Design

ECHS MEMORY Playing tennis and having Mrs. Landry as

my art teacher for two years

NAME Steve Chen

FUTURE PLANS Boston University

ECHS MEMORY Playing football

NAME Johnny Chu

FUTURE PLANS Syracuse University

ECHS MEMORY SAT

NAME Elijah Chiuchiolo-Cruz

FUTURE PLANS UCON

ECHS MEMORY Winning the basketball championships at

Mohegan Freshman and Senior years

NAME Julin Cui

FUTURE PLANS College

ECHS MEMORY International Lunch/Cultue Language Club

cooking together and sharing

NAME Erin Cullinane

FUTURE PLANS Curry College – Biology major and softball

ECHS MEMORY Dr. Hwang’s Freshman class and Senior

year track

NAME Zach Daigle

FUTURE PLANS SUNY Oswego – Accounting major

ECHS MEMORY Mrs. Coan’s Sophmore class; Urbj’s and

Mrs. Ward’s Senior classes

NAME Ngan Dang

FUTURE PLANS College in California – Chemistry majjor

ECHS MEMORY Latin class and time spent with friends

NAME Kyle Darby

FUTURE PLANS Westfield State University – playing

baseball

ECHS MEMORY Playing baseball with my friends

Senior Reflection and Plans 5

NAME Jessica Datta

FUTURE PLANS RPI – Biochemical Engineering

ECHS MEMORY Hearing that Jazz Band won first place at

Berklee

NAME Berk Dayanir

FUTURE PLANS New York University

ECHS MEMORY Pep rallies

NAME Bailey DiBella

FUTURE PLANS University of Maryland

ECHS MEMORY Playing volleyball with Liz Machon

NAME Nicole DiBenedetto

FUTURE PLANS Suffolk University – Psychology major/Track and

Field team

ECHS MEMORY Taking photos for the yearbook every year and

dress down days

NAME Michelle Dinh

FUTURE PLANS University of Saint Joseph - Nursing

ECHS MEMORY Painting the mural

NAME Alison DiPrato

FUTURE PLANS Lebanon Valley College – Business major/NCAA

hockey

ECHS MEMORY Back to back hockey Conference Championships

Freshman and Sophomore years

NAME Phoebe Do

FUTURE PLANS College

ECHS MEMORY Art class field trip

NAME Ethan Duong

FUTURE PLANS

ECHS MEMORY Last football home game

NAME Joshua Duvall

FUTURE PLANS UCONN

ECHS MEMORY PSpice’s 30th birthday party in Mrs. Kirsche’s

room

NAME Harrison Eklund

FUTURE PLANS Washington and Jefferson College/football

ECHS MEMORY Football practice in a blizzard Sophomore year

NAME Brandon Ello

FUTURE PLANS UCONN – Aerospace Engineering

ECHS MEMORY Hockey game at the Dunkin Donuts Center

NAME Meghan Faulkner

FUTURE PLANS Providence College

ECHS MEMORY Playing on the volleyball team with my friends

NAME Olivia Fiori

FUTURE PLANS Central Connecticut University – Nursing/Soccer

ECHS MEMORY Junior year pep rally and winning Freshman and

Senior year basketball State Championships

NAME Emily Fritsch

FUTURE PLANS University of South Carolina – Biomedical

Engineering

ECHS MEMORY Talking about aliens in Mr. Menner’s Journalism

class

NAME Audrey Gervais

FUTURE PLANS Emmanuel College – Health Science major on

pre-med track

ECHS MEMORY Meeting friends that will last a lifetime and

every senior day

NAME Kamron Ghoreshi

FUTURE PLANS CCSU - Nursing

ECHS MEMORY Senora Reilly’s class

NAME Jack Golino

FUTURE PLANS UCONN

ECHS MEMORY Football practice Sophomore year

NAME Qingqing “Angel” Gong

FUTURE PLANS UCSD – Cellular & Molecular Biology major/

Studio Art

ECHS MEMORY All the art shows and all the time spent with my

friends

NAME Austin Graves

FUTURE PLANS

ECHS MEMORY Sophomore year football practice in a blizzard

on the baseball field

NAME Mimi Griffin

FUTURE PLANS UCONN – Chemical Engineering

ECHS MEMORY Freshman and Senior year State Championship

basketball games

NAME River Guzzi

FUTURE PLANS UCONN – Psychology major

ECHS MEMORY Throwing a birthday party for P-Spic in Ms.

Kirsche’s room

N

AME Kayley Hallisey

FUTURE PLANS Sacred Heart University - Nursing

ECHS MEMORY Meeting new people

NAME Deana Handfield

FUTURE PLANS Florida Southern College – Criminology major

ECHS MEMORY Being in Our Town and Mary Poppins

NAME Colin Hastings

FUTURE PLANS University of Hartford - Finance

ECHS MEMORY My classes with Mrs. Ward, always fun and in

formative

NAME Connor Hartnett

FUTURE PLANS University of Southern Maine

ECHS MEMORY Winning Conference championships for lacrosse

last year

NAME Alexia Hale

FUTURE PLANS Saint Joseph University – Criminal Justice major

ECHS MEMORY

NAME Christina Helin

FUTURE PLANS UCONN

ECHS MEMORY Meeting new people

NAME Kylie Heneghan

FUTURE PLANS Seton Hall University - Nursing

ECHS MEMORY Basketball

6 Senior Reflection and Plans Cont.

NAME Zach Henkin

FUTURE PLANS Gap Year to play hockey

ECHS MEMORY Playing hockey with all the upper classmen

Freshman year

NAME Mahi Hosein

FUTURE PLANS UCONN

ECHS MEMORY Mohegan Sun 2019

NAME Matt Hohenthal

FUTURE PLANS University of Hartford

ECHS MEMORY Playing Freshman basketball

NAME Jaylin Hunter

FUTURE PLANS Old Dominion University

ECHS MEMORY Winning the State Championship

NAME Sarah Ibrahim

FUTURE PLANS UCONN Honors Program – Allied Health major

ECHS MEMORY Homecoming Junior year

NAME Chase Jagel

FUTURE PLANS Purdue University – Cyber Security

ECHS MEMORY All the Spirit Weeks and Junior year pep rally

NAME Sumin Jeong

FUTURE PLANS California - Chemistry

ECHS MEMORY Painting the wall in the kitchen of the café

NAME Machaerus Johnson

FUTURE PLANS Quinnipiac University

ECHS MEMORY Mystic Seaport field trip in Mrs. Lewis’s class

Junior year

NAME Anya Kriak

FUTURE PLANS Central Connecticut University – Vocal

Performance

ECHS MEMORY Senior religion class with URBJ

NAME Carol Li

FUTURE PLANS Stony Brook University

ECHS MEMORY Every concert I attended

NAME Delia Liu

FUTURE PLANS Going back to city life and further developing my

own identity

ECHS MEMORY Robotics/everyday life

NAME Colin Luca

FUTURE PLANS Providence College – Biology major/Spanish

minor

ECHS MEMORY Placing second in the state tournament

NAME David Lundy

FUTURE PLANS University of Vermont

ECHS MEMORY Playing hockey senior year

NAME Jack MacDonald

FUTURE PLANS Hartt School of Music – Trumpet performance/

Music Education

ECHS MEMORY Winning the 50th annual Berklee High School

Jazz Festival for the first time in the school’s

History

NAME Liz Machon

FUTURE PLANS Temple University – Neuroscience major

ECHS MEMORY Playing volleyball!

NAME Alex Malefant

FUTURE PLANS CCSU

ECHS MEMORY Dancing

NAME Sophia Malefant

FUTURE PLANS Trinity College – Political Science major

ECHS MEMORY This year’s basketball final at Mohegan

NAME Clara Marler

FUTURE PLANS University of Saint Joseph – Biology and Art

ECHS MEMORY Study halls with my best friends Freshman year

NAME Jacob Marselli

FUTURE PLANS American International College/wrestling

ECHS MEMORY Winning States, Senior Skip Day

NAME Amelia Martin

FUTURE PLANS UCONN

ECHS MEMORY Being on the swim team

NAME Hannah Mascaro

FUTURE PLANS Central Connecticut University – Accounting

major

ECHS MEMORY

NAME Nick Massaro

FUTURE PLANS Skidmore College – Biology major

ECHS MEMORY Junior Prom

NAME James McDowell

FUTURE PLANS Sacred Heart University

ECHS MEMORY Playing sports

NAME Amy Milewski

FUTURE PLANS Vanderbuilt University – Cognitive Studies/

Neuroscience major

ECHS MEMORY Winning Berklee Jazz Festival

NAME Madison Moran

FUTURE PLANS UCONN

ECHS MEMORY Spring events

NAME Julia Morin

FUTURE PLANS UCONN – Environmental Science major

ECHS MEMORY Trivia Night

NAME Alivia Mountford

FUTURE PLANS High Point University - Design

ECHS MEMORY Going to the 2018 Class S Girls Lacrosse State

Championship

NAME Jillian Mountford

FUTURE PLANS Syracuse University – Management and Sports

Analytics

ECHS MEMORY Going to Class S Lacrosse State Championship

NAME Anthony Mozzicato

FUTURE PLANS CCSU - Baseball

ECHS MEMORY Freshman year baseball

NAME Laura Mund

FUTURE PLANS Wheaton College, IL – Psychology major with a

focus on neuroscience

ECHS MEMORY Betting beta fish from Ms. Milas’ AP Bio class

NAME Cattie Murphy

FUTURE PLANS Having Mrs. Kirsche, Mrs. Coan, and Mrs. Landry

as teachers

ECHS MEMORY Lasell College

NAME Tamisha Myers

FUTURE PLANS Franklin Pierce - Basketball

ECHS MEMORY The basketball season, the bus rides, and the

pasta parties

NAME Sam Nadeau

FUTURE PLANS Biology major with a pre-med track

ECHS MEMORY Girls lax beating Canton in overtime in the state

tournament

Senior Reflection and Plans Cont. 7

NAME Kate O’Brien

FUTURE PLANS UCONN - Nutrition

ECHS MEMORY Freshman basketball

NAME Heath Olivieri

FUTURE PLANS Coastal Carolina

ECHS MEMORY Beating Joey Reilly and Jaylen Hunter at one on

one basketball

NAME Jillian Parent

FUTURE PLANS Basketball team winning the championship

ECHS MEMORY University of New Hampshire

NAME Seon Min Park

FUTURE PLANS Traveling around the world

ECHS MEMORY Meeting my friends at East

NAME Tess Penders

FUTURE PLANS UCONN

ECHS MEMORY Winning Freshman and Senior year basketball

championships

NAME Sarah Phelan

FUTURE PLANS Roger Williams University

ECHS MEMORY Soccer season

NAME Jillian Pignatiello

FUTURE PLANS Liberty University – Social Media Management

major

ECHS MEMORY Winning Freshman and Senior year basketball

championships

NAME Paige Plucker

FUTURE PLANS Georgetown University – Political Science

ECHS MEMORY Mr. Menner’s class

NAME Kaycee Rabara

FUTURE PLANS UCONN Biology major on a pre-med track

ECHS MEMORY Spirit weeks and basketball games

NAME Chris Ragazzi

FUTURE PLANS Central Connecticut University

ECHS MEMORY Meeting lots of friends

NAME Joey Reilly

FUTURE PLANS Post-Graduate at Phillips Exeter Academy

ECHS MEMORY 2019 Division/State Champs

NAME Alex Russell

FUTURE PLANS UCONN - Nursing

ECHS MEMORY Senior soccer season

NAME Lily Ryan

FUTURE PLANS University of Vermont - Nursing

ECHS MEMORY Winning the semifinal lacrosse game Junior year

in double OT

NAME Brayden Santy

FUTURE PLANS Air Force

ECHS MEMORY Breaking the school bench press record

NAME Carolyn Schwendy

FUTURE PLANS University of Minnesota

ECHS MEMORY

NAME Ayla Skily

FUTURE PLANS Quinnipiac University – 7 year PT program

ECHS MEMORY Mrs. Gryzbowski’s history class Junior year

NAME Irene Soteriou

FUTURE PLANS UCONN – Honors Program

ECHS MEMORY Meme Day Junior year

NAME Tim Splain

FUTURE PLANS Winning Berklee High School Jazz Festival

ECHS MEMORY CCSU

NAME Maddie Sullivan

FUTURE PLANS James Madison University – Communication

Disorders

ECHS MEMORY Going to Mohegan Sun Freshman and Senior

years for basketball

NAME Tim Sullivan

FUTURE PLANS Central Connecticut State University

ECHS MEMORY Mrs. Coan’s Chemistry class Sophomore year

NAME Darby Sweeney

FUTURE PLANS Quinnipiac University – Neuroscience Major on a

pre-med track

ECHS MEMORY Sporting events with my friends

NAME Taylor Talavera

FUTURE PLANS University of Saint Joseph - Nursing

ECHS MEMORY Going on the boat cruise with my friends

NAME Jake Tellers

FUTURE PLANS Quinnipiac University

ECHS MEMORY Mr. Rivera’s Freshman Spanish class

NAME Melina Toolan

FUTURE PLANS Western New England University – Biology major

ECHS MEMORY My first day here at East and adjusting to a new

school

NAME Alanna Torres

FUTURE PLANS UCONN – Psychology major/Criminal Justice

minor

ECHS MEMORY Hearing the man from Ghana speak at the

assembly

NAME Ross Towill

FUTURE PLANS Quinnipiac University

ECHS MEMORY Long Island baseball trip

NAME Brendan Truman

FUTURE PLANS Roger Williams University - Track

ECHS MEMORY Playing Freshman soccer with my friends

NAME Mary Upenieks

FUTURE PLANS University of Saint Joseph – Biology major/

Medical Research

ECHS MEMORY Bible Survey class with Mrs. Casey

NAME Rebecca Villanueva

FUTURE PLANS UCONN School of Engineering – Honors Program

ECHS MEMORY Mrs. Kirsche letting our AP English class throw

PSpice a surprise party

NAME Alex Vitarelli

FUTURE PLANS Seton Hall University – 6 year Physician Assistant

Program

ECHS MEMORY Ski Club

8 Senior Reflection and Plans Cont.

NAME Keila Vo

FUTURE PLANS UCONN – Business Management major

ECHS MEMORY Being part of the Christmas and Spring Concerts

NAME Sam Walch

FUTURE PLANS Kenyon College - Basketball

ECHS MEMORY Winning a second state championship Senior

year

NAME Eudora Wang

FUTURE PLANS George Washington University – Elliott School of

International Affairs

ECHS MEMORY Making new friends

NAME Tony Wang

FUTURE PLANS Ohio State University

ECHS MEMORY Every art show when people present their work

NAME Lexi Weir

FUTURE PLANS University of Saint Joseph – Nursing/Swim Team

ECHS MEMORY ECHS girls swim team and all our experiences

NAME Macy Wilcox

FUTURE PLANS Merrimack College – Education major

ECHS MEMORY Lacrosse and Field Hockey

NAME Reina Willhide

FUTURE PLANS MCC for two years and then California

ECHS MEMORY Freshman year gym class

NAME E. J. Wilson

FUTURE PLANS The Citadel – Track and Field

ECHS MEMORY The basketball team winning the championship

game Senior year

NAME Kelly Wilson

FUTURE PLANS Providence College

ECHS MEMORY Going to France with my class

NAME Katie Yerke

FUTURE PLANS Syracuse University – Marketing Management

major/ Syracuse Cheerleading

ECHS MEMORY Junior year field trip with Mrs. Lewis

NAME Natalia Yip

FUTURE PLANS Saint Joseph’s University

ECHS MEMORY Freshman Basketball

NAME Victoria Zacharski

FUTURE PLANS NYU Tish School of the Arts – Musical Theater

major

ECHS MEMORY The Music Man and Mary Poppins

NAME Leo Zhu

FUTURE PLANS Rose Hulman Institute of Technology

ECHS MEMORY Being part of the Cross Country Team

NAME Ryan Zurcher

FUTURE PLANS University of Tennessee

ECHS MEMORY Basketball Games

Senior Reflection and Plans Cont. 9