It was an emotional graduation ceremony for high school seniors in Newtown, Ct., who observed a moment of silence for their 20 classmates who were shot to death at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Principal Kimberly Longobucco read the names of the first graders who were killed on Dec. 14, 2012, along with six educators, as the class of 2024 and their families looked on Wednesday, Hearst Connecticut Media reported.
“We remember them for their bravery, their kindness and their spirit,” Longobucco said. “Let us strive to honour them today and every day.”
Newtown Schools superintendent Chris Melillo told the 335 graduates, “Life is too short to do something that doesn’t ignite your soul — something that doesn’t fill you with purpose and meaning. Never settle for anything less than what sets your heart afire.”
About 60 of the Newtown High graduates attended Sandy Hook Elementary School and are survivors of one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history.
‘Walking across that stage with us’
Wednesday’s graduation ceremony was closed to the media except for two local news organizations. Sandy Hook survivors who spoke to The Associated Press in advance of their graduation said their fallen classmates were in their thoughts.
“I am definitely going be feeling a lot of mixed emotions,” said Emma Ehrens, 17. “I’m super excited to be, like, done with high school and moving on to the next chapter of my life. But I’m also so … mournful, I guess, to have to be walking across that stage alone.… I like to think that they’ll be there with us and walking across that stage with us.”
Some Sandy Hook survivors have spoken of their community as a “bubble” protecting them from the outside world.
Class salutatorian Grace Chiriatti said during the ceremony that part of her wishes that things could stay the same because of the “level of comfort we have” as graduating seniors.
“Everything seems so perfect surrounded by people I love … it’s difficult to leave just as I have everything figured out,” Chiriatti said. “But by starting something new, we don’t have to start over.”
Sandy Hook students and families have been subjected to threats and harassment as a result of conspiracy theories surrounding the shooting, led by InfoWars host Alex Jones.
Jones lost two lawsuits and was ordered to pay $1.5 billion US to relatives of victims who participated in the lawsuit. They sued Jones for calling the shooting a hoax, claiming defamation and infliction of emotional distress.
A court hearing is scheduled for Friday in Houston as part of a proposal to sell Jones’s assets, including InfoWars.
