Each year, Westhill seniors have the opportunity to “leave behind” objects and memories for their friends and teachers. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the face of the seniors’ final year more than anyone could have imagined, but these relationships have carried us through. Congratulations to all of the seniors – we wish you the best of luck in your journeys ahead!
Isabella Adamo – Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
I, Isabella Adamo, of mega mind and mediocre body hereby leave…
The Northstar Playmakers: Westhill ‘n Loud and a certificate for being the hottest school at CDA. Tech Crew: The 18th and 19th amendment and an infinite supply of pixie sticks. Stamford FFA: Babies. Mrs. PC: All of my bees and all of my girl troubles. Ms. Cipolla: A double snap. Mrs. Gilbert: Our shared addiction to Dianxi Xiaoge. Mrs. Jeffries: A prank phone call. Mrs. Cascio: Salt & Pepper Kettle Lay’s. Caroline Klumac: a girlfriend. Jaralys Cordova: Juice, platform shoes, and a life size cutout of Jimmy Locust. Molly Cannon: A rose on the subway. Zac Kitay: Not babies, cowboy bebop, and not my Rolling Stones vinyl. Ms. Taylor: Dytch, a mullet, and less creepy Powerpoint GIFs. Mr. DiGiovanna: Good night and CDA set dubs. Ms. Cahill: More recycled plastic shoes. Mr. Marchesani: Tears and infinite thanks for dealing with me. Westhill: Mold memes.
Bintou Bane – University of Pennsylvania
I, Bintou Bane, of stressed mind and capable body, hereby leave…
Rachel Mensah: Warmup mile, “Not on the school wi-fi,” impromptu food runs, disappointing Burger King, Marshalls, timer pics, sushi, and the past six years. Maansi Shah: Hitching rides with my faves, an inability to stay silent during study hall, symbiotic track motivation, and various Hindi insults. Micayla Roth: The best chocolate chip cookie dough in existence, badminton, Mr. Weintraub’s TAble, Carvel, and an unlimited supply of phenolphthalein. Sydney Eben: My sunglasses, my cross-country windbreaker, my mini Kanken, need I go on? Guilmar Valle: On the off-chance that you see this, a fervent appreciation for advanced chemistry, studying at every Starbucks in Stamford, and the inevitable UConn/Cornell darties. Julia Reilly: Questionable study hall attendance and iced coffee runs. Tamar Bellete: Robeks and Donut Delight, truffle fries, and the best seating arrangement in multi, calc, and sophomore chem. Marta Zach: Collaborating on extra credit assignments, sleeping through bio, and bathroom fights during warmups. Holly Furrer: Third wave escape attempts, Fish Church, and ice cream. Bollywood Skinnts: MYLC, game night, and honorary ethnic identities. Hungry Vikings: Failed French bakery sampling attempts, suspiciously vegan organic pizza, the best Indian cuisine, spice intolerance, Trader Joe’s, and procrastination at its finest. AP Chem: Crazy 8s, Cards Against Humanity, at-home FaceTime lectures, and red and green Expo markers. Mr. Stone: Quizlet study guides and half-point test corrections. Mrs. Dodita: Surprise birthday parties, a career-defining two years, and an unwavering confidence in my abilities. Mr. Von Wahlde: Dinner parties, extremely late essay submissions, and pink flamingos. Ms. Manning: A full-circle experience and rockstar status. Ms. Cahill: Seating arrangements, Mish Mosh, and supreme organizational skills. Mr. Page: Lost (and eventually found) AP World textbooks and scary movies in study hall.
Tamar Bellete – Boston University
I, Tamar Bellete, of confused mind and tall body hereby leave…
Holly Furrer: Kinect dance battles, running into the middle of the street when cars were coming, Chloe Ting workouts, Disney Channel soundtracks, and fun 24/7. Bintou Bane: Bintoodles, spilling tea in multi, and locking you out of my car. Anna Martelli: Not knowing we went to middle school together, endless pictures of Rocky, hating TikTok, attempting to finish workout programs, Kanye West jam sessions, and 2 am hangouts in my basement. Westhill Volleyball: My amazing vertical, an (almost) state and FCIAC championship, a lot of Carrie Underwood, the back of the bus gang, my “setting”, and great playlists. Marta Zach: Hockey games, TikTok clout, black Charli D’Amelio, and dungeon parties. Molly Cannon: Pre-k, JCC gym runs, and rides to every hockey game. Rachel Mensah: Teaching you how to use social media, getting attacked by your dog, and JCC swim lessons. Mrs. Khetan: Still not knowing how to sketch 3D surfaces, Lagrange errors, and a thanks for actually caring about your students. Dr. Forbes: Helicopter hands, attempting to actually be a “TA,” and having a superior sense of humor. Westhill Tennis: The best three years, bus rides, pasta parties, Tamiflu, captain, and the #1 singles spot. Deanna Gladstone: My divorce papers. Lisa Jagodzinski: Stair falling, eighth grade advisory, midnight bonfires in your backyard, pool parties, and Mario Kart battles. Claire Anderson and Ryan Cooney: Literally every single class together. Gloria Twum: Cousins, Madonna and MJ costumes, switching spots on the court every other second, millions of Robeks runs, eskista dancing, and being literally the best person ever. TikTok Central Chat: literally everything. Julia Reilly: Healthy eating, vegan ice cream, junior year spoons attacks, and Global Citizen. Peyton Reilly: Cannibal, after-prom, New Years, St. Patrick’s day, and not knowing anything in AP Gov. Sydney Eben: Let’s run this puppy, Brooklyn 99, pressing the buttons, curly hair products, captains council, and kangaroo vs. cat. Coach Brunner: Pep talks, encouragement, and a thanks for always believing in me. Isabella Nuzzo: Dobby, go friars!, endless photoshoots and FaceTime calls, Donut Delight and pizza runs, TikTok dances, “don’t be shy,” hip movements, Gov Ball, Tutor Me SOS sessions, and a huge thanks for literally doing every dumb thing with me :). Westhill High School: The best 3.5 years – peace out.
Lexi Boccuzzi – University of Pennsylvania
I, Lexi Boccuzzi, of passionate mind and petite body, hereby leave…
James Grosso: May the fourth be with you, tea time in the Westhill hallways, risky pool night swims, our passion for bonfires, Catholic therapy sessions, my mock children, all the colors, calling the Quakers, getting divorced with Ava, tears at bday parties, long walks, the cape, crazy, no kneeling, lots of singles, shoelaces tied together, vending machine runs, the laser point, the infamous November convo, and our office date. Gaurov Bansal: our shared sanity, my debate legacy, white nail polish, shredders, China’s democracy, Lululemon leggings, US News, panic attacks in Dr. K’s class, BRO, my editing services, making the same faces at the same time, New Canaan final rounds, trial anxiety, undercover mushes, college consoling, Ivy debate group chats, my mom, clout measuring, and constant FaceTimes. Talia Kunin: everything political specifically clubs, flirting lessons, screenshots for ages, crazy boys, the book, dress shopping for the infamous prom, APUSH aphrodisiacs, and college predictions. Ava Maubert: blaming reckless behavior on your zodiac, getting divorced with James, mock ~lessons~ with Marcello, Dan’s power points, white claws, always the track star, Westword/mock nights, New Orleans, and forever being your mom. Lilah Steinberg: lots of colored pens, nonsensical commentary in chem, rides to work, life coaching, drama drama, small bodies big personalities, JR, and our favorite person Ms. Miraballes. Veda Bhalla: Chloe’s & my insanity, my Harry Potter parking spot, and dried mangos at shift. Anissa Jahaj: all Carrie Underwood songs, concerts, car convos in our driveways, twisted sisters, Reagan/Bush, legalized marijuana, green smoothies, Russell Crowe, dancing in the mock bus, yelling at freshmen, coffee brownies, Gossip Girl spoilers, the Paris to my Rory, oil diffusers, broody pisces, The Godfather, boys who fist fight, psychic dreams, feta cheese, judgey music taste, buzzkill status, hockey games, and your intuition. Sanjana Nayak: my senior year, deferrals, fingers in 13 pH, giggles, all-knowing stares, paranoia, inappropriate jokes, pre-peeled clementines, rain, ranting sessions with Mr. Marchesani, prom reconciliations, people who are open for business, laughs with Ms. Dodita, unfathomable stupidity, misogynistic teachers, soaking wet flume rides, Greek food, and anger management problems. Rutvik Marathe: truth or dare, pause, “don’t do that,” corner sandwiches, interrogation bonfire @’s, Cards Against Humanity, broken glass, prequel jokes, escape rooms, physics memes, the multiverse theory, my love for mango, basement ping pong, freshmen in algebra 2, gas stops to avoid going home, and not being awkward. Justin Kaplan: camp stories, all the Eminem lyrics, s’mores, epic rap battles of history, slaps over stats, boneless wings, our tardy friends, every marvel movie, being the “social” ones, The Office episodes, not ringing doorbells, diet soda, stealing pens in Spanish, the Backstreet Boys, and short jokes. Alex Printsev: all of my frustration, the dartboard, BWW, US rants, blushing, Stan, the New Deal, The Great Gatsby, sexy boy auto tuned voice songs, Spanish projects, 45+ hrs on screen time, partnerless debates, horrible movies, Rubik’s cubes, and the right hook I owe you. Bennett Ehret: forever apologies about your broken arm, concerns for me and the airbag, roller-coaster buddy, rivalries over mad minutes, laughs with Quinn in BC, Snapple, child-tested mother-approved, and fire tag. Tejas Juware: random Yiddish insults, Jack Jack, killing the padawans, 20 questions, paranoia, Señor Diaz, ripped up hours, notes on BC quarter grades, scheming, the best lunch table, physics labs, broken glasses, Ms. Ashkin’s love for us, and rides on nitro. Justin Kipness: soaking wet boat rides, lots of bread baking, college elitism jokes, is it an animal?, biology related “discussions,” speech practice, and our future road trip. Chloe Giulini: Albanian moonshine, deadlines, 5th grade cup song rounds, political convos, cheeseless pizza, near-death car rides, endless gossip, baking everything, sweaty homecomings, spontaneous target runs, tons of Starbucks, insomnia nights, our shared love of NYC, CSPA, Timothée Chalamet, the Brockhampton phase, bottle caps in the lawn mower, water from a hose, and madam presidents. Lucca Metzger: Ms. Gasparrini’s class, everyone thinking we’re a couple, junior prom, special “therapy,” bio labs, future dispensaries, newspaper-filled Priuses, experimental psychedelic medicine, art hoes, florals, government conspiracies, Reagan, CSPA, unrequited love, and the 40 marriage pact. Joe Brennan: reckless driving, lots of country music, being the smartest kid in Gov, sober beer pong, spontaneous Target runs, your hydroflask, sweaty hoco, Connection Time arguments with Ms. Denninger, “Lexi” messages, and ice coffee. Ashley Shapiro: wine nights, awesome vests, crying over mac and cheese, future chuppahs, culture swaps, the whole Harry Potter fandom, bougie NYC trips, painting parking spots, bubbly drinks, a low tolerance, short girl vibes, name free public space gossip, and perfumed letters. Sydney Eben: lots of Star Wars, environmental convos, long lunch dates, 16 year old boy sense of humor, photobombs, dance parties, being the best listener, losing track of time, Berta calling us rowdy, and rocking to Queen. Julia Reilly: the Nature Center, Silvio eating glitter glue, drinking games, getting lost on the way to the beach, our parents’ love of gardening, Brett Young, and being “the funny one.” Maansi Shah: your “fear” of nice people, Dr. Forbes’s constant singing, being a geek for micro, the quietest English class, advice for Ms. Dodita, Ramen nights, and EXCITED text messages. Westhill: back problems and an appreciation for caffeine.
Maria Cabrera – Plymouth State University
I, Maria Cabrera, of musical mind and short body, hereby leave…
Kency Ceron: hanging out and doing makeup before classes start, listening to your always “hypothetical” guy problems. Skye McLeod: Serious Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelor(ette) talks during lunch, always being the smartest person ever, forcing you to be a Mark Ballas stan since middle school… partially successful :). Neeka Baclayon: always will be the best friend I’ve ever had. Abby Giron: bus rides! Going crazy over sunrises and how big the moon is in the sky. Being the realest and most straight-forward friend everyone needs. Calculus. Flavia Heredia: my life-saver, doing calculus together while pretending we know what’s happening, lunches together. Rou Liao: Guy talks in U.S History and Connection Time. Being an amazing artist and student but acting like you aren’t. Marijke and Ryka ChandraRaj: always being supportive, going out for pizza and watching Frozen 2, tricking people into thinking you guys are each other. Jena and Brooke Boccuzzi: wandering in the halls, Connection Time problems, never ever understanding music theory, watching shows during study hall, talent show fun. Kimberly Polak-Walas: being the only person with REAL views, dance and “people don’t know how to walk in the hallway” rants, Episode, and all the guys problems. Staying after together to literally do nothing. That one ice cream and concussion appointment run. Slaying life together. Kathryn Persico: constantly laughing with me in law and justice over nothing and everything at the same time. Grazella Nathea: meeting in the craziest way, never being able to have lunch together despite our serious efforts, being BTS ARMY and bonding over the Tata plushy you had attached to your bag! Being T.As for Mrs. Saleh. Constantly complaining because we haven’t met each other sooner. Shamar Bryce: you graduated last year but are forever my brother from another mother, all of the orchestra shenanigans, laughing more than talking, sneaking videos of each other, “sit on it,” my personal lyricist, my everything. Mr. Page:Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. No more words need to be said. Mr. Kurtz: running. Lots of running. Badminton. Matball. Always being supportive. All the hugs. Everything. Mr. Wyatt: Never failing to make fun of EVERYTHING about me (“stop-uh”), telling me to stop the high-pitched whining, scaring me half to death with Lucy, laughing at me hurting myself in the craziest ways…every single year. All of the concerts, the rehearsals, the “you’re gonna be fine because you’ve done this a million times before”s, me never knowing anything in Music Theory. SPEED TESTS and me finally achieving my four-year goal of beating Brian’s 52-second treble clef record on the last possible school day of 2019. Always being there. Always loving. Always laughing. ALWAYS being the light in the darkness. Thank you. Mrs. Costa: throwing stuffed animals around to answer questions, (tank!!) copying EVERY SINGLE vocabulary word, watching the cringy textbook videos, always having a good time. Ms. Petrizzi: Gran Hotel, being the sweetest human ever, hands down. Mr. Diaz: the talks after class, always believing in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. Supporting my dreams. Gonna miss it. Mr. Pinsince: letting me do my own writing instead of classwork. Pushing me to keep working on my writing. The fun speeches, the poems, the “oh shite!”s and “I hate to cry at work”s. Your crazy bike rides and seeing each other at the train station in the afternoons. Ms. Handy: all of the talks! Actual fun things in physics. Always being there for me, despite anything you had to do. Always making me laugh in a very unexpected way. Sean Segovia: knowing more about me than anyone in the whole school, the rants, the long talks, reminding me to relax, the daily hugs that got me through the tough days and made the good days even better, making me appreciate the simple things. Mrs. Saleh: Algebra 2 fun, being your T.A and learning more Spanish as a bonus! Bonding with every student in the class. Always smiling and spreading positivity. Mrs. Malagisi: geometry valentine poems. Visiting you when I’m on my way to Mrs. Saleh’s room. Mr. Rinaldi: early morning talks, watching the sunrise, being a whole support system to me, getting happier than I was when I got my BTS concert tickets, letting me blast BTS music to bless the ears of the entire school, always bringing the love and school spirit, “good morning Viking country!”, “go hill, peace! Boom!”
<3
Shira Cohen – American University
I, Shira Cohen, of ambitious mind and strong body, hereby leave…
Ms. Tobin: My love for your dogs, Belle and Alexa, our discussions on literature, feminist rants, Lip Dub features, keeping me sane during the coronavirus pandemic, daring me to think differently, but most of all, my love as one of my favorite teachers. Micayla Roth: Our time spent in French, AP World History, and AP English, editing my articles for The Westword, sharing our desserts during lunch, your homemade cookie dough, my love for Lily, Bailey being scary, and always being a loyal friend. Ms. Tintle: My love for psychology so much so I want to major in it, and letting us make crazy music videos to learn about sensation and perception. Kelly Fox: Our Six Flags trip, listening to my rants, going to Chipotle, midnight FaceTimes, Ms. Tobin’s AP English Class, passports, our love for Europe and Australia, New Year’s Eve, Harry, and auditioning for elite a cappella groups using the Periodic Table. Ryka and Marijke ChandraRaj: Making up code names, our love for Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Little Women, Timothée Chalamet, Disney, and being strong women. Ms. Miraballes: Giving me a love for United States history, being your Teacher’s Aide, all of your psychology jokes, and fun presidential facts. Daniella Klein: My parking spot, Oliver, our favorite person from Curaçao, Terra Chips, and a friendship years in the making. Mr. Capriotti: All of your calculus jokes, your pet fish, and always giving me a reason to laugh in class. Ms. Berkley: Aiden, the moderate song, apple pie, marble cake, and a love for politics! Ms. Denninger: Your fish tank, after-school rants, writing conferences, bagels, and always being someone I can turn to. Mr. Pinsince: A love for writing, well-deserved A’s, bike riding, and plenty of fun parties! Madame Popescu: Beautiful outfits, learning perfect French pronunciation, teaching your daughter to eat vegetables, and baking. Ms. Paolini: Dissections, gummy bear labs, healthy vegan food, name those bones, and powerhouses. Jenna Cohen: My room (turn it into something fun for me), my clothes, my notes, my car (once you can drive, that is), your matchmaker, doctor, lawyer, classical music, and TikTok videos.
Reilly D’Onofrio – University of Maryland
I, Reilly D’Onofrio, of devoted mind and videographer body, hereby leave…
Rebecca Bailey: The ability to park, adventures in Westport, a singular can of crescent rolls, carpool karaoke, fabrics folders, Bill from Rings End, and theater camp. Carly Fein: The ability to text, a new personal Uber, “drone piloting,” cheeseballs, Deal or No Deal, a copy of Never Give Up by John L. Mason, and snake. Olivia Feliciano: One navy Champion hoodie, the angel Scouty and her green pig, and a new paper car from Lucky’s. Ava Feliciano: A UFO ticket home, a Webster dictionary, and a monster pencil case. Sophie Wint: more parties to crash and falling out of buses for cookies. Kat Pekar: Rides home, yelling in Lucky’s, and sideline talks. Danya Taub: Spicy wings, jugs of lemonade, and flamingo cakes. Jessie Velishka: No more kneeskins, Guy Fieri TikToks, and H.K’s boxing gloves. Cassie Culhane: Captain of Stamford Alpine 2022. Ms. Tobin: one DJI Spark drone almost lost in the filming of the 2020 lipdub. Quinn’s Biddies Gc: Reverse Snapchats, people’s bib numbers, and Coldstone.
Sydney Eben – Drexel University
I, Sydney Eben, of driven mind and sarcastic body, hereby leave…
Micayla Rebecca Roth: Endless s’mores pie and Warriorettes, a working key card, an unlimited supply of Polly Pockets, “A Happier World,” the Hawk Eye News, and all the TJ’s star cookies money could buy. Ashley Shapiro: NJB memes, oversized maroon sweatshirts, many more AJR concerts, is it corn?, my artistic abilities, Ghirardelli brownies, and The Office references. Julia Reilly: Boys in Cali, a hammock, Oreos, a trip to Nashville, how to make a fire, B99 memes, and Tyson. Lexi Boccuzzi: An adult sense of humor, Star Wars anything, official induction into the Jewish community, and pro dancing skills. Aaron Eben: The orange mobile and high standards to live up to. Tamar Ballet: TikTok dances, pressing the buttons, Kevin?, and Captain’s Council shenanigans. Bintou Bane & Maansi Shah: A driver’s license, sunglasses, and reasons not to run warmups. AP Enviro: Fingers in holes, Procrastination is like…, dirty cole, Ramesh, and a trip to the boiler room. Cross Country team: Lactic Acid, Manhunt, the official rule “Strava or it didn’t happen,” a new Scofield course. BBYO besties: Iron grilled cheese, late night tea, square donuts, and Danbury Crowne Plaza, our heart and home. Feelz 4.0: Kemps, nuggets nuggets nuggets, clams and clowns, and my superior music taste. To my teachers: Take care of my little bro, and thank you for the lasting advice and impact.
Alexandra Exantus – University of Connecticut
I, Alexandra Exantus, of sound mind and body, hereby leave…
all of Westhill High School to the new kids. Good Luck! I leave behind the Media Center hallway to all my underclassmen that would skip class with me there and frequently get caught. I leave behind my favorite chair in Ms. Midy’s room for the upcoming freshman, Audreyanna Exantus. Not much to leave behind, but bye! Thank you for the half-memories.
Kelly Fox – Emory University
I, Kelly Fox, of musical mind and stressed body, hereby leave…
SE4A Buddies: endless snacks, an amazing family, and “Don’t Stop Believin’”!!! Brooke Boccuzzi: rants, only talking to each other, your body physically rejecting TikTok, our legendary Shrek performance, and thankfulness for being my best friend, I wouldn’t have survived high school without you. Austin Tovar: you forever being my son, breaking my car, and being the life of the party at prom. Jena Boccuzzi: Alec Lightwood, almost meeting Camila Cabello, not needing a man, sleeping all day, and confidence that you can do anything you set your mind to. Shira Cohen: your endless lists, our trips that were postponed by Miss Rona, our army, 90 Day Fiance, “The Periodic Table Song,” and you being a future president!! Señor Diaz: bailar salsa and Nailed It! Ms. Petrizzi: Gran Hotel. Mr. Wooley: having lunch in your room and beanbags. Mama Mangels: analyzing Harry Potter from a dramatic perspective and improv skits. Ms. Tobin: eating countless bagels, talent shows, and your dogs acting out Hamlet. Mrs. Saleh: donuts, four corners, and all the love in the world for being such an amazing teacher! My teachers: thankfulness for shaping me into who I am today. Special shoutout to Mr. Wyatt, Mr. Marchesani, Mr. White, Miss Ritz, Ms. Berkley, and Ms. Taylor.
Divya Gada – Syracuse University
I, Divya Gada, of ambitious mind and stressed body, hereby leave…
Caroline Klumac: all things Northstar, endless amounts of Layla’s falafel, my Diet Coke, stage right, all the car rides, late night hangouts, the booth, tech week cry sessions, all the cast conflicts, attendance spreadsheets, monster energy, pixie sticks, the Footloose soundtrack, the drama club drama, pre-rehearsal jam sessions, Carrie the musical, morning car hangouts, all the applesauce in the world, NPPG meetings, many many many trips to Five Guys, Trader Joe’s vegan mac and cheese, Saturday morning Starbucks study sessions, our trip to Ohio, birthday photo shoots, my parking spot, everything about spoons, my dad’s garden, and all the love in my heart. Anissa Jahaj: Chinese food and movies, car jams sessions, mid-day walks, all of quarantine, trips to DQ, prom dress shopping, all the volleyball, basketball, and hockey games, the good feta cheese, and all my love. Mock Trial: endless dinner dates, Panda Garden, Danny’s Uber Eats account, Dan’s socks, rules of evidence, late night cross examinations, pizza on comp. days, bus ride jam sessions, send me packing…. WSSD: pasta parties and car washes, Chelsea Piers locker rooms, jam sessions in the bus and locker room, and the dungeon (if you ever make it back there). Ms. Tobin: period 5 English, the lip dub production team, all the English tea in the world, endless donut delight trips, trail mix, saga the fish, Viking Videos, many thanks for making me the honorary yearbook member, and a whole lot of love. Spoons: your long living tradition at the hill, all the immunities in the world, goth makeup and chef hats, and many many thanks for finally sending me to the principal’s office.
Chloe Giulini – Fordham University
I, Chloe Giulini, of wandering mind and caffeine-addicted body, hereby leave…
Sophia Thagouras: Henry, the police at your door, never-ending sweatshirt swaps, orange juice for church, awful bangs, holding on to trees, your pants in my driveway, long mirror talks, goldfish on the floor, a true shoulder to lean on, never hugging, and all my love. Lily Carroll: our true love DQ, filthy cars, your kitchen sink, quite a bit of gossip, the back of Sophia’s car, Cosi, the brains behind prom, and always laughing. Lexi Boccuzzi: running the show, calm political disagreements, a gross hostel, too many coffees, a Prius of newspapers, Mr. Rinaldi, maroon, apple slices, and endless support for one another. Stella Buckey & Oren Gabay: way too many walks, chats about divorce, eating anything and everything, a “love” for astrology, an interesting graduation party, my very slow driving, matchmaking, this pandemic, and all the laughs. Divya Gada: endless car rides, deserves to be Mother of the Year, daydreaming about a certain someone, studying sessions that turn into gossip chats, and being the sweetest human ever. Christian Colegrave: almost prom date, letting me drive the Jeep, Cosi and DQ trips, and Lily’s and my advice. Lucca Metzger: my right hand, never being on time, weird and deep conversations on bean bags, 224, Norwegian men, and endless admiration for your humor and kindness. Madison Mahar: Shopkins, Five Below “borrowing,” a Starbucks addiction, not understanding calculus, the next parking spot over, and always having my back. Caroline Klumac:Midsommar and the creep at Starbucks. Ava Maubert: missing Lucca and me at Westword, Popeye’s and lomo, always making fun of me, calling the cops for curtains, and ADHD meds. Quinn McHale: creating your junioritis, Norwegian men, literally getting me through physics, your love for VW, wanting to steal my prom date, Armie Hammer, 224, our god-awful driving, letting me take the van for a spin, and endless laughs and love. Anita Amiti: getting married off in Albania. Marta Zach: walking down graduation and running through stop signs. Shira Gabay: being the only teen in Timber Mill Circle and my last day of high school. “NOT”: what would have been an amazing senior trip. The Westword: patience, way too much pizza, endless laughs, and pure joy when making deadline. Feminism Club: all the tampons and cupcakes in the world. Mr. von Wahlde: quadrilaterals, much-needed advice, and my gratitude. Mrs. Konrad: our absolute love for block scheduling, the llama, my tomato, and my new love for art thanks to you. Mr. Marchesani: credit for putting up with me, a few tears, and a big thank you. Westhill: my sleep deprivation.
Lisa Jagodzinski – Roger Williams University
I, Lisa Jagodzinski, of restless mind and tired body, hereby leave…
Deanna Gladstone: The haunted Ag bathroom, “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire, Tic Tacs, all of the Chili’s restaurants, countless rants, getting lost in Indiana, baby ducklings, Jon Russo, “the bad influence,” Ms. Campbell’s dog, painting memes, the burn book, the neon worm thingies, and fishing gear. Kaitlynn Henderson: Scream sessions, Walmart runs, Torino’s pizza rolls, late night drives, track “warm-ups,” the Irish boy, being the voluntary driver, Chipotle, Mrs. Taylor’s baby, you pulling me out of class, always being prepared, a good throwback playlist, and Kane Brown. Isabella Nuzzo: Boston, Lucid Dreams, a brisk addiction, scary movies, campfire hotdogs, the Ouija board, home made guacamole, eye signals, Scofield goats, and a lifelong friendship. Tamar Bellete: An unfinished Mario Kart rivalry, food that is not pizza, the bath tub, University of Oxford, spoons, stairs to fall down, golden Oreos, Group FaceTime, TikTok fame, and goldfish. Md Jabed: Anything but the cafeteria, Mr. Denbaum’s concerns, NYC, Ms. Malagisi’s geometry class, conversations with Luis, strawberry lemonade, the basketball game, Connection Time with Mag, Chick-fil-A sauce, the Post Malone concert we didn’t go to, an alarm clock that will actually wake you up in the morning, a Windex bottle, chicken tempura rolls, and a longboard. John Liberatore: Cops and robbers at Westhill, The Office references, Ms. Shaw’s class, and the Grade A parking lot. Gabriela Kubisiak: The campsite, photo shoots, gym class, your broken phone, bucket lists, hoco 2k18, Halloween costumes from Pinterest, and roller skating. Emily Tuller: Your cat, the River Hill Café, bathroom breaks, “Rake It Up” by Yo Gotti, code names, and my sophomore year.
Gabriela Kubisiak – University of Connecticut
I, Gabriela Kubisiak, of creative mind and tall body hereby leave…
Ahnecia Gary: Hanging in the basement every morning, never eating in the caf, making TikToks outside, telling people, “can you walk faster so I can pass,” and staying in the media center during all of study hall. Lisa Jagodzinski: Always saying, “this was nothing like High School Musical,” “Whoever said senior year was easy is WRONG,” always laughing, spilling tea on the track during gym, and surviving Pathfinders camp. Northstar Playmakers: Giving me so much joy in loving to be on stage, knees hurting from auditions, and tech week chaos. Choir Class: Singing our hearts out, watching Star Wars, Mr. Curri’s Halloween special, and creeping us out. Mr. Weintraub: Talking about what’s wrong with this generation and pizza parties. Ms. Wheeler: Having the best room ever and always being positive. Deanna Gladstone: Countless Polish parties, running in heels, helping me with my guy problems, and the color run. Izzy Nuzzo: Making bomb edits, our summer cabin trip, going to the fair every year before school starts, being each other’s prom dates for junior prom, and eating in the Ag courtyard all of the time. Mr. Von Wahlde: being so chill. Mr. Denbaum: motivating me to go and audition for the school play, writing my recommendation, always watching movies. Kaitlynn Henderson: dancing all the time, our obsession with Teen Wolf. Morgan Squires: always sitting on the bean bags in journalism, AP Sike, and CEO of the vibe check. Mr. Kurtz: always yelling at us for dancing too much. Ms. Cahill: my look-alike. Emily Tuller: late night FaceTime calls, sleeping in study hall, always looking out for me. Shahela Kabir: helping me get out of my comfort zone, late night drives, always meeting each other in Donut Delight. Mr. Stepkoski: helping me with all my college issues. Sofia Cruz: your quinceañera, long Connection Time talks, and having almost every class together. Ms. Herz: being the best French teacher ever. Nasrin Nasir: crying in the back of English class, thousands of passes in our bags, and MYLC. Melanie Ramos: History class, hoco, always doing my hair in class. Md Jabed: late night trips to get ice cream. Tamar Bellete: making TikToks with me in summer and telling you about my tea. Jennifer Martinez: taking the SATs together, math class not knowing what was going on, crazy science class freshman year. My fav twins, Jasmine and Jomanie Jean-Louise: endless supply of food and choir field trips. Westhill High School: Best 4 Years!
Sanjana Nayak – University of Virginia
I, Sanjana Nayak, of curious mind and talented body, hereby leave…
Lexi Boccuzzi: my junior year where we didn’t speak, my senior year where you became the best friend I never knew I needed, my *good* advice, our late night rants, my early morning wake-up texts, the “wtf” look we perfected, Jenga with a twist, bonfires, your Summer 2020 playlist, my mystery boy, Cards Against Humanity, memes about our laughable relationships, not having a single decent photo, my wedding, Six Flags, “dress cute but not impressive but don’t wear sweats,” “so I did a thing,” “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood, bugging Mr. Marchesani, normal high school experiences, all the lessons we learned the hard way, and for being the Shelby Wyatt to my Alex Parrish. Maansi Shah: “I was scared of you when I first met you,” spicy food, TikTok, being the “advanced” kids in micro, your sexy snaps, TEXTING IN ALL CAPS, my outbursts in English class, cynical humor, filming me pre-FBI, golden hour, my eyes, your matching outfits, you telling me about what you cooked, me getting hangry because I can’t cook, and for being the biggest sweetheart there is. Rutvik Marathe: all my love (to make up for middle school), 8 months of not talking (so middle school could be forgotten), sitting in the back in Calc with the big dogs, Mr. Sarkar being *sent* to India, the movie we saw on my birthday, awkwardly and forcefully sitting face-to-face in physics, THAT DIRECTION, ughguhguhg (you know what I mean), our Cavendish experiment, helping me exist in you-know-who’s class, the STEM memes you appreciate, failing our driver’s tests, open conversation, always being there to listen to me, being my friend even though we’ve had our moments, and being my right hand through high school. Anissa Jahaj: my entire sense of humor, that one dumb fight we had, your freaky intuition, our rbfs, cologne and fighting, crying in the bathtub, the vibe check, not texting – ever, accidentally punching guys I like, and reminding me that girls like us is where it’s at. Justin Kaplan: car meet ups, your camp stories, and my intrusive questions. Malina Lasicki: Spanish, “one year ago from memories,” raspberry, Fitbit competitions, tennis, and being my sporty, fun, and cool bff. Lexi Schultz: aahhh, fatigoo, tennis, volleyball…, “HI MS.PETRIZIIIIII,” Ms. Tennent, Rolly from Spanish class sophomore year, “I started the trend for airpods,” and being ~unique~. Lilah Steinberg: chapter 10 in chem, the anti-Adi club, and your colorful pens. Maddy Bautista: the people in my U.S class, being high-key sad, hating literally everyone, volleyball, throwing things against the wall, Ms. Begetis, not being the lowest chem test grade, everyone getting us confused, and being my mini-me. Mrs. Khetan: my hard work, my enthusiasm, my humor, my struggling, and my “aha” moments. Thank you for giving me a chance sophomore year and for everything after that. You expanded my curiosity and I will always be excited to learn because of what I learned from you. Mrs. Dodita: my dedication, my strife with chemistry, my straightforward personality, and eating in class. I told you I would take chem senior year and I kept my promise! I never knew what a time-crunch was until I did labs in your class. Ms. Cahill: I accidentally plagiarized the summer work, but you didn’t hold it against me! Thank you for being the most fun teacher and letting me switch my assigned seat every class. Mr. Marchesani: my very loud, unfiltered, chatty, and sometimes mean mouth. Thank you for listening to me every time I walked through your door.
Micayla Roth – University of Chicago
I, Micayla Roth, of bookwormed mind and chocolate-loving body, hereby leave…
Sydney Eben: Warriorettes 1 & 2, Kidzels (better than pretzels), goji berries, 3 hour UTexas FaceTimes, conspiracy theories about school closings, infinite daily haircuts, ~friends~ found in Chestnut Hill Park, jewthings, a Rube Goldberg and a really thick Brooklyn accent, spontaneous snail mail, “yeah it was just us and one other girl!” and a bus picture from every stage of life. Shira Cohen: a lifetime supply of Shirley Temples, a meeting with RBG, socially distant walks, a puppy playdate where the dogs actually get along, cookie dough, all of our French classes, and Aero bars galore in gratitude (both for the actual Aero bars and your unwavering loyalty and kindness). Rachel Mensah: plain white rice in all of its unseasoned glory, a ride on the Kingda Ka with your fav, a civil doggy play date, Zoom calls & mute buttons (or lack thereof), metal spatulas, le français, a cardboard cutout of your head, physics in bed, free college merch, and future meetups in Chicago. Bintou Bane: Viking Number Tou, Blue Razz yogurt, Foo Fighters, Mr. Weintraub’s TAble, a lifetime supply of olive green shirts (oh wait jk you don’t need that), a lifetime supply of yellow and maroon merch in case you get bored of olive green, a Kinder Joy submarine, hamburger emojis, Lily playdates, and all of my gratitude for inviting me to your table freshman year. Maansi Shah: anything spicy, “You can do it!” gifs, garba night and American Eagle jeans, sleep, a hamster, typing classes, church, mini hands, shadows of peace signs, driveway visits, TikTok fame, a snow sleepover + sled fest, double (enjoy life) chocolate chip cookies, an updated computer, and so much appreciation for always being a shoulder to lean on and laugh with. Hungry Vikings: emoji wars, R=0.082057, ZA, secretly eating before going to Hope Pizza so all anyone wants is fries, a titration that is actually pale pink, more yummy meals together (and some French pastries if we’re lucky), and all my love. Caroline Boyd: problem set fun in Starbucks & Cosi and the SPEF session we lost out on. Ryka & Marijke ChandraRaj: hours spent improving our brain poster’s aesthetic, Israeli and French candy, and being the absolute sweetest! Julia Reilly: dried beets, fruit stickers (sorry), curling, and so much *fun* learning US History. Veda Bhalla: The Westword, my seat in Starbucks, MY SPOT (hehe), the Royal Park Hotel and all the fun people inside, ice cream three times a day, CSPA, Rooms 413 & 224 (including the yet to be established Veda’s Corner), the future of The Westword’s quizzes, FaceTime calls intended to answer a single calc question but resulting in endless conversation, and AP HuG & Mr. Stone (which I’m pretty sure is what led to the conversation on the train that started our friendship 🙂 ). Evan Roth: a bag of beans, a locked door, a shove that will take you back to Herzeliya, my car, MY SPOT, Liller Pupper, my chem notes (have fun next year 🙂 ), artfully-made grilled cheeses, Brooklyn accents to the point where all sense of the original word is gone, paramecium, your quote list, asking the shape of Italy and giving the boot, mind-boggling debates, an extra year with me (yay!), and knowing how to make each other laugh better than anyone else. Mme. Herz: a Zoom meeting with Johan, the guillotine list, and endless M&Ms. AP Chem 2019 + Mrs. Dodita: A best TeAcHEr mug, the Tom the cat meme, an (un)successful titration, pencils for all, the T-shirt we never made, and a future Parkway reunion. Mr. Wooley & von Waldhe: many thanks for your help and phone calls when the website decides to malfunction and (to Mr. Wooley) for our engaging lang discussions. Ms. Tobin: taking your dogs to school, distance learning goody bags (thank you!), and gratitude for always caring about your students. Mr. Sarkar: extra help featuring Luna, running this puppy, and my gratitude for sharing your love for computer science. Mrs. Khetan: a gematria lesson over Google Meet, an Israel itinerary, and much appreciation for making calculus fun. The Westword: a makeup trip to CSPA, sketchy hotel experiences, Carmine’s chicken parm, so much ice cream, late night bonding, and lots of fun! Westhill: a year with only minor chaos and gratitude for all that you’ve taught me.
Maansi Shah – Pennsylvania State University
I, Maansi Shah, of indecisive mind and sleepy body, hereby leave…
Bintou Bane: A rockstar for me since day 1, the only one I’d ‘run’ with during track and ‘study’ with during study halls, here’s to our encrypted texts, countless emojis and many more TikToks, I couldn’t have done these two years without you bintwo. Rachel Mensah: Thank you for making Westhill feel more like ‘home’ ;), scheming our way through Calc, and fighting for the front seat because the back was always messy. Micayla Roth: I’ll always sit with you at lunch, to bringing up your spice tolerance and learning about hamantaschen, baking together is now a dream but “We can do it!”, to many more car talks and maybe Chrismukkah this year? Sanjana Nayak: I say it all the time but I wish I met you sooner, to being sarcastic with me and bringing out the beast (hi) and its always been smiles with you, 214 days left – on a Post-It of course but please don’t tear it up this time ;). Alexia Bocuzzi: To me being intimidated only to find out how wholesome you really are, to Micro and Lit and your subtle side eyes, I miss times like Super Bowl and driving to Beyond Limits with you. Sydney Eben: If it weren’t for you I don’t know if I would have ever done warmups and mile trials, and the hamster will forever be one of my all time favorite gifts. Julia Reilly: To being a vegan (YESSS) and surviving on carrots, driving us out of study hall and sitting in the back of the Jeep. Marta Zach: Using sanitizer and hand cream 25/8, track season with you and Rachel was entertaining, and figuring out how to get 10 hours in a week. Mira Ahuja: To being the first person I met and first friend I made, from our first homeroom to making it to the end of senior year it’s been super fun. Tamar Bellete: I wish we knew each other more but I’ll always hype you up on TikTok and everywhere else. Bollywood Skinnts: TikToks, Digital Touch Messages, and memes for lifetime. Hungry Vikings: To chats on Google Docs, Micayla Viking-ifying our writings, and we didn’t get to finish our last few meals but to continuing the tradition in the future. AP Chemistry: Hands down my favorite class, shoutout to the 8 kids who made my junior year, and if it’s not pink we don’t want it #iykyk. Mrs. Dodita: To not knowing anything from Honors but having in-depth knowledge of sulfur, I still don’t know when to use ICE tables, and to the lovely RANGE of grades I received in your class. Dr. Forbes: To having the best Micro playlist (Pretty pretty please), singing during our tests (waiting for the album to drop), and to remembering MR = MC for the rest of my life. Mrs. Manning: To drilling stats procedures into my head for life and Google Hangout sessions. Cahill: To always having fun in Period 7, saying hi to you at the door, and the many interesting conversations happening simultaneously in class. Mr. McFillin: To you rapping in history class and for helping me, academically and otherwise, thank you. Mr. Capriotti: To being the one of the nicest teachers and the countless web assigns, Thanksgiving and spring packets, and retakes, and it’s always Starbucks for life. Mr. Joseph: From the kid with endless questions and doubts, thank you so much for it all. WHS and everyone I’ve met: To a short one-and-a-half years but a hell of an experience.
Ashley Shapiro – Syracuse University
I, Ashley Shapiro, of sassy mind and fun-sized body, hereby leave…
Julia Reilly: our shared dream of a lake/ski house, our ski loves, lots of squats, ice cream runs, trashy reality TV shows, “Fergalicious,” Lost, the smell of Staples and lots of grapes. Lexi Boccuzzi: Being an honorary member of the Jewish community, vests, Harry Potter everything, our parking spots, intellectual debates at 3 am and being mom friends. Sydney Eben: 16+ years of friendship, our awkward middle school phases, a later bedtime, unicorns, matching headbands, The Office, hula hoop contests, a TikTok addiction, our shared love of AJR, a lifetime supply of avocado toast, photoshoots, Spanish class and having security called on us. Ellie Balestriere: Italian villas, being clinically a genius, our AP Lang Family, Nature Valley Granola Bars, and sandwich crusts. Tikvah BBG: Welch’s fruit snacks, late-night chats, bad convention food, grilled cheese, baked potatoes, and the Danbury Crowne Plaza (our heart & home). Cassie Culhane: skiing to Mexico, elaborate BBYO snacks, late-night FaceTime calls, cute ski suits, varsity ski team, and “not waiting!” Brandon Shapiro: stealing all your friends, high-quality ski team videos, driving each other crazy, and holding down the fort while I’m in college. My teachers: Thanks for all of your support the last four years!
