Schools

Watertown High School Class of 2023 Overcame Challenges With a Positive Attitude

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by Charlie BreitroseWatertown High School Valedictorian Shannon Fitzpatrick addresses the Class of 2023 during the graduation ceremony. When the Watertown High School Class of 2023 ended their freshman year remotely in March 2020, they could have been discouraged for the rest of their high school career. However, they chose to band together and rise above their obstacles by avidly displaying school spirit, kindness and positivity throughout their four years. 

The ceremony, originally supposed to be held at Victory Field, was moved to the Kelly Gymnasium on June 2 due to a rainy forecast. Students, faculty, family members and friends crowded the gymnasium, making for a touching and special moment as this will be the last class to graduate from the present high school before it is demolished this summer. See the list of graduates here. 

Valedictorian Shannon Fitzpatrick looked back at her time at Watertown High as a journey.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Party Guest Gets Out of Control, Chimney Repair Scam

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests

May 22, 3:39 a.m.: Police received a report of a suspicious man at Arsenal Mall. Security spotted a man looking into windows at Marshalls, and then was seen inside the parking garage. The man went into a port-o-potty and would not come out until police arrived. When he did, police spoke to the man and learned that he had a warrant for his arrest.

Schools

Congratulations to the Watertown High School Class of 2023!

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by Charlie BreitroseA Class of 2023 graduate hugs Principal Joel Giacobozzi after getting his diploma on Friday. Congratulations to the 150 Watertown High School seniors who graduated Friday at the ceremony at the WHS Gymnasium. Watertown High School Class of 2023

(Honors: + Cum Laude Society, ^ National Honor Society, * Seal of Biliteracy, # Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction)

Nasim Abenaou

Johnny Abizeid

Bonsu Panin Acheampong

Aneeq Ahmed

Sandra Ali Alnamous

Payton Gian Andrade

Nicole Erica Babayan

Gayane Badalyan *

Thandiwe Naomi Alua Baker +^

Adrianna Elaina Benites ^

Gabriela Bondaryk ^

Jhulia Gabriela Borel Macedo

Henry Byrne Broadstone

Max Edward Burke

Lexi Burroughs

John Anthony Cacace +^

Serena Jean Calix

Aidan John Campbell

Brendan Patrick Campbell

Gabriel Celio Chaves Carvalho *

Ana Alice Castro

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Beatriz de Oliveira Castro

Phillip Morais Castro

Raymond Chen

Aren Cimenian

Raphaela Samara Coelho *

Miguel Angel Colon

Aidan Paul Conneely

Brianna Renora Cooper

Michael Fenton Corbett

Amanda Cosco ^

Collin Kerian Cox

Avaree Louise Crockton ^

Adrina Sima D’Arrigo ^

Caio Mesquita De Souza

Carina Bella Delorio +^

Briella Marie Demis

Emmalina Olive Rosana Devoy

Jack Edward Dickie

Riley Francis Donlan ^

by Charlie BreitroseStudents welcomed people to the 2023 Watertown High School Graduation Ceremony in their first language. More than a dozen languages were represented, including these Portuguese speakers. Bridget Mary Donohue

Margaret Grady Driscoll +^

Ricardo Mardoqueo Duran Amaya #

Iris Margaret Egan +^*

Mariangel Escobar Sierra *

Isaiah Junior Etienne

Allison Anne Fijux ^

Kelsey Fitzgerald

Kaitlyn Elizabeth Fitzpatrick +^

Shannon Marie Fitzpatrick +^

Catherine Bridget Fleming

Daou Emmauel Ignacio

Marina Claire Garcia-Rangel ^

Sean Patrick Gately

Jaylen Chavi Gonzalez

Emma Katherine Griffith

Camila Cardoso Guimaraes

Levon Gukasyan

Karen Maral Guler ^

Katherine Flynn Haley

Alique Mara Haserjian +^#

Johanna Hernandez #

Orlando Antonio Herrera

Cindy Chenyun Hong +^*

Sandra Emilio Hoxha

Ivy Huang

Brianna Marie Hume +^*

Robert John Iannetta +^*

Xavier Scensor Ip

Alyce Judge

Vana Rose Karaguesian *

Alexandra Christophile Karalis

Davit Karapetyan ^

Lara Jacqueline Kebabjian ^*

Hovanes Kehyeian

Jack Stratton Kelley

Abel Keshishian

Lwana Fawaz Khalil *

Paige Elizabeth King ^

Eric Vitaliy Kozorez

Derin Kugu

Benjamin Alden Kullman

Esmeralda Laurore

Maeve Ella Lawn +^

Ashley Bomfim Leal ^*

by Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown High School gym was packed for the Class of 2023’s graduation on Friday.

Around Town

Watertown Farmers Market Returns for 10th Season on June 14

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Photo courtesy of Live Well WatertownThe Watertown Farmers Market returns to Saltonstall Park on June 14. The Watertown Farmers Market enters its 10th season this month, and adds several new and a many returning vendors to the lineup of produce, baked goods, meat & fish and many specialty vendors. Artists will also attend the market each week. Opening day for the Watertown Farmers Market is June 14 and runs each Wednesday through Oct. 25 from 2:30-6:30 p.m. (6 p.m. in October), rain or shine, at Saltonstall Park — the corner of Main Street and Whites Avenue (next to City Hall).

Around Town

Siblings Advocating for LGBTQ+ Rights at Watertown’s Schools

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Ashe and Vivian Flan have been advocating for Watertown’s LGBTQ+ students at their schools’ GSAs as well as in regional and statewide groups. (Photo courtesy of Alison Coleman-Hardy)

In the post-COVID times, the number of students coming out as gay, lesbian, non-binary, and trans has been on the rise, and a pair of siblings has been actively promoting awareness and seeking rights for members of LGBTQ+ in the Watertown Public Schools. Vivian and Ashe Flan are presidents of the Genders Sexuality Alliance (GSA) at Watertown High School and Watertown Middle School, respectively. While just four years apart in age, they have seen the difference in attitudes, and willingness for students to come out at an earlier age. Vivian, a WHS junior, who identifies as nonbinary and uses the pronouns they/them.

Around Town

Four Artists Speak About the Pieces Featured in the First Exhibition on the Watertown Community Sculpture Walk

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Anaïs MarkwoodArtist James Payne speaks about his sculpture “Opposition” during the grand opening of the Community Sculpture Walk. As of May 18th, Watertown is home to four new sculptures! The new Community Sculpture Walk in Watertown Square had its grand opening, unveiling a series of four sculptures located along the Community Path that runs behind Saltonstall Park. The sculptures, each created by New England-based artists, are located incrementally along the path, stretching from the edge of the parking lot behind the Watertown Free Public Library (WFPL) down the path towards Waverley Avenue, with the farthest sculpture sitting by the section of the path near Chulo Restaurant and Bar. The sculpture walk was organized and put together by the Watertown Public Arts and Culture Committee (WPACC) and spearheaded by Liz Helfer, Watertown’s Public Arts & Culture Planner.

Schools

Reopening of Lowell School Pushed Back Due to Delays in Materials & Equipment

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Watertown Public SchoolsA look inside Lowell Elementary School, which is under construction, and reopening will be pushed back by about a month. Watertown Superintendent Dede Galdston sent out the following announcement on Tuesday, May 30:

To our Lowell Elementary School community:

We are writing to you this afternoon to share an update on the ongoing renovations at the Lowell school. Since last year, the Lowell has been undergoing its most significant construction project since the school was built in the 1920’s. We have been eagerly anticipating our return to Lowell, which was targeted for the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. Unfortunately, it has now become apparent that we will not be able to reopen the school until early October.

Around Town

Watertown Honors the Sacrifices of Veterans During Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony

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Members of Watertown’s veterans groups march during the 2023 Memorial Day Parade. A Watertown veteran who has seen combat first hand shared what Memorial Day means to him at Watertown’s commemoration ceremony after the annual parade. McMaster served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as Vietnam before that. For him, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance and somber. “I was one of the lucky ones who made it home and there were times during the battles I would think, Boy I would love to make it home alive so I could be a veteran and I could march in the parade and I could go to the cookouts and wear my medals and people could thank me for my service,” he said during the ceremony at Victory Field.