Kurn Hattin graduation: A celebration of hope and perseverance

COURTESY
WESTMINSTER, Vt. ― Twelve eighth-graders graduated from Kurn Hattin Homes for Children on Saturday, June 9 in a joyous and emotional ceremony. Graduation proceedings began with an opening welcome from Executive Director Stephen Harrison, an invocation from houseparent Clint Plant, and greetings from Janet Wilson, president of the board. Salutatorian Sylus LaBarre then spoke to the audience and his fellow graduating classmates.

Several students received one or more prizes from the categories of awards, which included the following: Good Citizenship Award – the Zachary Corban; Vosburg Award – Sylus LaBarre; W.I. Mayo Awards – Korbin Jones-McDougal and Noelani (Love) Lowe, Suitcase Award – Zachary Corban and Noelani Love; Woodhull Music Awards – Noelani (Love) Lowe, Zachary Corban, Jacob Edwards, and Antoinette Reyes; Massachusetts Board of Directors’ Excellence in Writing Awards – Korbin Jones-McDougal and Noelani (Love) Lowe; Alumni Association Awards – Zachary Corban and Noelani (Love) Lowe; Eleanor Ward Achievement Award – Korban Jones-McDougal; John P. Barry & Christopher W. Barry Award – Zachary Corban; W.I. Mayo Memorial Award – Jacob Edwards; and the Robert P. Hubbard Memorial Scholarship Award – Noelani (Love) Lowe.

Additionally, the Peter Harrison Grohs Memorial Award was given to 7th grader Cameron Childress and the Vivian Prindl Award was given to seventh-grader Izabella Murphy.

Three Kurn Hattin alumni were awarded the Thomas G. Fahner Scholarship: Jahyde R. Bullard, Chrystal Longe, and Gizenia Boyd.

Valedictorian Jacob Edwards gave the farewell speech, mentioning his first memories of coming to the Homes at age 9, his experiences over the years leading up to graduation, and his plans for the future. He said he would always hold dear what he learned from Kurn Hattin. Diplomas were then presented by Janet Wilson and Principal Sergio Simunovic. After graduating, many of the students stay on campus for the summer program, and then will rejoin their families and attend their local high schools in the fall. Others will move on to attend other private residential schools with a similar mission.

The Kurn Hattin Class of 2018 includes the following students: Jeremiah Izick Bussiere (Winchester), Zachary Seth Corban (Swanzey), Thomas Edgar Daniels Jr. (Ludlow, Vermont), Jacob Ralph Edwards (New York City), Korbin Liam Jones-McDougal (Keene), Sylus Joseph LaBarre (Allenwood, Pennsylvania), Hannah Rose Lockwood (Bellows Falls, Vermont), Noelani Sandra-Ann (Love) Lowe (Pawtucket, Rhode Island), Christiana Holly Mylott (Manchester Center, Vermont), Kevin James Patterson (Putney, Vermont), Antoinette Janet Reyes (Cambria Heights, New York), and Vincenzo James Ruggiero (Saxtons River, Vermont).

Since 1894, Kurn Hattin Homes for Children has helped thousands of children ages 5-15 and their families by offering a safe home and quality education in a nurturing environment. For more information, visit www.kurnhattin.org.