Commencement Celebration

Every spring marks the end of one journey and the beginning of another for area graduates. This year, we asked high school graduates from Longboat, Lido, St. Armands and Bird keys to reflect upon their favorite high school moments, as well as share with us their plans for the future. Future plans for some include travel, volunteering and attending law school and medical school. Congratulations to all!
 

Kyle Aritt
Parents: Dan and Cindy Aritt
High school: Manatee High School
Higher education plans: Florida Atlantic University
Summer plans: Volunteering as a camp counselor at Camp Wekiva, in Orlando, and traveling to Maine, New York, and Minnesota
Favorite high school moment: Senior prom
Favorite high school class: Math
Community service/extracurricular activities: National Honors Society, swim team, track team, volunteering as a camp counselor and playing basketball
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Working as an ocean engineer and designing battleships for the Navy
What is something you can’t live without? Music and the beach

Hayley Johnson
Parents: Luann and Kevin Shaffer
High school: Bradenton Prep
Higher education plans: University of Tampa
Summer plans: Working and taking classes at State College of Florida
Favorite high school moment: Homecoming
Favorite high school class: Marine biology
Community service/extracurricular activities: Volunteering at Mote Marine, golf and tennis
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Working with kids, either as a child psychologist, social worker or teacher
What is something you can’t live without? My family and technology

Hilary Ann Hathaway
Parents: Gordon and Cindy Hathaway
High school: Manatee High School
Higher education plans: Pre-med at the University of Florida, then I plan to go on to medical school to study to become a doctor.
Summer plans: I plan on getting a job. I have recently acquired my certification as a medical administrative assistant, so I would like to work in a medical office. I also plan to continue volunteering at Manatee Memorial Hospital.
Favorite high school moment: Graduating, going to prom and being a finalist in the Golden Herald awards
Favorite high school class: Anatomy and physiology and AP biology
Community service/extracurricular activities: Volunteering at Blake Medical Center and Manatee Memorial Hospital; creating a tutoring program for elementary-school students called Buddy Systems; vice president of Mam’selles, an all-girls service organization; National Honors Society; Health Occupation Students of America; interning at Manatee Memorial Hospital as part of the Medical Science Academy at Manatee High; and the AP Plus Program.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I hope to be practicing medicine in a hospital setting. I hope that by then I will be able to use my passion for helping people in a broader spectrum than I have in the past with my volunteering. Ultimately, all I really want to do is help people.
What is something you can’t live without? That would have to be my cell phone. It is my connection to the world and how I stay connected with those that I care about, no matter how far away they are.

Kathryn McGinn
Parents: Lisa and Brian McGinn
High school: Pine View School
Higher education plans: Clemson University
Summer plans: Traveling, working at Shore on St. Armands Circle and having a friend from Idaho visit
Favorite high school moment: When our senior class won the school dodgeball tournament for the third year in a row.
Favorite high school class: Biology
Community service/extracurricular activities: Volunteering at Mote Marine; Habitat for Humanity; Special Olympics; varsity cross-country; varsity track; scuba diving; and currently studying for her private pilot’s license
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Sports reporter or journalist for ESPN
What is something you can’t live without? My family and dog, but I also really enjoy being close to the water.

Christina Papazian
Parents: Gigi and Rob Papazian
High school: Manatee High School
Higher education plans: Florida State University
Summer plans: Attend Florida State and possibly go to Cape Cod
Favorite high school moment: HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) state competition in Daytona
Favorite high school class: Anatomy and physiology
Community service/extracurricular activities: Soccer referee; volunteer at Manatee Memorial Hospital; varsity soccer at Manatee High School; FC Sarasota soccer; Arby’s employee
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Done with medical school and working in a hospital
What is something you can’t live without? My friends

Tazio Thompson
Parents: Elizabeth and Thomas Thompson
High School: Pine View High School
Higher education plans: Currently deciding between University of Miami and University of Central Florida
Summer plans: Working at CVS and traveling with friends
Favorite high school moment: Senior prom
Favorite high school class: Jazz band
Community service/extracurricular activities: Played for Sarasota Concert Band; played saxophone in concert band and jazz band; tennis team; and golf team
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Working in the field of business
What is something you can’t live without? My cell phone

Christina Walsh
Parents: Bernard Walsh and Patricia Morris
High school: Bradenton Prep
Higher education plans: Attending Florida Gulf Coast University and majoring in criminal justice, then attending Stetson Law School
Summer plans: Working at my father’s law firm, Shapiro, Goldman, Babboni and Walsh: Attorneys at Law; going to the beach; taking pictures; and taking summer classes at Florida Gulf Coast University
Favorite high school moment: Being a flyer on the cheerleading squad; going on field trips; my senior class trip; and meeting my best friend, Nick Torrance
Favorite high-school class: History and anatomy
Community service/extracurricular activities: Editor of the yearbook; lead soprano in show choir; co-captain of volleyball and cheerleading; defense attorney in mock trial; manager of the football team; Key Club; and National Honors Society
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Working as a successful attorney and living on Longboat Key.
What is something you can’t live without? My family and friends. They support every decision that I make and back me through the mistakes. Every member of my family and every single friend is by my side no matter what and gives unconditional love. Without them, I would not be who I am today and would not be going where I am tomorrow.

Viktor Wettergren
Parents: Agneta and Ola Wettergren
High school: Riverview High School
Higher education plans: Tufts University to major in chemistry for a pre-med track
Summer plans: Coaching sailing and working for my father
Favorite high school moment: Receiving my diploma from the International Baccalaureate program
Favorite high school class: Chemistry
Community service/extracurricular activities: Sailing; playing guitar; and volunteering at the Sarasota Youth Sailing Program, the YMCA and Mote Marine
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In 10 years I hope to have received a degree from medical school and to be beginning my second year of residency in a hospital.
What is something you can’t live without? Laughter