By ALEX MALM

In the spring of 2020 graduating seniors at Pilgrim and Toll Gate got to walk across the stage not surrounded by hundreds of people at the Community College of Rhode Island Knight Campus as has been the case for many years.

Instead students made appointments to walk across the school stage, receive their diploma and move their tassels to the other side.

And this year students at the two public schools will be continuing the tradition started last year by graduating at the Aldrich Mansion.

Pilgrim

The Pilgrim Class of 2022 is slated to graduate one June 14 starting at 4:30 p.m. with a rain date of June 15.

According to interim principal Toby Gibbons the Class of 2022 consists of approximately 266 graduates. Scheduled to speak includes Supt. Lynn Dambruch, Mayor Frank Picozzi, School Committee Chairperson  and Class of 1986  Pilgrim graduate Judy  Cobden along with faculty member  Stephen Carter.

Order of speakers will be Superintendent Dambruch, Honorable Mayor Picozzi, “We will be outside and at this moment there is no requirement of wearing a mask,” said Gibbons. “Due to parking concerns, each graduate will be allotted two tickets for two cars to attend the ceremony.”

Toll Gate

The approximately 293 seniors as part of the Toll Gate Class of 2022 are slated to graduate at the Aldrich Mansion on June 14 at 12:30 p.m. with a rain date of June 15.

Principal Candace Caluori said that unlike last year’s graduation this year’s will be mask free.

Caluori said that there are no guest speakers and like always Dambruch, Picozzi and a School Committee member will be making remarks to the graduate and those in attendance.

Caluori said that seniors recently had their senior prom in Newport and have many events coming up including senior scavenger hunt, field day, and movie night.

“We are very proud of our seniors who have been through a lot during Covid and have come out strong and resilient,” said Caluori.

According to a memo from Assistant Superintendent Bill McCaffrey to the School Committee the cost for both graduations at Aldrich Mansion is about $20,000. McCaffrey said it is a similar price as CCRI.

Hendricken

After holding graduations at the Aldrich Mansions for the past two years, Bishop Hendricken will be graduating this year at the Cathedral of Saints Peter & Paul on June 13 at 5 p.m.

This year the 160 graduates will hear from guest speaker 1986 graduate Brigadier General Andrew J. Chevalier.

“The Class of 2022 has excelled in every endeavor, and even through the challenging past few years, they have made us remarkably proud,” said school president Fr. Robert Marciano. “We are very pleased to introduce them to the Brigadier General whose story, words, and lifelong commitment to service of others will inspire them into the next chapter of their lives. Brigadier General Chevalier’s service to his community, state, and country is the true mark of a Hendricken man.”

Chevalier serves as the Director of Joint Staff and Land Component Commander for the Rhode Island National Guard. His responsibilities include serving as the Principal Staff Officer and primary advisor to the Adjutant General for all matters pertaining to policy, operations, mobilization, State interagency contingency planning and support to civil authorities. As the Land Component Commander, Brigadier General Chevalier oversees operational, logistical, and personnel matters affecting the readiness of the Rhode Island Army National Guard and is ready to serve as the dual status commander in the event of Federal or State emergency declaration.

Following his career at Bishop Hendricken, Brigadier General Chevalier received his commission into the United States Army in 1990. Following Initial Entry Rotary Wing Flight School, his first assignments included serving as a helicopter platoon leader and company commander for rotary wing units based out of Quonset.

In 2004, Brigadier General Chevalier was deployed to Iraq as the Battalion Operations Officer for the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment. In 2012, he deployed to Kuwait as the Battalion Commander for the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment. He went on to serve as the Director of Personnel, Director of Operations and Training, and the Chief of Staff for the Rhode Island Army National Guard.

Hendricken’s graduation will also be live streamed at www.hendricken.com/graduation.