Career Seniors Bring Swahili, Ñandutí, Perseverance To Graduation

“‘Elimu ni ufunguo wa maisha’: This is a Swahili phrase my dad always told me, meaning ​‘Education is the key to life,’” Career senior Bahati Mulungula said in her valedictorian address Monday as she joined 133 of her peers in graduating from the Hill high school. ​“Education is how we make space for ourselves, and how we claim our power — and it’s how we change the stories that others write for us.”

Mulungula emphasized the power of education and community in her remarks, touching upon a key theme throughout the rest of the speeches and the energy at Career High School’s graduation ceremony, which was held at Bowen Field.

The sun came out just in time for the graduates to receive their diplomas, flip over their tassels, and celebrate with their families.

Principal Shawn True lauded the Class of 2025 for their perseverance through an unusual four years, especially as these graduates entered high school during the Covid-19 pandemic and dealt with its ramifications throughout their time at Career. ​“This is really the highlight of my year, every year,” he told the Independent. ​“It’s really a collection of all of our team at the school — teachers, staff, administrations, our school community — everyone collaborating together over the course of the four years for these young people.”

While New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) grapples with a budget deficit — making staff layoffs ​“unavoidable, according to the mayor and the superintendent — Hill Regional Career High School has been so far unscathed. According to True, there will be downsizing — one teacher has left to teach at another public school — but no layoffs have happened.

Jasmine Quaye, who served this year as student council treasurer, became the fourth generation in her family to graduate from Career on Monday. Holding several bouquets of flowers and a teddy bear in her arms, she posed for photos with her family and friends as they celebrated the end of her high school career.

“Walking across the stage felt like a fever dream,” Quaye said. ​“I loved being on student council, going to the meetings — it felt really important, and really good to be part of something.” She specifically referenced the extensive fundraising efforts they took on: ​“Obviously, New Haven isn’t the best funded, so we really had to pull our weight — we fundraised a lot and it was so fun.”

In addition to her diploma, Jasmine also received distinctions for being a graduate of Career’s EMT program. She plans on using the skills she learned in high school at Southern Connecticut State University, where she will be studying nursing.

Across the field, Suliman Safi was celebrating with his parents, siblings, and family friends. Also plannign to go to Southern, he looks forward to pursuing his degree in computer science.

“I’m so happy to be here [at graduation], and my family is proud of me,” Safi said. For him, the teachers at Career were a vital part of his experience: ​“They really helped me a lot.”

His father, Saifurahman Safi, expressed that this was a moment of great joy for their family. ​“It’s a happy moment for us in our life, because he’s my oldest son, so it’s the first time seeing [a child] at graduation — it’s a proud moment,” he said. ​“I wish him the best of luck for his future — that’s what everyone is thinking about for our kids.”

Caleb Rubio’s family also celebrated their newly minted grad’s tenacity and drive, as they gathered underneath a tree at the edge of the track. Rubio, who will be attending UConn in the fall, sported an eye-catching stole made of red, white, and blue ñandutí, a traditional Paraguayan lace, to celebrate his Seal of Biliteracy, as well as a cord for an award he won for his capstone project on how religion affects mental health.

Nearby, his mother Priscilla and older sister Maria were smiling with pride. For their family, Monday’s graduation comes at an emotional time, following Father’s Day celebrations the day before.

“His freshman year, we lost our dad — that came along with a lot of other things, including Covid, during that time period,” Maria said. “[For Caleb], it was a mental battle, but also just a physical battle of finding yourself in high school and advocating for what he needed at the time.”

Salutatorian Cesar Zecena Perez, who also lost his father during his time at Career, encouraged his fellow graduates during his address to focus on their strength in themselves and their community as they press forward into their adult lives. 

“Let’s become people who lift others, the way we’ve been lifted, and let’s become people who remember where we come from, even when we’re chasing something bigger,” he said. ​“Let’s become people who, no matter how far they go, never forget who made it possible.”