Cross Cheerleading Sisters Walk The Stage

Wilbur Cross cheerleading co-captains and twin sisters Kayla and Makayla Edwards haven’t had a lot to cheer about over the past four years — until, that is, they did.

Their high school journeys began normally. Then Covid hit. Their grades dropped during remote learning. They missed classes as their mom fought breast cancer. But they managed to turn their grades around and, dressed in red along with hundreds of their peers, walked the graduation stage and into the next chapters in their lives.

The Edwards sisters were two of 316 students to graduate from Wilbur Cross High School on Tuesday afternoon. The Mitchell Drive school’s 102nd commencement ceremony took place at the newly multi-million-dollar-renovated football field and outdoor track. 

Tuesday’s celebration recognized the accomplishments of the graduates from the city’s largest high school, as well as how difficult it was for many to get to where they were that day. Some of those included a full ride to Howard University, a basketball scholarship, and acceptances to Yale University.

Eighteen-year-olds Kayla and Makayla Edwards agreed the two hardest hurdles for them during high school were staying focused during the Covid pandemic and as their mom fought against breast cancer. 

Makayla remembered when Covid shut down just about everything at the end of her freshman year. She said she struggled to adjust to remote learning her sophomore year. And her junior year, she and her sister were hit with the news that their mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Her senior year, she played catch up and made it into the national honor society. 

The duo joined the cheerleading team their junior year to get back to doing an extracurricular after the pandemic put a pause on their previous 12 years of dancing. 

Kayla recalled hard times over the years, like during her junior year when she had to miss out on a Spanish class project to be by her mom’s side during a double mastectomy surgery. She struggled to convince her teacher to understand why she could not complete the class project. 

Makayla said Metropolitan Business school was her first choice for a high school, but she was not accepted and ended up going to Cross. ​“I’m glad I did because Cross has everything,” she said. 

Kayla plans to attend the University of New Haven (UNH) for criminal justice. Makayla received a $1,000 EMT scholarship and will also attend UNH for paramedicine. 

Makayla recalled the highlight of her year as cheerleading at the Thanksgiving Hillhouse v. Cross football game and winning this year. 

During the ceremony student speakers included Salutatorian Ke Qing Tan and Valedictorian Young In Kim. The students highlighted their classmates’ many successes and acts of courage through student activism. 

Tan described her class as tackling unprecedented times with unprecedented grace. 

Tan offered a list of Cross student accomplishments which included dealing with ​“a few more principals than usual” and making room for the huge influx of students as Cross’ student enrollment rates spiked this year. 

Kim also highlighted Cross students’ acts of activism in recent years like its Environmental Club’s push for more district-wide sustainability efforts and development of a composting pilot this year, student athletes testifying to the Board of Alders for field repairs, and rallying for the return of several removed Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

“We look outward. We know what’s going on nationally and internationally and we care,” Tan said. 

Kim encouraged his classmates to continue to advocate for themselves and their community. 

“Remember these moments of unity, they’re special, let them carry you forward,” Tan advised her classmates. 

Additional speakers at Tuesday’s ceremony included Mayor Justin Elicker and Principal Matt Brown. 

Elicker said the city’s new climate office and public school board efforts around climate and sustainability were fueled by Cross students’ activism. 

Brown described the students as the definition of perseverance. 

“Even when hard things happen we can fly and we can succeed,” he said. 

Graduates crossed Tuesday’s stage dancing and repping their home country flags. 

First year Cross principal Matt Brown presented graduate Jamel Roy Lee with an award for the school’s most valuable athlete as he received his diploma. 

Tuesday’s crowd of families and friends was so large the crowd filled the field’s bleachers to max capacity and had to offer seating for families on the field as well. 

"Cooking, That's My Safe Space"

Cross graduate Naomi Green, 18, crossed the graduation stage Tuesday with a red cap decorated with pink feathers. 

In an interview before crossing the stage, Green described being proud of herself and ​“feeling like I’m a new person.” 

When asked about her high school journey Green recalled starting her freshmen year off struggling to manage her anger and impatience with most situations due to being ​“in defense mode” she said. 

Four years later with the help of her mom’s support, city resources, and work experience, she described herself as wise, having patience, understanding, and being a better listener.

She also recalled the struggles of ​“being home all day” her sophomore year while remote learning was the sole option for students. 

“I was depressed and had no job to keep me busy or anything,” she said. 

In order for Green to flip her attitude, she said, she had to put in a self-referral for the city’s Youth Connect support with the help of Youth Services Specialist Ronald Huggins who later connected her with ConnCAT, which offered her an internship opportunity. 

At Tuesday’s ceremony, Huggins said he’s watched Green’s confidence and maturity grow significantly. He added that the Youth and Recreation Department is still accepting applicants for its summer book scholarship for students heading to college this fall. (Click here to apply.)

Her ConnCAT internship allowed her to learn to use new baking tools and enhance her cooking skills, she said. 

While getting these supports Green said she began to manage her anger and build her confidence. She also was motivated to chase her dream of having a cooking business, so she went on to create her own LLC bakery business known as Deliciouss Treatss. 

“Cooking, that’s my safe space,” she said. ​“If my cooking comes out trash then I’m in a bad mood.” 

She also got a job at Wendy’s which helped her to build on her practice with customer service and working positively with difficult customers. 

In the past year Green has done several catering events around the city including a mayoral brunch and most recently she baked cupcakes for Engineering and Science University Magnet School’s graduation this year. 

Her favorite thing to cook is macaroni and cheese. She is currently working on perfecting a Jalapeño mac and cheese recipe.

Green plans to attend Gateway Community College’s Culinary Program and to become a private chef. 

"Leave The Table If Respect Is No Longer Being Served"

Former Cross Principal, Edith Johnson was the ceremony’s keynote speaker. Johnson was principal of the city’s largest high school from 2013 – 2022, meaning she was principal of the Tuesday graduates for their first three years of high school. 

“I told you four years ago that four years would go by quickly,” she said. 

Johnson’s speech provided the graduating class with some words of advice for how to have a successful life. 

She advised the students to ​“select your thoughts the same way you select your clothes every day” because ​“you’re only going to go as far as you think,” she said. 

She pushed the students to make success-focused choices, to love themselves, and to ​“leave the table if respect is no longer being served.”