This is an ongoing series written by Staff Writer Lauren Konefal highlighting various members of the CRHS Class of 2022.

In two weeks, the Coginchaug Regional High School Class of 2022 will be graduating and bidding farewell to high school. The Devil’s Advocate reached out to select seniors to find out about their plans for the future after they graduate and asked them to reflect on their time at Coginchaug. 

Thank you to the featured seniors – Cayden Bernard, Ava Dell’Orfano, Piper Forbush, and Jenna Ulizio – who took the time to write thoughtful responses for the fourth edition of Senior Spotlight!

Cayden Bernard

Devil’s Advocate (DA): What are your plans for the future after you graduate?

Cayden Bernard (CB): After I graduate I am planning on attending the University of Connecticut, where I will be majoring in computer science and possibly minoring in mathematics.

DA: What aspect of your high school years have you enjoyed the most?

CB: Definitely sports. It’s a surreal experience that I don’t know if I’ll ever get to experience again. I get time to hang out with my friends, focus and grind on something meaningful to me, and get a sense of victory and accomplishment I don’t think exists anywhere else.

DA: What extracurricular activities and sports have you been involved with during your time at Coginchaug?

CB: During my time at Coginchaug, I have done Soccer, Track and Field, Robotics, Band, and a year of basketball my freshman year.

DA: What was your greatest challenge at Coginchaug and how did you overcome it?

CB: Chemistry, but I got a B in the class by the end of the year if you want to call that overcoming it.

DA: What did you learn about yourself during your time at Coginchaug?

CB: During my time at Coginchaug, I learned that if I apply myself to stuff I want to achieve, in most cases that is all it will take. Taking the time to sit down and work on bettering myself helped me a lot when I was struggling on certain topics or classes. I hope I will use that knowledge in college.

DA: Who was your favorite CRHS teacher and why?

CB: Mrs. Walsh, she taught my favorite classes like trigonometry and computer science, and helped me understand those topics a lot better than I think any other teacher could have. She’s also my favorite teacher to just sit down and talk to during class.

DA: What was your favorite class at CRHS?

CB: AP Government and Politics. Although the class was hard and had a lot of busy work, I feel like I was very interested by the topics and information we learned in that class. Mrs. Lagace is also a really good and fun teacher to have, and the overall classroom environment was very nice with us having fun and joking around a lot of the time.

DA: What are you going to miss the most about Coginchaug?

CB: I’m definitely going to miss the small fun classes filled with my friends I’ve become accustomed to in high school. Swapping them for lecture halls with a bunch of strangers will definitely be a shake up, at least at first.

DA: Which of your accomplishments at Coginchaug are you most proud of?

CB: Winning the Shoreline Championship during our indoor track season, and knowing I contributed with multiple points scored, is definitely my most proud achievement during my years at Coginchaug. Nothing will compare to how excited our entire team got when we heard that we won.

DA: What advice would you give to underclassmen based on your experience at Coginchaug?

CB: Enjoy your time and try making the most out of the freedom you’re given during your high school years. Time moves way too fast, it’ll feel like it’s over in mere seconds.

Ava Dell’Orfano

Devil’s Advocate (DA): What are your plans for the future after you graduate?

Ava Dell’Orfano (AD): Next year I will be going to UConn where I will study film.

DA: What aspect of your high school years have you enjoyed the most?

AD: I’ve loved getting more opportunities to explore what I love with the people I love. There are so many more clubs and such that Coginchaug offers that I never had access to before high school. It has really been a great way of connecting with my teachers and my peers, and it has also helped me learn more about myself.

DA: What extracurricular activities and sports have you been involved with during your time at Coginchaug?

AD: I was part of A Cappella, Show Choir, Jazz Band, Pep Band, Drama Club, Newspaper Club, Model UN, National Honors Society, Latin Honors Society, and Robotics.

DA: What was your greatest challenge at Coginchaug and how did you overcome it?

AD: I’m not sure there was any one specific challenge. I had a strenuous course load and a lot of extracurricular activities to balance, so there were times when I didn’t have a free night or afternoon for weeks. There were some late homework nights and there was procrastination, and honestly, I’m not sure that there was a particular way I overcame it. 

DA: What did you learn about yourself during your time at Coginchaug?

AD: One thing I learned was that I want to study film. Through newspaper club, I am a film reviewer, but I’ve also worked behind the camera for DATV (Devil’s Advocate TV), both of which have helped grow my appreciation and love for the medium and the industry.

DA: Who was your favorite CRHS teacher and why?

AD: I cannot pick a favorite. I have a solid circle of teachers that I trust and that have been supportive, so I don’t think that I could choose one over another. They have been so great in helping me grow up and learn, so no favorite.

DA: What was your favorite class at CRHS?

AD: I liked different classes for different reasons. I spent a lot of time in the music department, though (I was in every ensemble at least once). I am very comfortable in the music room, and some of my favorite memories were made there. 

DA: What are you going to miss the most about Coginchaug?

AD: I am going to miss the people (that circle of teachers I mentioned and my friends). Many of my friends will be in other schools and other states, and obviously my teachers will be staying here, so that’s what I will miss most.

DA: Which of your accomplishments at Coginchaug are you most proud of?

AD: I am very proud of DATV. It isn’t the most-watched news show around, but I started it and I run it. It’s my first significant bit of experience working on a film program. I also know that I am leaving it to people who will be able to keep it going after I’m gone, so I know that this creation will last beyond my time as a student.

DA: What advice would you give to underclassmen based on your experience at Coginchaug?

AD: Take advantage of all of the opportunities that the school has to offer. If there is a club that you may be interested in, or an elective that sounds cool, join it. Schedules can be worked out, and if you manage your time there are plenty of afternoons to go around. You may find your next passion in one of those rooms. 

Piper Forbush

Devil’s Advocate (DA): What are your plans for the future after you graduate?

Piper Forbush (PF): After high school, I plan on attending High Point University in High Point, North Carolina. I will be majoring in business management and doing Air Force ROTC. I will also possibly try out for the dance team.

DA: What aspect of your high school years have you enjoyed the most?

PF: The thing I enjoyed most about Coginchaug is the friendships I have made. My closest friends started off as assigned seats and now I could not imagine my life without them. I also loved how close I became with my teachers. The smaller population of Coginchaug has allowed me to have more personal connections with the staff and I could not be more grateful.

DA: What extracurricular activities and sports have you been involved with during your time at Coginchaug?

PF: I never participated in any school-related activities, but I have been dancing for fifteen years. I started at The Dancer’s Studio when I was three and fell in love with it. I have been on the competition team for nine years and the experiences I have had have been unforgettable. 

DA: What was your greatest challenge at Coginchaug and how did you overcome it?

PF: I know I am not the only one who struggled, but my sophomore year is when COVID-19 impacted the world. We were forced to distance, limit contact with others, and do online learning. I had such a difficult time learning from the computer because I often lost focus and motivation.  I tried to stay positive, but it seemed like nothing could change it except time. I still have not fully recovered, but I am finally happy that we have moved on the best that we can. 

DA: What did you learn about yourself during your time at Coginchaug?

PF: I learned that I am enthusiastic and strong-willed. I like to be right, but I can accept when I am wrong. I love being around others and I hope someday I can work above people. I also am very passionate about things that I care about, but I also learned I have a hard time staying focused. 

DA: Who was your favorite CRHS teacher and why?

PF: My favorite teacher at CRHS is Mr. Thompson. He is one of my favorites because of how real he is. I hate when teachers treat us as students instead of as people. Mr. Thompson is very down-to-earth and accepts the flaws in everyone without making them feel bad. He knows how to be both a great teacher and a great person. 

DA: What was your favorite class at CRHS?

PF: My favorite class was either Accounting with Mr. Donecker or AP Psychology with Mrs. Jacques.

DA: What are you going to miss the most about Coginchaug?

PF: I am going to miss my friends and the people I grew up with. I will miss seeing them everyday and sitting together at lunch and passing each other’s faces in the hall. I will never forget them and I know that I am happy to look back on the memories.

DA: What advice would you give to underclassmen based on your experience at Coginchaug?

PF: I would tell them to live every moment and never take it for granted. 

Jenna Ulizio

Devil’s Advocate (DA): What are your plans for the future after you graduate?

Jenna Ulizio (JU): I plan to attend the University of Connecticut on the Storrs campus to study English. 

DA: What aspect of your high school years have you enjoyed the most?

JU:  I have enjoyed being able to explore my interests inside and outside of the classroom with both the classes I have taken and my extracurriculars. 

DA: What extracurricular activities and sports have you been involved with during your time at Coginchaug?

JU: During my time at Coginchaug, I participated in Book Club, Newspaper Club, National Honors Society, Latin Honors Society, Stage Crew, and Model United Nations.

DA: What was your greatest challenge at Coginchaug and how did you overcome it?

JU: My greatest challenge at Coginchaug was taking AP Physics. It was an incredibly challenging class that was full of my weaknesses. I had to work hard to devise a plan to succeed, so I met often with my teacher, found outside resources, and took the time before tests to really study and do my best to understand the material. It was hard work but ultimately I got through the class. 

DA: What did you learn about yourself during your time at Coginchaug?

JU: I learned that I am much more capable than I believed myself to be at first. I doubt myself more than I should and that if I have an idea or something I want to do, I should do it, because more often than not, I can succeed if I put my mind to it. 

DA: Who was your favorite CRHS teacher and why?

JU: There are so many teachers I could pick for this question, but I think my favorite would have to be Mrs. McClintick. English is my favorite subject and I had her for both AP Lang and UConn English. She always encouraged me to do my best and throw myself into the material, and she helped me hone my writing skills and fostered my creativity. 

DA: What was your favorite class at CRHS?

JU: My favorite classes at Coginchaug were UConn Modern European History, UConn English, and Latin II-V. These were all classes that encouraged me to pursue topics that interested me the most and really helped me grow as a student. I had a lot of fun in all of them and walked away with new perspectives on the material and myself. 

DA: What are you going to miss the most about Coginchaug?

JU:  I think I’m going to miss the community I have found at Coginchaug the most. All of us seniors are going our separate ways after graduation, and I also will miss some of the underclassmen. I have also been a part of many clubs and classes that I will be sad to leave, as I have enjoyed being a part of them these four years. 

DA: Which of your accomplishments at Coginchaug are you most proud of?

JU: I was president of the Book Club at Coginchaug for two years, and something I had wanted to do for a long time is organize a book drive. This year, I was finally able to do so with the club, and after all of our collective hard work, we managed to collect over two thousand books. I was blown away by the community’s generosity and it was amazing to be able to help a cause that meant a lot to me.  

DA: What advice would you give to underclassmen based on your experience at Coginchaug?

JU: Advice I would give underclassmen is to get involved. If something seems even a little bit interesting to you, don’t pass that opportunity up. These four years go by much faster than you think, and sometimes the most unexpected experiences are the things that wind up being the most important and fun here. There is so much you can do and so many opportunities, and you should get involved, because you might just find your new favorite thing!

The Devil’s Advocate would like to congratulate the Class of 2022 on their many accomplishments throughout their time at Coginchaug and wish them the utmost success in their future endeavors.