Page 8 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUnE 9, 2023 Remembering Alan Silipigni Late student from the Saugus High School Class of 2023 receives honorary diploma posthumously By Mark E. Vogler Christie Serino Jr. Memorial Stadium to accept the diploA lan Joseph Silipigni was just a 14-year-old freshman at Saugus High School when his sudden death left family members, classmates and friends heartbroken in late November of 2019. Nearly three and a half years after his passing, the late member of the Class of 2023 received a special tribute last Friday (June 2) – an honorary diploma awarded posthumously. “It is fi tting that the fi rst diploma for the Class of 2023 be issued in honor of this wonderful young man,” Saugus High School Principal Brendon Sullivan said as Alan’s parents – Joseph and Pam Silipigni – were called to the stage in ma on their son’s behalf. “Alan was a beloved member of the Class of 2023 and the Saugus Community, who was called from us too soon,” Sullivan said. “A lover of sports, scouts and the Sachem Community, Alan was a positive force in the Saugus Schools. Alan’s legacy will live on in the form of the Alan Silipigni Memorial Scholarship,” the principal said. Luciana Lancellotta, one of Alan’s teachers, presented the diploma to Mr. and Mrs. Silipigni. Friends and relatives remembered Alan as a conscientious student who got good grades (“All A’s and B’s and one C in Biology”), a dedicated altar server at the Blessed Sacrament Church and an enthusiastic member of Saugus Boy Scout Troop 61, a proud member of the Saugus High golf team and a prolifi c Boston Red Sox fan who openly spoke about becoming the future general manager of the Red Sox when asked what he wanted to do when he grew up. He would often sport Red Sox and Patriots haircuts to display his love for Boston sports teams. Nearly a week after Alan’s tragic death in late 2019, many in the community converged at Town Hall for the town’s annual tree lighting, which featured a celebration of the young man’s life. His cousin Krista Silipigni posted messages on social media, imploring town residents to wear Red Sox apparel in memory of Alan, who was known to be a huge Red Sox fan. Many people in the crowd complied with that request, wearing Red Sox hats, jackets and sweatshirts. Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano made arrangements to have a two-foot round Boston Red Sox holiday ornament bearing Alan’s name and angel wings mounted on the Norwegian spruce tree that had been planted that year. Two Alan Silipigni Memorial Scholarships were awarded this year. Sarah Elwell will be attending the University of Maine this fall to study Psychology. Wiktoria Biegun plans to study Diagnostic Medical Sonography at Regis College. 2023 Saugus High School graduation The Salutatorian Address By Afnan Tuff aha “ This is for everybody going through tough times, believe me, been there, done that. But everyday above ground is a great day, remember that.” I could think of no better way to open up this speech than with the wise words of globally celebrated poet and philosopher Mr. Worldwide. These meaningful lyrics resonate deeply with the challengwww.eight10barandgrille.com OPEN DAILY FOR DINNER AT 4 PM. CATCH THE CELTICS, BRUINS & NCAA SPORTS ON OUR 6 LARGE SCREEN TV'S! om WE'RE OPEN! 8 Norwood Street, Everett (617) 387-9810 es we have faced on our journey to this memorable day – a journey plagued with widespread cases of senioritis, tempting us with the allure of lazy afternoons, Netfl ix binges, and an overwhelming desire to hit the snooze button. As we gather here today to celebrate our achievements, we must recognize the diverse paths we have taken to reach this milestone. Allow me to begin by giving you a taste of my own. I stand before you today for apparently… being smart. And while I do consider myself pretty smart, many of my friends strongly disagree with that statement. Why, you ask? Well, according to them, I’m severely lacking in practical intelligence. To prove that point, my dear friend Grace Antonelli, who just loves to tell everyone how incompetent I am, gifted me a “Bill of Anti-Rights” for my birthday yesterday, which is essentially a long list of basic things I can’t do. I actually brought it here with me today. As some of you know, there are MANY things I can’t do so the list is extremely long, but I’ll just read out a few highlights. – Afnan can’t swim. – Afnan can’t drive. – Afnan can’t ride a bike. – Afnan can’t reach the top shelf. I’m vertically challenged, what can I say? -And, my personal favorite, Afnan can’t lift anything over 2 pounds. Interestingly, it doesn’t say anywhere on this list that I can’t graduate, so thank you Grace for giving me the benefit of the doubt. In the spirit of thank yous, I’d like to take this moment to thank some very special people who’ve been instrumental to my academic journey. Don’t worry, I’ll keep them brief. Thank you to all the faculty who have consistently put in the work to help us graduate. Thank you to Pepsi for getting me through MANY sleepless nights. For those who can’t tell by the way my cap is decorated, I have a severe Pepsi addiction. Pepsi, if you’re watching this, please sponsor me. Thank you to my friends and family for always supporting me even when I didn’t think I could support myself. Special shoutout to my mom for being my biggest cheerleader and the BEST cook, my dad for being my personal uber driver (I mean, come on, imagine having an 18-year-old who can’t drive), and my sisters for proofreading my college essay about 500 times. And fi nally, thank you to my fellow graduates, who have completely shaped the trajectory of my past four years. I like to think of our class as the end of an era. We’re the last class NUMBER TWO STUDENT: Afnan Tuffaha finished as the second highest scholastically ranked student in the Class of 2023, earning the honor to be the class Salutatorian at last Friday’s 152nd Commencement Exercises at Saugus High School. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) who will ever know what it’s like to roam the halls of the old building. And while we complained a whole lot about the old building at the moment, it would be ignorant to say we didn’t make some of our best memories in that rundown place. I mean, who could ever forget the asbestos-fi lled auditorium, the mysterious smoking vents, the random plastic babies everywhere, and the nauseating smell of mac and cheese in E wing after lunch every day? OH and not to mention the time we encountered a rat just casually chilling in a light fi xture. These memories, as strange as they may seem, hold a special place in our hearts. TUFFAHA | SEE PAGE 9 HONORING ALAN: Saugus High School Principal Brendon Sullivan called the late Alan Joseph Silipigni “a beloved member of the Class of 2023.” (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate)
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