HCN News & Notes

Five to Graduate from Willie Ross School for the Deaf on June 11

LONGMEADOW — Five students will graduate from Willie Ross School for the Deaf (WRSD) at this year’s commencement, to be held on Friday, June 11 at 6 p.m. at the school’s Longmeadow campus, 32 Norway St., at the bus loop in the front of the school. WRSD leadership, graduates, and their families will be present for the ceremony, and the event will also be streamed on Facebook Live at fb.me/e/zBjuFkLJ.

The five graduates are Brian Cristobal-DeLeon, Nyasia Wright, Alicia Hui, Hayley Kane, and Richard Whyte.

Cristobal-DeLeon has been a student at Willie Ross since 2009 and played for the WRSD basketball team, and in high school played on the Holyoke High School basketball team. His favorite subject is math. After graduation, he plans to attend Gallaudet University.

Wright has been a Willie Ross student since 2006. Her favorite class in high school was English, and her hobbies include basketball and after-school clubs. She plans to attend Gallaudet University in the fall.

Hui has been a student at Willie Ross since 2004, and her favorite classes are history, math, ASL, and science. She also enjoys photography. After graduation, she plans to go to college.

Kane has been a student at Willie Ross since 2015. Her favorite class in school was art, and her hobbies include basketball, drawing, writing stories, cheerleading, and gardening. Kane plans to attend Holyoke Community College for graphic design in the fall.

Whyte has been a student at Willie Ross since 2013. His favorite class is PE, and he loves to hang out with friends and play video games. After graduation, Whyte plans to enter the workforce.

“We are so proud of our graduates, who persevered during this very difficult senior year impacted by the pandemic, which required virtual learning,” said Bert Carter, president and CEO of WRSD. “Our graduates proved their resilience, and they are great representatives of the school. I have no doubt they will succeed in college and in their lives going forward.”