Thea Jade Barbieto: “Whether you do it confidently or do it scared, time will pass anyway.” Nyota-Uhura Jackson receives her diploma. “Our graduating class is told that art will die, and that the future is bleak because of A.I. But what A.I. cannot replicate is human connection,” Nyot a-Uhura Jackson told her fellow 2026 graduates of Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School on Monday afternoon. Jackson was one of around 120 Co-Op students who walked across the Shubert Theatre’s stage and collected their high school diplomas. As each name was called, the auditorium, packed with friends and family, erupted in thunderous applause. In her speech, Jackson, the class’s salutatorian, emphasized the importance of personal relationships. Co-Op students have connected with each other and the New Haven community through “music, drama, dance, visual arts, and singing,” said Jackson. “It’s my hope that we remember the importance of connection and kindness, and how our talents and creative voices can be among the very things” that make the world “a better place.” At Co-Op, Jackson specialized in the visual arts, but she is a multi-talented artist. She told the Independent that she paints, draws, and writes. “She also plays violin,” added her dad. After she graduates, she will attend Yale University. She has not decided on a major, but she plans to enroll in Directed Studies, a first-year program in literature, philosophy, and political thought. As graduates walked across the stage, families screamed their names and raised posters of their faces. Graduates’ caps, many decorated with glitter, sparkled under the stage lights. Thea Jade Barbieto, the class’s valedictorian, received unbridled applause. “It’s crazy. I didn’t think I’d be able to get the top spot. I’m really proud of myself for it all,” she told the Independent. Barbieto, a Bridgeport native, lives outside of the area zoned for Co-Op. But when she heard the school would give her one-and-a-half hours to work on art every day, she knew she had to “make it happen.” After speaking with her middle school counselor, she figured out that she could commute to Co-Op by catching a public bus from Stratford. For Barbieto, the daily trek was worth it. “This is where I was introduced to ceramics,” she said, her favorite form of art. Next year, Barbieto will attend Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and learn about architecture, a discipline that combines her love of creativity and technical skill. Natalya Santiago, a creative writing student, is looking forward to “taking a breather” and “having fun” with friends this summer. “Let’s see if she actually relaxes,” said her dad, beaming with pride. Santiago will attend the University of Connecticut next year. She plans to major in political science and psychology. Her interest in political science was inspired by a constitutional law class at Co-Op, which was taught in conjunction with Yale Law School. Psychology, on the other hand, is more “to get to know my brain better,” she said. During his remarks on Monday, Paul Camarco, Co-Op’s principal, reflected on how differently his life had turned out from what he imagined as a 1996 Co-Op graduate. “But that, my friends, is the beauty of time and education,” he said. “Now, Class of 2026, the next 30 years belongs to you. No one could predict what the world will look like in 2056….But I do know this: you’re going to be part of it.” Natalya Santiago (left): “It’s weird that it’s my turn” to graduate. Frank Brady, the guest speaker: “It’s a process to be successful, and you are living the process, right now in this moment.” The post Human Connection > A.I., At Co-Op Graduation appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less