It looked like a small tornado had gone through the C-Wing hallway at Newtown Middle School Wednesday afternoon, but it turns out the eighth graders had simply cleaned out their lockers for the end of the year. I guess the school ran out of trashcans.

Some familiar faces caught my eye on national television Monday morning. Sam Kent, Nate Crevier, Alex Israel, and Lauren Powers (along with five students from Bethel High School) had their moment in the sun when Good Morning America ran the fast food segment the NMS students had filmed with Bill Weir at Danbury Fair Mall in late May. After a few weeks of waiting, the kids who were involved in the segment learned over the weekend that Good Morning America had finally put the segment into the schedule.

All nine of the kids had been recruited to read Chew On This: Everything You Don’t Want To Know About Fast Food, which had been co-written by Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson, a few weeks before their appointment at Danbury Fair Mall (where better to pick the minds of today’s youth, after all?) with Mr Wilson. During the GMA segment the kids talked about what they ate regularly, and talked about some of the surprising things they had learned while reading the book.

I’m not so sure I feel like downing a burger anytime soon, now.

Newtown High School changed the location for its graduation ceremonies a few years ago, and this year’s ceremonies offered a wordless explanation of how smart the decision to move the ceremonies from Blue & Gold Stadium — or moved hastily into the high school’s auditorium — to the William A. O’Neill Athletic & Convocation Center over at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury has proven to be. As parents and grads-to-be drove toward WestConn’s westside campus Tuesday night, ominous clouds rolled into the area and the skies darkened faster than the gradual loss of a regular sunset. By the time the skies over Newtown finally opened up around 7 pm, all grads, family members, faculty, and other ceremony participants were all safely inside the cavernous gymnasium, safe — dry — and sound.

At the high school graduation, Kitty Latowicki from the high school’s Career Center was joined by her daughter, Monica, at the door to hand out programs. Monica was a 2005 NHS graduate.

When a passerby expressed surprise at seeing the entire Board of Ed at graduation, board member Tom Gissen replied, “Of course we’re here. This is the culmination of our work, what we try so hard to accomplish.”

It’s nearly book sale time, but the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library are still looking for a few good men and women who can volunteer during the week of June 27 to set up for the annual book sale at Reed Intermediate School. Dozens of volunteers have worked through the winter and spring to sort, categorize, and box the thousands of books donated for the sale, but even more hands are needed as the preparations for the book sale come down to the final stretch. Openings are also available for anyone interested in working at the sale — taking place this year at Reed School, don’t forget — anytime between Saturday, July 1, to Wednesday, July 5. Call Mary Maki at 426-3889 for additional information on either opportunity.

As the 225th anniversary approaches of Comte de Rochambeau’s historic 650-mile march from Rhode Island to Yorktown, Va., events have begun taking place to honor the occasion. Southbury will be hosting the largest event in the state to commemorate the march, with two days of events taking place at Platt Farm on June 17 and 18. The observation will continue later this month with Ridgefield hosting a “March To Victory” weekend June 30–July 2, and a dedication event scheduled in Danbury for July 1 (see related story in this week’s Enjoy section).

Closer to home and on a smaller scale, Newtown’s town historian will lead a smaller-scale event on Thursday, June 29. Residents are invited to join Dan Cruson as he unveils what has been hidden under tarps, rope, and packing tape on the front lawn of Hawley School this week. Mr Cruson will unveil a bronze plaque that visitors and historians following the route across the state can more easily identify locations that are part of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route. School’s out, so parking at the school will be easy to find. Let’s give Dan a strong show of support by his hometown.

Speaking of the end of the school year, you know it has arrived with Edmond Town Hall starts offering a fuller matinee schedule. Ice Age: The Meltdown brings daily matinees back to the calendar for a few months when it starts its one-week run on June 23.

Thunderstorms in the area Monday and Tuesday welcomed the return of the Valentas, who are visiting from their retirement home in Florida. The weather seemed to follow them up here. Kaaren and Jerry visited The Bee office on Tuesday, looking tan and relaxed even though they had arrived in town the previous day… having driven here.

Many friends came from all corners of the office to say Hello to Kaaren, and more than one was overheard saying, “I thought I recognized that laugh.” Kaaren, as anyone who knows her will remind you, has a very distinctive and contagious laugh. Those who worked with her during any part of her 30-plus year tenure at The Bee learned quickly to recognize that laugh. As friends once again tracked that laugh to its owner early Tuesday afternoon, Jerry said, “She laughs even more now.”

As I think about how nice that must be, I’ll curl back up in my sunny spot and think of a good joke to share with you next week when you…

Read me again.