On the beautiful summer night of June 26, Islip High School’s 99th commencement took place, as the graduating seniors of the Class of 2024 walked on to the school’s athletic field in proud purple and white, ready to be honored for a landmark education achievement.
After an opening processional from the Islip High School Graduation Band, directed by Steve Campanella, senior Daniel Rubinson performed a stellar rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” while the vocal septet of Parker Barry, Lucas Bohr, Jessica Cruz, Skylar Greene, Rebecca Leo, Leela Lopez and Rubinson sang “Happiness” from “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”
Student Union President Emily Lewis and Vice President Emma Cirulnik served as commencement emcees.
“I’m honored to speak before you as we end this very important chapter of our lives,” Lewis said. “I will forever remember this occasion and all the other amazing memories we created together at Islip High School.”
“We would like to give a huge thank you to our teachers who have helped shape us to become the best versions of ourselves and inspired us to dream big,” Cirulnik said. “We will hold our Islip pride in our hearts forever. Once a Buc, always a Buc.”
Board of Education trustee Paul Austin, who graduated from high school 50 years ago, provided an enlightening and entertaining look at the state of the world and culture in 1974 as well as 1924. Shifting the present day, Austin lauded the academic, athletic and artistic achievements of the current graduating class.
“Look at all that’s been accomplished during your time in high school,” Austin said. “Now imagine 50 years from now, 2074. Some of you will go into careers that don’t even exist now. Some will change careers to keep up with advancing technology. Others will go back to school to stay up with the changes. It is all good. Go with the changes. There is hope for the future and you are the future.”
“You are a resilient bunch,” Principal Dr. Lara Gonzalez told the graduates. “Given what you’ve achieved over the past four years, imagine the possibilities that the next four years will bring? On behalf of the faculty and staff of our high school, we could not be more proud of you. You are perfect just the way you are, and you are right where you need to be. We’re excited about the promise that your graduation holds for you, your families and our community. As much as we will miss you, know that you will have many people here at your soon-to-be alma mater who will be rooting for you.”
Salutatorian Erica De Lapi talked to her classmates about the value of saying yes. “Many of us have been scared to move forward in our studies, try out for a team or go up to that person to make a connection, because we fear rejection rather than strive for the potential growth and happiness that can come from an event,” De Lapi said. “What I want to convey to you all tonight is to not let your personal pride or fears supersede your growth in life. Say yes to the rest of your life and don’t let your own mind drag you down, because saying yes just might be the best thing that could happen to you.”
A message of hope came from valedictorian Jaci Narducci, who said, “Hope is the one continuous force in our lives that has been with us from kindergarten through today. Hope will stay with us forever. These past years have not been easy, but even in ninth grade, we had hope. This hope continued throughout high school and connected us with each other. We may not all be friends, but we have shared our hope for one another over the last four years. Today marks the end of those shared experiences, as it will be the last time all of us are together as one, so, although it is a day of celebration, it’s also bittersweet. Life may not be as easy as sitting next to each other in English class, but we will always be connected with hope. We’ll arrive at the next stage of our lives the same way that we started here, with new hope. I hope you and I have many more great memories and experiences in our lives, and the happiest of times are yet to come.”
“Whether you’re headed to college, entering the workforce or continuing to master a trade, you should be proud of the effort that has gotten you this far, and you need to keep your foot on the gas,” Superintendent Dr. Dennis O’Hara said. “Each of you are needed and will play a very important role in our world. Class of 2024, you were raised in a fantastic community and are soon to be Islip High School graduates. You are poised for rewarding and fulfilling things ahead. As you prepare to take your place in the long purple line of high school graduates, I borrow from the words of former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joseph Francis Dunford Jr., when I tell you that your responsibility from this point forward is to use your agile minds, your bold ideas and your unlimited potential to show the world what right looks like and what it means to be from Islip.”
After receiving their diplomas from members of the Board, the new graduates turned the tassels on their caps before tossing them to the skies, ready to celebrate with their families and walk into a bright future.
Date Added: 6/28/2024