While the Seventh-grade Orchestra played the march, two hundred twenty members of the Eighth-grade class entered the auditorium for a final time. The Middle School Moving-Up Class of 2018, recited The Pledge of Allegiance, led by Elizabeth Bossert, and respectfully listened to the National Anthem, sung a capella by the amazing Maggie Mongiello.

Principal Thomas Murray welcomed everyone to the celebration, noting, “It is a great privilege to be here today to celebrate the accomplishments of your children the future graduating class of 2022. They have exhibited outstanding academic discipline and personal integrity. The past three years have been a journey. They entered the Middle School as children, unsure of what to expect! They are now leaving us as young confident men and women.”

After, he enumerated the class statistics (see below) with praise for their “outstanding academic discipline and personal integrity.”

“In four short years you will be graduating from high school,” Mr. Murray shared. “In the those four short years the world will change rapidly. What has not changed is the key to making the world a better place. It is how you treat people that will have the greatest impact on the world. How you treat people will be your legacy. What your peers will remember most about you is how you treated others.” To bring home his point, Mr. Murray cited Dr. Seuss: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

Mr. Murray closed, “You are ready to move onto the High School. Be kind to each other, treat each well. Be there for one another.”

Directing seventeen students to come pick up seventeen placards and the rest to stand and face the audience, Mr. Murray cued the “Moving-Up Class of 2018 and the future graduating Class of 2022!” to thank their parents with a very special message (see below, right) before wishing them all congratulations.

For more photos go to the Digital Backpack, click on the Moving Up in 2018 Folder for Middle School.

DEPARTMENTAL AWARDS

ALGEBRA Gene Weng
ART 8 Chad Moccio
Studio in Art Matthew Faraci
BAND Matthew Sullivan
CHORUS Olivia Reiss
COMPUTERS Michael Villany
CONSUMER/FAMILY SCIENCE Fatima Abid
ENGLISH Kate Cassidy
FRENCH Kate Cassidy
LIVING ENVIRONMENT Jordan Messina
MATHEMATICS 8 Brooke Burke
ORCHESTRA Alayna Pavao
PHYSICAL ED. (BOYS) Yirdaw Rivera
PHYSICAL ED. (GIRLS) Allison Reilly
SCIENCE 8 Erin O’Donnell
SOCIAL STUDIES Sarah Hinteman
SPANISH Swati Sheth
TECHNOLOGY Anthony Mesi

Cameron Riccomini Scholarship Devin Lillis
NYS Attorney Triple C Award Brook Dubay,
Dylan Schneider
NYS Comptroller’s Achievement Award
Sarah Hinteman

PTA AWARDS

Girls Sportsmanship Jordan Messina
Boys Sportsmanship Francesco Soccoli
School Leadership Devin Lillis
School/Community Service Swati Shethz
Academic Improvement Luke Marullo