There was great excitement and anticipation at Hofstra University on June 22 as the Massapequa High School Class of 2015 prepared for the commencement ceremony to begin.
Graduates in their blue robes were seen taking group pictures with friends, adjusting their mortarboards and tassels and sharing past memories. Parents and loved ones with their tickets in hand, assembled in the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Center hoping to catch a glimpse of their special graduate as they processed in be
hind the Board of Education and Administration.
A performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” by senior members of Cantate and College of American Sign Language (ASL) students opened the ceremony. Dr. Barbara Williams, principal of Massapequa High School, delivered the welcoming address and congratulated all the graduates on their many accomplishments. The Board of Education president Jane Ryan then bestowed the Honor Awards to the students who excelled in each academic discipline. Special recognition and a standing ovation were given to 10 members of the Class of 2015, who have enlisted in the armed forces to serve the country.
Matthew Spinelli, president of the Class of 2015, was first to address his fellow graduates by saying “people never leave Massapequa…here in Massapequa we breed success in all fields to represent the blue and gold.” He concluded by recognizing “the ample preparation that we all received to go out and change the world.”
General Organizational president, Danielle Bianco, said that “any statistic will tell you that MHS is one of the most successful high schools out there. The statistics won’t tell you the influence we have all had on one another, or how strongly our character has been shaped by the days we walked the halls of MHS.”
The class salutatorian, Bridget Keegan, who will be attending Harvard in the fall, stood at the podium and shared that she realized upon preparing this speech, that she did not have “mind- blowing advice to offer” because she was “in no position to do so.” Instead, she chose to share a story told to her by an older, wiser and more experienced woman. Keegan recounted how when this woman was in college, a professor asked a final question on a pop quiz, which was, “What was the first name of the lady who cleaned the school?” This woman left the question blank and many asked if that question would count towards the grade. The professor said “Of course. In your careers you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve our attention and care.”
Keegan left her classmates with a bit of advice.
“Don’t let anyone stop you from chasing your dreams. Never stop and never settle,” she said.
The final award was the valedictorian medallion bestowed on Vincent Coghill, who will be attending the NYU Stern School of Business. He reminded his fellow classmates that they would always encounter doubters.
“People who doubt you, people who will tel l you ‘no,’ or tell you ‘you can’t,’” Coghill said. “Let them empower us. Use them as a driving force and keep pushing forward until we prove the doubters wrong, and make the doubters into believers.”
He left the stage with one last bit of advice. “Be proud of your ideas and beliefs, but in the same light, don’t shun the ideas of others.”
Members of the Class of 2015 were awarded a total of $31.5 million in scholarships and will attend Harvard, Yale, Columbia and Cornell, as well as nearly 150 other colleges and universities across 26 states and Washington D.C. Eight students will venture to locations more than 1,800 miles from Massapequa, including Arizona State University, California Institute of Technology, San Diego State University, United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School (CO), University of Colorado at Boulder, Tarleton State University (TX) and the United States Merchant Marine Academy Preparatory School (NM). Ten students will serve in all five branches of the United States Armed Forces.
Superintendent Lucille F. Iconis oversaw the awarding of the diplomas to the 616 senior graduates.
“We couldn’t be more proud of the Class of 2015 and all they have accomplished with the guidance of our fine educators, our supportive parents and our great community,” said Iconis. “We wish them the best of luck and a lifetime of happiness and success in their future endeavors. As we give them their wings, we hope they will always remember their roots.”
Students swiftly crossed the stage, shaking hands with members of the Board of Education and Central Administration who congratulated them as they received their diplomas. All in attendance clapped, roared and whistled as the Class of 2015 was asked to move their tassels from right to left to signify the awarding of their diplomas. Dr. Williams announced that class was dismissed for the last time and the graduates threw their mortarboards up, tassels flying with great joy at this momentous milestone in their lives.
—Additional information submitted by Massapequa Public Schools
