Ask anyone in the Weehawken High School Class of 2001 to name the most prominent characteristic of the class and the answer would probably be the same.
“Everyone got along so well,” said class valedictorian Angeli Leal. “No matter what group, the studious, the athletes, whomever. And you look at what this class achieved, both academically and athletically. It really was a special class.”
“In a class that was this close, there were no rivalries,” said class salutatorian Aurora Piacentino. “We all supported each other and got along so well together. We did the best that we could.”
Sixty-two students participated in the commencement exercises last Wednesday night in the high school auditorium, a class that had achieved perhaps more than any other senior class in the school’s history.
Athletically, the class enjoyed the best football and baseball seasons in school history. The football team won eight games and qualified for the NJSIAA Group I state playoffs for the first time. The baseball team went 21-4 and won the Bergen County Scholastic League National Division championship for the first time. The girls softball team also made history, making their first appearance in the Group I state playoffs.
The student’s success on their respective fields of play spilled over to success in the classroom as well. The class has earned nearly $1.5 million in scholarships, grants and aid to attend colleges and universities in the fall. Nearly 80 percent of the graduates have made the commitment to attend college.
“I think we peaked with a class, both academically and athletically,” Weehawken Principal Dr. Peter Olivieri said. “Usually, our school doesn’t normally get that combination. But this year, we put it all together. The kids dedicated themselves to excelling in everything they did. It was a pleasure to watch it all unfold. It was a fabulous year.”
Olivieri proudly presented the class during the graduation ceremony, signaling out the achievements of each student.
Leal ranked at the top of her class. Headed to Barnard College in the fall, Leal played on the tennis team, was a member of the National Honor Society, participated in the Math League and the Academic Team, was a member of the International Club and served on the school’s yearbook. She was also a tutor and mentor for the kids who participated in the Webster School Extended Care Program, an after-school program.
“Although I tried to be different, I also wanted to participate in things that made me happy,” Leal said. “I liked being involved in community service, so that’s why I tutored the kids. And I’ve always wanted to do something that involves children. I want to work with children in the future.”
In her valedictory speech, Leal focused on the achievements of her classmates. “I spoke about our class as individuals and that we should respect our individualities,” Leal said. “That we have to hold on to our individuality. But we also accomplished so much as a class and I wanted to focus on those things, not just mine. Leal added, “It was a great honor for me to be the valedictorian. We grew up together and we’ll always be there for each other. On one hand, I’m happy to be moving on, because there are so many challenges ahead, but on the other hand, it’s sad to leave the people that I’ve grown up with, spent most of my life with. I hope they all find something that makes them happy.”
Piacentino, who will study music business at Baruch with the hope of becoming a concert promoter and eventually owning her own hardcore music club, told her classmates that “graduation isn’t for looking back. It’s time to look forward.”
“It’s up to all of us to make the best of what’s ahead of us,” Piacentino said.
Piacentino, who admits to being “definitely off the beaten path,” calls her favorite style of music, “an off-shoot of punk, only much heavier.”
“I will always remember the closeness,” Piacentino said. “The accessibility of the teachers. It made it more like a family situation.”
Piacentino was the editor of the school yearbook and the captain of the Academic Team. She was also a member of the National Honor Society and a member of the Math League team.
She sang Leal’s praises. “We get along and there was never a rivalry between us,” she said. “I guess for some people, that they would get taken back for being number two. But for me, it’s an honor to be number two in such an accomplished class. Angeli was number one and she deserved it way more than me because she worked very hard.”
Graduation night ends with safe, alcohol-free celebration
A few hours after receiving their high school diplomas, the Weehawken High School Class of 2001 went out and celebrated in style at the 11th annual Project Graduation party.
Project Graduation, sponsored by the Weehawken Alliance against Drugs and Alcohol, allows the graduates the opportunity to spend their last night of high school life together in a safe drug- and alcohol-free environment, filled with fun activities.
For the second straight year, Project Graduation was held at the recreation center of APA Trucking in North Bergen. Weehawken resident Arthur Imperatore, the owner of the trucking company, donated the use of the recreation center for the night’s festivities.
The entertainment was supplied by Party King, which provided activities for the students to enjoy, such as dance contests, making photo key chains and buttons and creating music videos.
There was food galore and no one went hungry.
There were also several different athletic competitions, like basketball, volleyball, tennis and swimming. A disc jockey played music all night long, into sunrise the next morning and a karaoke contest was held, with several students belting out popular hits.
“We’ve been doing it for 10 years now and it’s become very popular,” said Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner, who spent about three hours at Project Graduation checking out the festivities. “We think it’s one of the more vital programs we sponsor. Project Graduation is not just a success in Weehawken, but it’s also become popular in other municipalities, especially the urban areas.”
Historically, graduation night used to be the night where kids got out of control the most, with drinking at parties, then getting behind the wheel and driving,” Turner added. “We always want to make sure that graduation night doesn’t lead to tragedy. We provide a safe haven for the graduates and provide a lot of activities that keep them happy and active straight through the night.”
The Weehawken Against Drug and Alcohol Alliance picks up a good portion of the tab. Nearly $8,000 in federal, state and Hudson County aid is used to offset the cost of the event, but each student has to pay a $15 fee to participate.
“When we first started this, it was a tug-of-war between the old practice on Graduation Night and the new,” Turner said. “But now, the students realize that it’s the last chance they’ll get to spend time with their fellow classmates. It’s now more of a social event and a wonderful evening.”
Mary Bea Kingwill, a Weehawken High School teacher who has helped to coordinate the event since its inception, believed that the evening was a fun night for the graduates once again.
“It really went so well,” Kingwill said. “We made optimum use of everything that was available. The team sports, the videos, the caricatures. It was a fabulous and terrific evening.”
The students enjoyed themselves as well.
“It was great,” said standout athlete Fernando Fuentes. “I had a ball with my classmates. All 62 of us did everything together. I played tennis for the first time in my life and I loved it. We ate together and watched the films we made together. Our senior class is really tight and we get along so great, so it was great that we all had this one last time together.
Added Fuentes, “At the end of the night, a bunch of us macho guys were all bursting into tears together. Beforehand, I thought that it might be boring, but it turned out to be such a great night. It’s something that I’ll always remember.”
Fellow graduate Michael Maione agreed.
“I heard that it was a good time, I expected to have a good time and I did,” Maione said. “A lot of us didn’t know what to expect, but there were so many different activities. I think the great part of it was that we were all together again for one last time. Just by being with everyone in the same setting made it exciting. And it was a full day.”
Maione also didn’t forget the true message of Project Graduation.
“You hear so many stories of kids going out, drinking on graduation night and getting killed or getting killed by someone else driving drunk,” Maione said. “It was so good that we were able to stay together and stay safe. I’ll always remember it.”
Chances are that many future graduating classes from Weehawken High School will get the opportunity to remember their last night together as well in fond fashion.