The administration at North Bergen High School had to make a very tough decision last Friday afternoon: whether to hold the annual commencement exercises outdoors in Bruins Stadium, or to move the festivities into the tepid confines of the high school gym.
Weather reports called for a threat of early afternoon thundershowers, so the powers-that-be were left with no choice but to move the graduation ceremony inside the sweaty gym.
The move angered some friends and relatives of the graduates, who might have been able to witness the ceremony if it were held outdoors at the spacious stadium, but once the move was made to go indoors, it cut down on the number of people that could actually enter the crowded gymnasium.
More than 100 people waited outside the school, trying to get past the police barricade and gain entrance to the gym. No such luck. In fact, a local reporter tried to gain entrance and was not permitted to enter.
While the temperature inside the gym was much higher than the 85 degrees outside (also with bright sunny skies), the conditions didn’t damper the excitement that 474 worthy seniors were ready to collect their diplomas and move on the road to the next step of their lives.
The mood was definitely festive, as the audience tried every manner to get relief from the heat. The programs listing the graduates and their incredible accomplishments turned into impromptu fans. Balloons and ribbons were everywhere.
Impressive class
The North Bergen Class of 2001, collecting more than $20 million in financial aid and scholarships, sending 80 percent of its graduates to an assortment of 59 different post-secondary schools, had their reason to be proud. Some of the schools that North Bergen graduates are off to include Harvard, Cornell and Columbia from the Ivy League, as well as other respected institutions like Duke, Georgetown, Bucknell, Notre Dame, Vassar and Carnegie Mellon.
All totaled, it was a graduating class that would make anyone proud.
“This is the first graduating class of the new millennium,” Superintendent of Schools Peter Fischbach told the students. “It’s more than just a milestone. It gives you a chance to reflect on what you’ve accomplished. You have new challenges ahead, a new horizon for the rest of your lives. Set a path to achieve future goals. Make us all proud.”
Gopal Patel was the class valedictorian.
“Many tell us that we’re the leaders of the future,” said Patel, who will attend a seven-year medical program at Stevens Tech that will gain him immediate entrance into the medical school at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. “But I also feel that we’re the leaders of today. Our teachers and parents have inspired us to achieve all that we can. Maybe we can turn around and help someone along the way. Who knows? We could become the next teacher, the next mayor, the next doctor, the next lawyer. We have that chance.”
Samuel Sanker was the class salutatorian. His moving address recalled his late grandmother and thanked the family who took him into their home after the passing of his grandmother last year.
North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco, who also serves as the assistant superintendent of schools for the Board of Education, introduced Sanker and listed the many accomplishments Sanker achieved, despite living with family adversity.
“This young man is going to Harvard,” Sacco said with pride.
The audience then gave a rousing round of applause.
“When my grandmother died, I lost a part of me as well,” said Sanker, who hopes to major in government and eventually go to law school. “The shock of my grandmother’s death would not go away. I did not know where I would go. But the Vitale family took me into their home and into their family. I will never forget that selfless act.”
Sanker then asked the Vitale family, including fellow graduate Joseph, to stand and receive their due. The crowd also gave the Vitale family a warm round of applause.
“I’ve been through some good times and some bad,” Sanker said. “But I also know that I would never trade any of it. It’s the greatest feeling in the world, being able to graduate with my classmates from my hometown, and I promise to well represent my hometown of North Bergen in the future.”
As the students filed out of the gym, into the arms and smiles of happy parents, friends and family, the graduates all knew one thing. No matter how hot the temperature got inside the gym, the warm reception from the proud family was even greater. Nothing could deter from the positive feelings of the day.
Head of the class
When Gopal Patel was told last year that he was ranked No. 1 among the 474 students who comprised the North Bergen High School Class of 2001, he was somewhat shocked.
“It was quite a surprise,” said Patel, who graduated with a 3.7 grade point average and received a score of 1480 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. “I worked hard to achieve whatever I could. I didn’t set a goal to be No. 1 in the class. I don’t think that would be a good approach. I just wanted to know as much as I could. If the honors came, that would be fine. But being No. 1 in a class that is filled with intelligent people is quite an honor.”
Patel said that he began to feel some pressure when he received an index card with his class ranking last September.
“That’s when it hit me,” said Patel, who will attend the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken as part of a seven-year program that will guarantee him admittance to medical school at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. “Seeing that No. 1 on the card really blew me away. This is something that will stay with me for a very long time.”
Patel said that he more than likely would explore the possibility of becoming a surgeon.
“I haven’t decided anything 100 percent yet,” said Patel, who was also accepted to Yale and Cornell, but chose the Stevens medical program. “I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of surgery. I’ve known for quite some time what I wanted to do with my life. I think I’ve wanted to become a doctor since I was very young.”
Patel had a long list of accomplishments during his tenure at North Bergen High. He was the vice-president of the student council and the organizer of the school’s pep rallies. He was a member of the French Club, the Key Club and was co-captain of the school’s tennis team. He also participated in a year-long research project at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, where he worked in helping to reconstruct artificial shoulders. His work enabled him to win a gold medal at the Hudson County Science Fair.
Sam Sanker was the Class of 2001’s salutatorian and he also had equally impressive achievements. Sanker maintained a grade point average of 3.7 and received a score of 1470 in the SAT. He is going to Harvard to major in government, with the hope of attending law school in the future.
Sanker, who was a finalist in the “Teen Jeopardy!” competition three years ago, said that he has always been fascinated by politics.
“I definitely set my goals high to achieve what I did in high school,” Sanker said. “High school was four years of hard work in a lifetime of hard work. I’m motivated to be the best in whatever I do.”
Sanker was a member of the school’s Academic Team – definitely where his JEOPARDY! experience paid off – but spent most of his time as a section leader in the school band, playing the saxophone.
“I really love music,” Sanker said. “I definitely look at being second in my class as an honor and a privilege. And going to Harvard is a pretty awesome idea.”
It’s safe to say that North Bergen High School will be hard pressed to find two students as talented as Patel and Sanker in the future.