Welcome to the real world.
A total of 1,225 students graduated from Jersey City’s public high schools a week ago Friday. Parents were dressed in formal attire to come and proudly watch their sons and daughters walk on stage and receive diplomas.
The graduating seniors wore their traditional caps and gowns of their respective school colors and smiled as their names were mentioned. It was their moment in the spotlight.
“I’m sad but happy to be leaving,” said Ressie Thompson, a graduating senior from Lincoln High School, at that school’s ceremony June 22.
Darrel Wright, also from Lincoln, had his entire family in attendance to share his day.
“This is happy and exciting,” Wright said.
Lincoln had 223 students gather in the school’s auditorium for graduation. Rosalie Anglin, Lincoln’s principal, said it is always tough to see students leave.
“I’m happy for them,” she said.
At Dickinson High School, 449 students graduated. Principal Bob Donato said he was glad to see students leave to go out on their own, but admitted that he will miss them.
“It’s a trying moment. These students were the ones I began with,” Donato said. “I knew everyone by sight or name.”
According to Donato, 47 percent of the graduates are going to four-year institutions like Rutgers in New Brunswick, Seton Hall University in South Orange, Villanova in Pennsylvania and the University of Hartford in Connecticut.
At Snyder High School, 166 students graduated. For Principal Henry Pekarsky, the graduation was his first one, and he was sad to see many of the students leave.
“I built a relationship with them,” he said. “The majority of them are going to college.”
At Ferris High School, 276 students graduated, and at McNair Academic High School, 115 students graduated.