Some students say it will be the last graduation for Union Hill and Emerson High Schools; others say it is the first for Union City High School.
“Either way, we’re some sort of landmark,” said senior Kamaris Loor, the valedictorian at Union City High School North, formerly known as Union Hill.
The graduation ceremony for students at the north campus will be Monday, June 22 at 7 p.m., and for the south campus, Tuesday, June 23 at 6 p.m. at the respective schools. More than 600 seniors total are expected to graduate.
“This has been a great class, in particular because of the way that they made attempts to merge with the other high school, to grow and develop relationships with the other high school in anticipation for our move in September,” said Daniel Frezzo, assistant principal at the south campus. “I credit the senior class that is leaving for doing that.”
In addition to combining the sports teams under an entirely new mascot, the soaring eagle, the two high schools also worked together within school clubs and community service activities.
“I am very proud of the fact that our student government leaders reached out,” said Frezzo.
“I don’t think anyone in their wildest dreams ever envisioned this happening in Union City or any place.” – David Wilcomes
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Ready to lead such a large school is Principal David Wilcomes, who previously served as vice-principal and principal at the north campus for a combined 11 years and also taught history there for 26.
“It’s almost going to be like starting a new job,” he said, “after coming to one place, one building for this long time. I look at it as challenging. The school is absolutely amazing. I don’t think anyone in their wildest dreams ever envisioned this happening in Union City or any place.”
Some seniors say they are glad to graduate before the change is final.
“I would have liked to go to that new school, with all this nice, shiny, new stuff, if it seemed like it was going to be more organized,” said Sherill Marie Henriquez, the valedictorian at the south campus.
Faculty at both campuses are currently busy backing boxes and moving their classrooms, and some students say when the transition is complete, everything will improve.
“It is going to be even better, I think, because it is not Union Hill being close-knit, it will be Union City being close-knit,” said Peter Michael, the salutatorian at the north campus. However, he said, he is looking forward to beginning his biomedical engineering studies at the New Jersey Institute of Technology this fall.
“I am a big math and science person, my whole life, always,” he said, “and I have always loved the idea of helping people using my math and science interests, so I said, ‘Why not combine engineering and medicine?’”
Loor, his classmate, also plans to join the medical profession. She has been accepted, with a scholarship, to a pre-med program at Brown University.
“I know I am going to be a doctor,” she said. “I just don’t know what type. Right now, for the moment, I am thinking neonatology.”
At the south campus, student council president Stacey Jimenez, who will pursue her higher education at Bergen Community College before transferring to Rutgers University, said she always knew she wanted to become a veterinarian.
“I just have a passion for animals,” she said. “It’s just being able to help them, I guess.” She added that at college, she may run for student government again or join other clubs.
Henriquez, who plans to study comparative literature and society at Columbia University, said that she is also looking forward to getting involved on campus.
“I like how here we can get involved in a club and make a difference in the school, but the interesting thing about college is that a club can actually make a whole difference in the entire city,” she said.
Amanda Staab can be reached at astaab@hudsonreporter.com.