There were handshakes, hugs, smiles, and of course, tears.
There was talk of an interesting and fun four years, of great friendships formed, and of continuing those relationships, even as the sun set on their careers.
But most of all, the approximately 600 members of the Bayonne High School Class of 2015 knew that June 22, 2015, their graduation day, was a day of transitions.
Valedictorian Casey Harrigan told her classmates they were walking out of the Bayonne High School doors for the last time as young adults ready to face their futures.
“Whatever path we choose, we understand that there will be challenges ahead of us, roadblocks to navigate around, and problems to solve,” she said to the crowd in the Richard Korpi Ice Rink building.
Harrigan said her hope for her fellow graduates was that they choose paths in life that would make them happy.
“We truly are the authors of our own destinies,” she said. “Tonight, one chapter of our book ends; the chapter called high school. Now, it’s time to begin writing the next chapter.”
Salutatorian Jessica Sulima also understood that her high school graduation was a passage to a different place, but a good and more challenging one.
Sulima, editor in chief of the school newspaper The Beacon, is headed to the University of Pennsylvania to study communications.
“It’s bittersweet. Because I’m leaving home,” she said prior to graduation. “But I’m also really excited. It’s the first time I’ll have the freedom to do what I want to do. And choose the classes I want to take.”
Mayor James Davis thanked the students’ parents for supporting them throughout their academic lives. He praised teachers at every step of the way, from kindergarten to high school, for preparing the students for their graduation day.
Davis also advised them that their futures are in their own hands, and that working hard will always pay off in whatever they do in life.
Gateway to tomorrow
Schools Superintendent Dr. Patricia McGeehan commended the graduates for their work over the last four years.
“Class of 2015, you are indeed a credit to our school, a credit to your parents, a credit to yourselves, and a credit to the city of Bayonne,” she said.
And like the others, McGeehan told the students that their graduation was not so much a door closing, but one opening; a portal to the rest of their lives.
“As you say farewell to us, you say hello to tomorrow,” she said. “This evening you will be receiving the right key, your well-earned diploma, to open the door of tomorrow.”
As always, Principal Richard Baccarella kept his remarks brief, wishing the best of luck to his graduates, and then dismissing them for the last time.
Students’ new destinations
Bayonne Class of 2015 graduates will be attending dozens of different colleges and universities. They include Boston University, the Fashion Institute of Technology, George Washington University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, New York University, and Northeastern University.
“We truly are the authors of our own destinies. Tonight, one chapter of our book ends; the chapter called high school. Now, it’s time to begin writing the next chapter.” – Valedictorian Casey Harrigan
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Also, Pennsylvania State University, Quinnipiac University, Rutgers University, Seton Hall University, Syracuse University, The College of New Jersey, and the University of Pennsylvania.
A number of students will be entering the various branches of the military; the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. Others will immediately enter the workforce.
More than $16 million in scholarships and grant money was awarded to the Class of 2015.
Joseph Passantino may be reached at JoePass@hudsonreporter.com.To comment on this story online visit www.hudsonreporter.com.