Moving on up

It was a breezy summer evening on Veterans Memorial Field as the eighth-graders of Long Beach Middle School prepared to mark their passage from middle school to high school. Dressed in their finest, students marched across the field to a thunderous round of applause. Members of the eighth-grade chorus started the ceremony off on a festive note with a moving rendition of “Seasons of Love.”

As she prepared to send her students off to the high school, Principal Dr. Michele Natali reminded them to find the spark that excites their curiosity. “Reach for the stars, challenge yourselves and try new things,” she said. “Make new friends and make the most of your high school career.”

Board of Education Vice President Dr. Dennis Ryan gave the students five pieces of advice. “Make your bed every day, be on time, get off your cell phones and look people in the eye, take responsibility for your own choices, and remember that next year you will have an opportunity to reinvent yourself,” he said. “Be the best you can be.”

Superintendent of Schools David Weiss told students of the many new facilities and programs of excellence that the high school has to offer. “Many opportunities await you at the high school,” he said. “Take advantage of them. This community has committed to providing you with a world-class education. Borrowing from a famous Latin phrase, carpe annum—seize the year!”

Next came the presentation of the graduates, followed by student government representative Chrysalis Mandell, who voiced reminiscences of the past and hopes for the future.

Long Beach High School Vice Principal Dr. Timothy Piciullo welcomed the graduates as the Long Beach High School class of 2018 and urged them to challenge themselves with rigorous coursework, become involved and set high goals.

Then in keeping with the triumphant theme of the day, the newly minted high school freshmen marched off the field to “Les Toreadors” from “Carmen.”