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Mostly Cloudy Calhoun grads urged to find ways to serve others
Sanford H. Calhoun High School’s graduating seniors were celebrated as individuals and a group with deep bonds on June 25, at the commencement ceremony, held at the NYCB Theatre in Westbury.
“You are by all measures a phenomenal group of students, athletes, artists and musicians,” said Principal Nicole Hollings. “With all of your abilities and talents, your futures burn bright with promise, possibility, power and potential. All of you have the power within yourselves to inspire, encourage, empathize and guide each other.”
Board of Education member and fellow Calhoun alumna Wendy Gargiulo reminded graduates that their virtues will become their commonality in life.
“Know that someone will always have more than you,” she said, referring to what can seem like life’s perpetual rat race. “Your reputation and having integrity are so much more important than material things.”
Social studies teacher and senior class adviser Brian Joyce said farewell on behalf of the faculty, stressing the importance of legacy — much like he teaches in his leadership course.
“Think to yourselves, ‘how do you want to be remembered?’” he said. “And always try to focus on being the best version of yourself and find a way to serve others.”
Class President Sara Samir said that, for her, the atmosphere of Calhoun is “binding.”
‘“For those who may not have been as affected as others, this day marks an opportunity for them to flourish,” she said.
Valedictorian Julia Losner talked about the power of the sun after an eclipse and all of the special, defining moments one experiences from kindergarten to the present.
“There are many more to come, including when we discover something about ourselves we didn’t know was there,” she said.
Salutatorian Matthew Garber used learning how to tie a bow tie as a metaphor for persevering through life’s struggles.
“It’s the twists and turns of a bow tie, and the pulling and finagling, that represent the trials of our character,” he said.
Pulling out a small mirror to adjust the bow tie, Garber told classmates to “focus on self-reflection and re-evaluation to get through the hurdles.”
