Uniondale High School celebrates graduates
Uniondale High School students celebrated their graduation, closing this chapter of their lives and preparing to move on to the next.
The ceremony, held at Hofstra University on June 29, included speeches from influential school professionals that celebrated all of the students’ achievements.
“This is black and brown excellence at its finest,” Uniondale High Principal Mark McCaw said. “These students are so incredible.”
The valedictorian, Jarred Mercado, gave a speech about the accomplishments he was able to achieve throughout his time at Uniondale High and the impacts it had on him.
“Every day was something new,” he said. “It was truly an adventure. I can truly say that I began to find my place in the world during my time here.”
Mercado will be attending Cornell University in the fall. He expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the people at Uniondale High who made his experience so meaningful, from teachers and friends to groups and organizations he was involved with.
“It is important to know that it is really the people that make up the community of Uniondale,” he said.
Christian Auguste, a member of the student board, also gave a speech in which he expressed some of the life lessons he has taken away from his time in high school.
He said he learned the importance of being committed to himself, being a lifelong learner, and finding ways to be happy and make personal progress.
“Whatever path we take in life, we should try to find ways to be kind, find ways to help other people, but most importantly, chase our dreams, work hard, and be the change you want to see in the world,” he said.
Auguste will be attending New York University in the fall to study computer science and neuroscience.
The school’s orchestra and jazz band performed the entrance and exit graduation music, the Show Choir sang the National Anthem and put on a dazzling performance for the crowd, and the high school’s Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) completed the posting of the colors.
The students showed their wide range of talents, abilities, and backgrounds.
“Be proud of who you are, of your heritage, of where you come from, of the journey that brought you here,” McCaw said. “Being Uniondale strong is the spirit that connects all of us.”
Superintendent Monique Darrisaw-Akil also gave her praises to the students, leaving them with three wishes she has for them: freedom, resilience, and gratitude.
“The future is yours, and I have no doubt that each of you will make it a brilliant one,” she told the graduates.
