On Friday, June 24, the Islip High School Class of 2022 donned their caps and gowns and graduated under a gorgeous sunset. The emcees for the night were Student Union president Richard Castronova and student vice president Desiree Pagan. The two kept the ceremony upbeat and fun. Isabella Green serenaded the audience with a beautiful rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner.” During his speech board of education president Philip Dineen told a story about NASA and the work it took to get a man on the moon in the 1960s. Dineen compared the attributes that the NASA team strived for to attributes the new graduates should work towards. Anthony Lopez, the class’s salutatorian, gave a memorable speech during which he recounted the last four years for his class, which, of course, included delays and cancellations due to the pandemic. He reminded the class of their resilience in the face of adversity and to always seize opportunities when they arise. High school principal Jon LaRochester thanked the many people who helped bring the ceremony together and spoke about the importance of finding passion in whatever the graduates chose to do.

“Try your hardest each day to dedicate yourselves to waking up and living each day of your life seizing on every opportunity to discover, secure, and build true passion for what you love, so that you may live your life loving to do it,” LaRochester told the graduates.

Performing arts seniors sang “You Will be Found” for the audience to thunderous applause.

Valedictorian Timothy Mak spoke about his time at Islip High School and the friends and mentors he made along the way.

Islip superintendent Dr. Dennis P. O’Hara had the audience take a collective breath to release the stress of the last year and honored the graduates who have chosen to enter the military.

As the sun set and the graduates received their diplomas, they looked towards a new day and exciting futures.