Farewell to their second home

Eighth-graders at St. William the Abbot School in Seaford will walk across the stage and accept their diplomas in less than a month. For these soon-to-be high-school students, leaving will be bittersweet as they are leaving behind an environment that has treated them well for a decade but know there are great opportunities ahead.

“Everybody’s been here a long time, so we’re all friends,” said 13-year-old Jack Whidden, of Seaford. Jack, like many of his classmates, has been at St. William for 11 years, starting in nursery school, moving on to pre-K and staying through elementary school.

“I think going to a small school, where everyone knows each other, has its benefits,” added Grace Carney, 14.

Patrick Hughes is one of the newcomers of the group, having been at St. William for only nine years. He said he enjoyed attending Catholic school beginning in kindergarten and having religious education as a regular part of the curriculum.

Their next steps

The graduates will spread out among Catholic schools all across Long Island in September, with many set to attend St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School in West Islip. Among those are Grace and 13-year-old Casey Gannon.

“It reminded me of St. William,” Casey said of why she chose St. John’s. Earlier this year, she spent a day shadowing a freshman there, going to classes and learning about her future school. “Everybody seemed really nice and happy to be here,” she added.

Casey said she is looking forward to making new friends and playing volleyball in high school.

At St. John’s, Grace will be joining her older sister, who will be a senior next year. “She can drive me to school,” Grace said.

She also plans to try out for the soccer team and wants to join Student Council.

Sarah Walsh, 13, will be attending Kellenberg Memorial High School in Uniondale. “I just got a homey feeling,” said Sarah, who visited earlier this year. “I just knew it was right for me.”

Sarah’s cousins have also attended Kellenberg, including one who will be a senior next year. She said she is interested in the religious retreat opportunities that the school offers, including trips abroad.