Lincoln Orens graduates 74

Seventy-four eighth grade students from the Island Park Lincoln Orens Middle School donned blue graduation attire and sat onstage in the school’s auditorium — ready and anxious to accept their diplomas — during the 49th annual commencement ceremony on June 22.

The graduation ceremony was highlighted by two prominent departures: the students in the Class of 2011 were moving on to high school, but their principal, Dr. Thalia Venditti, was retiring from her position after nine years.

“Graduation is a time of mixed emotions,” said Venditti, who described the outgoing class as an energetic and lively bunch. “You’re all kind, sensitive and supportive of each other and we’ve prepared you well for what’s to come.”

Her speech was followed by a presentation of awards to the outgoing class: various Island Park associations participated in handing out plaques recognizing the excellence of students in subject areas such as math and English, but also personal endeavors like artistic and athletic accomplishments. Approximately half the graduating class received honors.

“We’ve watched each other grow,” said Sabrina DiLorenzo, one of three students named an Overall Outstanding Achievement Award recipient. “The hardest part of this ceremony is that we’re parting ways, but we’ll never be separated from all the memories we’ve shared.”

DiLorenzo’s reflective graduation speech, “The Past,” was followed by Lily Hornung’s “The Present,” another speech that mulled the bittersweet passage of time. “We stand here smarter and wiser,” Hornung said to her fellow students. “It feels like yesterday when we walked into the school auditorium,” she said, referring to the first day of class for fifth graders in 2007 that marked the beginning of their middle school experience. “We couldn’t have done it without our teachers, administrators and parents.”

Before the diplomas were handed out, students gave bouquets of flowers to schoolteachers Lori Adler and Linda Johnson during a ceremony honoring the faculty. Afterwards, Venditti held back tears as she was presented with her own bouquet of flowers, and was thanked by students and staff for her years of service as principal.