The South Side High School class of 2013 gathered one last time for its commencement ceremony at Hofstra University on June 21.
Blue robes were everywhere in the Mack Sports Complex gym as Rockville Centre School District administrators, SSHS faculty and staff, Board of Education trustees and village representatives, including Deputy Mayor Nancy Howard and newly re-elected Trustee Edward Oppenheimer, lined the stage to wish the graduates a final farewell. After the procession, Michaela Beck, president of the Student Government Association, led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance before Lauren Baez’s performance of the national anthem.
In her opening speech, salutatorian Deanna Mostowfi kept the audience laughing, but didn’t shy away from poignant recollections of her time with her classmates. “What kept us going is how we motivated each other,” she said. “And isn’t that amazing? Now let’s go out there and spend our parents’ life savings these next four years.”
Principal Dr. Carol Burris, Superintendent Dr. William Johnson and Bobbe Edelson, of the SSHS Alumni Association, presented the school’s top four awards to Clare Carey (Centennial Award for School and Community), McKingsley Williams (Dr. Richard S. Byers School and Community Service Award), Michael Garcia (Laurel Award for Boys) and Michaela Beck (Laurel Award for Girls).
The valedictorian, Justine Hamilton, speaking after the presentations, reminded her fellow graduates of their many different backgrounds — and of their unity these past four years. “Although we were all different, we’ve proven our ability to come together and work as a team,” Hamilton said. “Each of us can be proud of ourselves. We can also be proud of being a fantastic class at a fantastic school.”
In their remarks, Burris and school board President Liz Dion reminded the students of their accomplishments — and of how much they will be missed. “I may be biased, but I believe you are truly an extraordinary class,” Dion said. “No matter where your journey takes you, you will always belong with us.”
“Do you think I admire your class? You bet I do,” said Burris. “Thank you. You have been a joy.”
Presenting the South Side High School Class of 2013:
Stephanie Adelkopf
Alison Agoglia
Robert Aldana
Gina Marie Allen
Brendan Alles
Vickibell Almonte
Elexa Alvarez
Milagro Amador
Miriam Ambrosino
John Angelis
Angel Arevalo
Annie Aronowitz
Ashley Austin
Joseph Austin
Babatunde Awosika
Jack Azueta
Lauren Marie Báez
Jaaliyah Baines
Liam Baker
Justin Barrere
Tina Barricelli
David Barriga
Carlos Barycki
Chandler Martin Baylis
Michaela Beck
Yvanna Beltre
Rachel Ben-Atar
Elizabeth Lauren Bendel
Kelsey Berki
Matthew Berry
Tiffany Beverly
Kevin Boranian
Christopher Bowman
Mark Brady
Eric Braun
Ryan Joseph Brower
Ryan J Brower
Claire Camille Brown
Jimel Brown
Jennifer Buell
Kelvin Bueno
Elizabeth Anne Burke
Keely Burns
Taryn Joan Bush
Sean Byrne
David Cacace
Dashawn (Sean) Cade
Lauren Elizabeth Campbell
Jackie Cano
Clare Frances Carey
Kirsten Elizabeth Carr
Brent G. Carris
Theresa Casazza
Nicole Marie Castagna
Daniel Cecere
Jesse Chahalis
Evan Chernack
Kristin Cheslock
Claudia A. Ciccone
Richard James Cisario
Kieran Robert Clark
Hayley Cohen
Jonathan L. Colon Feliciano
Owen G. Condon
Cole Considine
Shannon Cotter
Thomas Cozier
Ryan Crossan
Ryan Culley
Connor Jared Daly
Jenna Daniels
Harry Dantona
Patrick J. Del Bello
John Marcos DeLaRosa
Stephanie Michelle DeLeo
Felicia DeMarco
Francesca DeMarco
Josephine DeMarco
Nils Edward DeStefano
Molly Dickinson
Gabrielle DiFiore
Emily Dinkelacker
Noah Dion
Erin Dougan
Sydney Kate Duncan
Elizabeth M Edell
Thomas P. Esposito
Andrew Falchiere
Edward Farington
Erin Ruth Feltkamp
Paul Fierro
Christopher Figueroa
Jonathan Tyler Firestone
Dane Edward Flaherty
Matthew Scott Focer
Thomas Forman
Ronald Fourcand
Thomas Frankini
Christopher J Gabriel
Michael Gallagher
Michael E. Garcia
Eric James Gennari
Allison Glass
Megan Catherine Gleason
Hannah M. Goldstein
Dyquan Graham
Justine Hamilton
David Hawley
Kegan G. Healey
Nicholas Helbringer
Jessica M. Hernandez
Meghan Hines
Benjamin Michael Hoefer
Elizabeth Ann Hoeffner
Benjamin M. Hoenig
Kieran M. Hogg
John Hughes
Brian Matthew Hutchinson
OShawn Hutchinson
Jacqueline Itgen
Kelley E. Jackson
Daniel Jacobsen
Mary Jansen
Stephen Joseph Jarosz
Charnae Jenkins
John Jimenez
Kyle Johnson
Elizabeth F. Kardas
Victoria Kennedy
Kevin Keever
Bridget L. Kiernan
Catherine Kildunne
Kevin Kimmons
Claudia Kirkwood
Mairead Koehler
Alex Koenig
Max Koenig
Max Anthony Kravis
William Landi
Elizabeth Lang
Steven Lanzillotta
Rebecca Law
Ryan William Lawrence
Allison Leonard
Christopher Lo
Imani T. Lockworth
Kaitlyn Lomuto
Michael Loureiro
Chelsea Lynch
Michaela Kate Lynch
Samantha Mackay
Pamela Madera
Paola Madera
Gerard J. Mahoney III
Kyle Makridakis
John Anthony Manna
Nicola Marasco
Alexander Martinis
Paul Martino
Louis Matarazzo
Amanda Matos
Sean McCartin
Brendan McDerby
Carlie McHale
Marissa McLeod
Austin McNulty
Danielle Sarah McWalters
Mackenzie Meehan
Kery D. Mejia-Rios
Cody Mellon
Pamela Mendez
Jack Metcalfe
Connor Owen Metz
Gerald Mitchell
Zyairre A. Mitchell
Samuel Modico
Frencina Monteiro
Kyle James Morrissey
Adam Spencer Moss
Deanna N. Mostowfi
Christopher James Mullooly
Jeffrey Munoz
John P. Murphy
Eric Quinn Murray
Sarah Murray
Laura Napolitano
Alex Needell
Angela Diana Negron
Cydney Nelson
Bryan Nesdill
Matthew O’Leary
Flavia Olivos
Andrew Carter O’Neil
Alannah O’Rourke
Jacob London Orr
Clarissa Palmer
Annie Cronin Panatier
Emma Isabelle Paris
Harrison Thomas Park
Michael Petrone
Samantha Prashad
Alyssa Quagliata
Hunter Rainis
Jeremy Ramirez
Joel Ramirez
Nicholas Redeker
Raquel Reid
Alexandra Reis
Jibril Richards
Tashawn Richardson
Margaret Riordan
Marquis Robinson
Andy Rodriguez
Lauren Rodriguez
Miguel Rodriguez
Olivia Rodriguez
Philip Louis Romano
Mark N. Romanowski
Mary Kathryn Romare
Christian Rudolph
Noelle Anne Ryerson
Simonne Lyn Sagar
Jake Andrew Saia
Verden Salvador
Emily Salvoni
Brandon Schiro
Daniel Schissel
Caitlin Schwagerl
Matthew Scolaro
Dylan Seeger
Edward Alan Seganti II
Kevin Serling
Maeve Sieling
Alexandra Paige Slavin
Maxwell Slavin
Michelle Small
Katie Sorto
Keith Spadaro
Laura Stern
Jade Hai Hua Sullivan
John Sullivan
Edward Tammaro
Julianne Tattenbaum
Julia Textor
Carlyle Thompson
Stephen James Tita
Jordan Titus-Simmons
Denise Torres
Iliana Ugarte
Emily Umansky
Bobbe Urena
Margaret Ann Vecchione
Michael Gerald Vonnoh
Kyle Jae Ho Walker
Keiffonte Wallis
John Waxon
Emma Weissman
Austin Wild
Danita Williams
Marcus A. Williams
McKingsley Ryan Williams
Eric Willie
Nicole Woelfel
Paul Wolfrom
Cooper Wolfson
Harley Joseph Yeager
Emily Anne Zajac