Seniors say farewell to NSHS

While the pandemic took many things away, we reached within. We reached to each other, and gained more that we lost.”

Eric Contreras: Principal, NSHS

Family members and friends of capped-and-gowned North Shore High School seniors gathered at Hofstra University with district administrators for the school’s commencement ceremony, led by Principal Eric Contreras, on June 17.

To begin the ceremony, senior class Co-presidents Camille Gonzalez and Audree Toner led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Julia Morrissey, accompanied by members of the North Shore High School Concert Band, sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

In his remarks to the graduates, Contreras thanked their parents and family members for helping them overcome the challenges of a very difficult year, and told them how proud he was of all they had accomplished.

“We began this year full of uncertainty,” Contreras said. “On the heels of a semester of schools fully closed, we opened in September and found ourselves in the middle of a global pandemic, not always knowing what the future would hold. Not knowing what each coming month would hold. I want to take a moment to recognize all we have found and gained. This year we have found each other’s support, we found our love for each other, and we found the strong bonds of our community, our Viking village . . . In the future, when you find that you are missing something, that something is lost, that things are not complete, remember this year forever. That while the pandemic took many things away, we reached within. We reached to each other, and gained more that we lost.”

Other speakers included District Superintendent Dr. Peter Giarrizzo, Valedictorian Sophie Blumenthal, Salutatorian Kate Weseley-Jones and Board of Education President Dave Ludmar.

Contreras declared that the seniors had fulfilled all of the state high school requirements to graduate, and wished them the best of luck in the future. Then, accompanied by applause from the crowd, the graduates tossed their mortarboards into the air.

To conclude the ceremony, graduates Fiona Colby, Christina Goslin and Andie Schoen led the singing of the North Shore alma mater.