The Levittown School District held two graduation ceremonies at Hofstra University on Saturday, June 21, sending off two senior classes.
Division Avenue High School commemorated its senior class first.
Principal John Coscia urged graduates to maintain their dedication in the face of adversity and embrace those who have supported their journeys.
“Fear tells us to hesitate; it tells us to play it safe, to stay where it’s comfortable, but love tells us to step into the unknown, to chase our dreams, to trust and to grow,” he said.
Superintendent Todd Winch offered graduates a piece of advice on a good life.
“Share laughter with your friends, celebrate small wins and pay attention to moments that seem ordinary, because those are often the ones you will remember the most,” he said.
Division salutatorian Jennifer Chen said not everybody has the same path towards success, which is okay.
“We don’t have to know where every road goes, but they’ll all get us somewhere,” she said. “We’ll figure it out, even if it takes a while.”
Valedictorian Vidhi Patel joined the Levittown School District in 10th grade, and she shared her appreciation for her classmates who helped with the transition.
“I want to thank my fellow graduates for this new perspective,” she said. “Because of you all, I was able to make the most of my three years here and found my passions. I became part of a new community.”
General Douglas MacArthur High School began its ceremony in the early afternoon, marking the 64th graduation in the school’s history.
Principal Joseph Sheehan told the Class of 2025 to follow their dreams and he recalled a personal moment he shared with the seniors.
“When you asked me to join you on stage at the senior variety show last month, I was beyond touched and it truly meant more to me than you could ever imagine,” he said. “My mind was, ‘I am Mac.’ But the truth is, I’m not ‘Mac;’ you are not ‘Mac;’ we are ‘Mac.’”
Winch delivered a similar message to the MacArthur graduates, this time, telling the seniors to continue to push forward while also taking it all in.
“Keep working hard, dream big, set goals and pursue them with passion, but along the way, don’t forget to pause,” he said.
MacArthur salutatorian Katherine Tian and valedictorian Melody Hong both reflected on the graduates’ paths and how each person had a unique high school experience.
“You’ve already come so far, and you continue to do a good job where you are now – so keep going,” Hong said to the Class of 2025 about their futures.
Both sets of graduating classes finished their ceremonies by tossing their caps into the air to celebrate their accomplishments.
