Bethpage High School held its 70th graduation commencement ceremony on Friday, June 27, honoring the Class of 2025.
Principal Nicholas Jantz opened the ceremony, introducing a wide range of speakers. Bethpage High School’s valedictorian, Kaitlyn Ocuto, spoke about a question many graduates ponder during this time: “Who do I want to be?”
“This question isn’t just something we ask ourselves today, it’s something we ask ourselves no matter where we are in life,” said Ocuto. “Moving forward, I want myself to be kind, adventurous, intelligent, meeting the criteria that I’ve set for myself.”
Alexis Likourentzos, the salutatorian, talked about reaching for your goals and how the journey to get there isn’t always what you may hope for it to be.
“The journey makes you who you are,” said Likourentzos. “Each of us has our own ending. For some, it’s college. For others, it’s music, trade school, activism, healing, or some figuring it out one step at a time. It doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s, it just has to be yours.”
Other student speakers included Isabella Romero, senior class president, and Matthew Cusumano, student council president.
“No matter where we go next, Bethpage will always be the place where we discovered who we are,” said Romero.
Cusumano echoed similar sentiments, diving deeper into all the graduates journey’ since kindergarten and the roadblocks they’ve had to overcome.
“Although we changed a lot since we started our journey in Bethpage in kindergarten, one thing that hasn’t changed is our Bethpage spirit,” said Cusumano. “Together, we faced some of our biggest fears and survived some of our most daunting challenges like family struggles, the pressure of social media, and of course the 2025 college admissions process, which thanks to the 2007 baby boom, felt less like a friendly competition and more like “The Hunger Games.”
David Schneider, the superintendent of schools, passionately talked about the important role the soon-to-be graduates have in elevating their voice and doing what is right in the world.
“Use your voices to uplift others, to challenge, to create, to bring people together, so that you can make a lasting impact on the world,” said Schneider. “We believe that you will do so, carrying on the great legacy that is Bethpage.”
As the Bethpage graduates walked up the ramp and accepted their diplomas, Jantz left the Class of 2025 with parting words about their future endeavors and the family and friends that have made this important day happen.
“To our graduates, take a look at and appreciate the people that made this possible,” said Jantz. “They’ve been behind you all along. Make sure to thank them tonight and wherever you’re heading next year.”
With the Bethpage Class of 2025 officially in the books, Jantz elaborated on how special this graduating class in particular is.
“The Class of 2025 has set the bar high, not just on academics and athletics, but in kindness, perseverance, and in community,” Jantz said.” “They’ve showed us what it means to work hard, support one another and succeed with integrity.”
