William Floyd High School held its annual summer school graduation ceremony on August 27, recognizing 39 seniors as the newest members of the Class of 2025. The event took place in the high school auditorium with families, friends, faculty, staff, administration, and Board of Education members in attendance.
The ceremony began with a presentation of colors by the WFHS NJROTC cadets under Senior Chief Andrew DiDonato. Graduating senior Cameron Malz led the Pledge of Allegiance. Summer school co-principal John DeBenedetto addressed the graduates: “Graduation is often thought of as an ending, but in reality, its proof of your resilience,” said Mr. DeBenedetto. “You’re proving that the setbacks don’t define you, your response to them does. You’re proving that hard work opens doors and that when life puts up obstacles, you have the courage to climb over them step by step. I want you to remember this moment, not just for the certificate or the applause, but for the reminder of what you’re capable of doing. Your strength to sit in these classrooms during hot summer days, to stay focused when it would have been easier to give up, that is the same strength that will carry you through college, through careers and through every challenge that you face in life.”
Dr. Malasia Walker presented remarks on behalf of co-principal Michele Manion. Ms. Manion compared graduates to rubies: “The trials and challenges you have faced on your journey to graduation have molded you into the person you are today, and today you are victorious,” said Ms. Manion. “Your passion, drive and perseverance carried you through to this point.”
Superintendent Kevin M. Coster also spoke at the event: “There are very few guarantees in this world, but this high school diploma is a guarantee for you for the rest of your life,” said Mr. Coster. “Wherever you go, you are always a high school graduate of the William Floyd School District; be proud to be a Colonial.”
Principal Philip Scotto offered advice to graduates: “I want you to think about the choices you made to get here today,” said Mr. Scotto. “We offer you the choice of staying in the regular school program, going to CI, home instruction, the Floyd Academy or summer school. You could have rejected any of those things, but you chose not to. You chose to go to summer school when you could have stayed home and gone to the beach all summer or gone to work. You could have delayed this into next year, but you did not. You chose to take a path in life to reach a goal and you did it.”
Students Amarylis Manzolillo and Sadie Catalano participated by addressing their classmates before diplomas were awarded and leading the tassel ceremony respectively.
Board trustee Lorraine Mentz presented each graduate with their diploma.
The Class of 2025 August graduates are Tre-Zure Bell, Jennifer Benitez-Mejia, Timothy Bittrolff Jr., Sadie Catalano, Ashley Cigarrero Aguilar, Jay’von Clarke, Jazel Cordero, Daniel Diaz, Nathaniel Dent, Omar Diaz Casco, Brianna Duran, Marlon Flores, Maison Forte, Ariana Galo, Britney Garchitorena, Saira Garcia Mendez, Allan Gil Gomez, Carl Hernandez, Ka’Ziah Horsford, Jelani Inegbenebo, Nathaniel Lincoln, Alyssa Lopez, Angelina Maldonado, Cameron Malz, Amarylis Manzolillo, Anthony Miller, Kimberly Molina Gonzalez, Kymani Moore , Veronica Occhiogrosso , Seyquan Patron , Jocelyn Peralta Jara , Emma Quattrocchi , Felix Reyes , Gisele Rivas , Lynajia Stokley , Nehemie Sylvert , Roxana Umanzor Martinez , Keyli Velasquez and Cameika Welch.
A program copy and full video from the ceremony were made available online.