Members of the Class of 2023 had their world turned upside down right after they started high school in 2019, when the COVID pandemic struck, shutting down schools — and just about everything else — and upending their high school career.
“When I think back to this class in the years ahead the first word that will come to my mind will be perseverance,” Riverhead School Superintendent Augustine Tornatore told the Class of 2023 at the start of Riverhead High School’s graduation ceremonies yesterday evening.
“Every year of your high school education was affected in some way by the lasting consequences of the pandemic,” Tornatore said. “Instead of wilting in the face of that incredible challenge, however, you thrived.”
Coping with remote learning, then coming back to school with masks and social distancing, the Class of 2023 “faced circumstances unlike any other students in history, and still accomplished so much,” the superintendent said.
Commencement exercises took place outdoors despite threatening skies and rain in the forecast Friday evening. But raindrops never fell and the Class of 2023 marched onto McKillop field to the cheers of an adoring crowd of family and friends packed shoulder to shoulder on the bleachers.
This year’s alumni speaker, Keriann Otaño, a member of the Class of 2005, encouraged the graduates to follow their passions — not just as they embark upon the next chapter, but throughout their lives.
“When I graduated from Riverhead High School in 2005, I knew exactly who and what I wanted to be. I knew I was going to be an opera singer,” she said.
Otaño went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in vocal performance and, indeed, became an opera singer, performing with major opera companies. “From the outside, I was on the path I had chosen. Inside I was sinking into fear and imposter syndrome.”
Suffering from self-doubt and questioning her chosen career path, she said she asked for help. “I gave myself permission to be more than just afraid. I gave myself permission to be human,” Otaño said.
“As you search for your dream and the countless dreams that will blossom from it, I want you to realize that life is not about finding one passion, one purpose, one driving motivation. Life is about diving into things that interest you, and staying curious and open to new discoveries that can lead you down a completely different path,” Otaño said.
“Life is about change, growth and adaptability. And a life well-lived is a life of ever-evolving passion and curiosity. So whether you decide to change majors in college or change careers a decade from now, know that every chapter of your life is creating a wonderful tapestry of your own uniqueness.”
She urged the graduates to “stay curious” and “keep learning and keep finding where your passion will lead you.”
Ultimately, “the question is not ‘what do you want to be’ but rather ‘where do you want to begin,’” Otaño said.
Valedictorian Emma Ellis and Salutatorian Jennifer Alonzo Moreno shared their thoughts on their experiences in Riverhead High School and the future that lies ahead.
Ellis will attend Notre Dame University and plans to major in chemical engineering. She spoke on the lessons learned in her physics classroom — from the messages on inspirational posters decorating the walls of the classroom: stay focused on your goals, be forgiving with yourself, be who you are and say what you feel, stop being mean to people, it’s OK to ask for help, believe in yourself, don’t be afraid to follow your dreams.
“You have to try to look past the clichés,” Ellis said.
Moreno, who will attend Boston University where she plans to study computer science, thanked her family, friends and teachers, especially Spanish teacher Penelope Boerum.
“I will now be ending my academic career the way I started it —speaking Spanish,” Alonzo Moreno said. She then addressed the crowd in Spanish.
“Mothers, fathers, look at your children. You did the impossible to see them here today,” Alonzo Moreno said. “Look at your children, and see yourselves in them. Look for the resilience in them, the love, the power, this is what you gave us,” she said.
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Alek Lewis
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