The Riverhead High School Class of 2024 celebrated its graduation yesterday in a late afternoon commencement ceremony at Coach Mike McKillop Memorial Field.
The bleachers were filled and the field surrounded by proud parents and family, who watched and screamed with joy as students received their diplomas. Students and family members listened as student leaders recounted their experience at Riverhead High School.
“The diploma that you are about to receive serves as a symbol of your hard work, your perseverance, your academic achievement and your personal growth, but it also symbolizes a new beginning,” high school principal Sean O’Hara told the students.
“Class of 2024, success in life requires commitment, determination and a positive mindset,” O’Hara said. “Throughout your education in the Riverhead Central School District, you have demonstrated these qualities and you have built a foundation for what you may do whatever you set out to accomplish. It is now time for you to create your own path and contribute to and improve upon all for which you have a passion.”
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, students in the class of 2024 started their freshman year in September 2020, with a situation that “looked different than what we had ever envisioned,” Class President Olivia Haupt said giving the history of the senior class. Students were placed in “cohorts” and did half of their school week remotely and half of their school week in-person — separated from half of their classmates. Some students did the entire school year online, she said.
“We were unable to start our freshman year together as a whole,” Haupt said. “We also started the year faced with another challenge: a failed budget. We wore masks, stood six feet apart, and had no sports, clubs, or any way to be together to show just how much of family we are at Riverhead. However, this would not define us. Slowly we began to pick up the pieces and, in true Riverhead fashion, we found a way to do what we know as normal.”
“Even after these hard challenges, everyone persevered and came together,” she said. “I applaud you all for taking an uncontrollable situation and rising above to show Riverhead pride.”
As the years went on, things went slowly back to normal, Haupt said. The Riverhead Blue Masques put on their musicals. The Blue Waves varsity sports teams had strong — and at times record-breaking — seasons. And the high school musicians and NJROTC won awards at various competitions.
“As you can see, a group that was unable to be together four years earlier came together and made an impact on Riverhead High School and is leaving an inspiring legacy to our class, the class of 2024,” she said. “I commend you all for leading your class and your school to achieve these accomplishments that you should forever be proud of. We faced a multitude of various challenges and here we are on graduation day — celebrating because we rose above.”
Valedictorian John McCormick and Salutatorian Ethan Caskie shared their high school experiences with the crowd and offered their wishes and advice to the rest of the senior class.
Caskie, who is heading to SUNY Buffalo to major in computer science, said the start of high school for him was isolating. He did not have many friends and couldn’t spend much time interacting with others because of the pandemic restrictions. Once he was reintroduced to his passions for music and theatre in the spring of his freshman year, his motivation returned.
“Suddenly, I realized it was that connection with my fellow students that I missed,” Caskie said. “And performing in different music groups and ensembles fueled something inside me, a passion that, even now, I can’t describe fully, but simply feels right.”
He hopes to explore his interest in computers and games in college studying computer science and later in his career, he said. He also intends to keep his passion for music alive by minoring in vocal performance and by participating in extracurriculars.
“Moving through the rest of high school, I’m happy to say that we’ve worked to return to a sense of normalcy. It’s crazy to think that wide scale quarantining only ended three years ago,” Caskie said. “But I believe that surreal feeling is only a sign of how much we’ve changed and grown in that time. Rather than allowing the pandemic to define the experience of our generation, I believe the work we put into our academics, clubs, sports, and other extracurriculars defines us and shows our resilience and motivation.”
Valedictorian John McCormick, who will be attending Syracuse University to study engineering, said the graduating class should figure out what they enjoy doing and pursue a career they like.
“If you’re going to college, this is your time to try new things. Find new passions, as well as fostering old ones,” McCormick said. “Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone either. This is your opportunity to take chances. Don’t be afraid to fail.”
He said students should try to be optimistic and be successful — in whatever way it might mean to them. “It is all up to you and what you make of it. Remember that you only live once, so be the best version of yourself,” McCormick said. “Take pride in your words and actions. Be proud of who you are, as well as the person you want to become.”
“Be proud of Riverhead High School, this school has given us tremendous opportunities,” he said. “And at the end of the day, I truly am going to miss this place: the teachers, the friends, the whole experience. What may have at the time seemed like the little things in our lives will live on as some of our greatest memories.”
This year’s alumni speaker was Michael Cunningham, a 2019 graduate. Cunningham graduated in 2023 from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut and came back to Riverhead to work as a registered nurse at Peconic Bay Medical Center.
Cunningham said Riverhead is “more than just a place, it’s a community,” and will always be home, even if graduates leave.
“Riverhead is where you can always find a sense of belonging and support,” he said. “As you step into your future after graduation, remember that you can reflect on Riverhead with nostalgia. It’s where friendships were forged, dreams were nurtured, and futures were shaped. Even if you don’t fully realize it now, the experiences Riverhead has provided will guide you in discovering your purpose in the world.”
Cunningham reminded the graduates to be kind. Even small acts of kindness — like holding a door open for someone or giving a person a simple compliment — “can and will make a difference.”
“Be kind, for kindness not only enriches the lives of others, but it can also enhance your own journey,” he said. “And in a world that often seems so chaotic and divided, it is your kindness that can be a beacon of light.”
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Alek Lewis
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