VENTNOR – Amid Pomp and Circumstance, there were 67 graduates in the promenade to the stage where they were proclaimed eligible to attend high school. Their graduation ceremony was held in the auditorium at the Ventnor Educational Community School Friday, June 22.
The Ventnor Middle School Class of 2018 was well prepared by music teacher Evan Shea to sing the national anthem, the school song, and the class song, “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa. To the students’ delight, Shea was successful in getting the administration to approve the rap song, which appropriately reflected their thoughts and emotions about leaving their VECC classmates and going off into a new phase in their educational careers.
Principal Rob Baker advised students to “Be like Mr. Brinberg,” who played in games with the students and many after years as a physical education teacher, still looks at each student through the “eyes of love.”
“Find what you love, and you will have that magic in your eyes,” Baker said.
He encouraged them to “be in the game,” set goals and work hard to achieve them.
He thanked teachers and staff and especially parents, “who helped make them a super successful class.”
Three students selected to address the class recalled memories of their past days in elementary and middle schools, their present days in eighth grade and their expectations for the future.
Adam Gery recalled the “friendships and memories that made us who we are today.”
He bid farewell to the school and mentioned his friends by name.
“Let me end my 10 years at VECC by first thanking my teachers, the administration and my fellow students,” he said.
Cristina Barbella explained how the students will hold memories of their eighth grade in their hearts forever.
She talked about her teachers who not only provided instruction, but also motivated them to succeed, and remembered milestones during the year, including the first day of school, the school play, field day and the Super Extravagana that capped the school year.
“Throughout our school year, we have made tons of memories that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. We have had many ups and down along the way, but our final year at the VECC is definitely not one that any of us will forget,” she said. “We are here tonight in our caps and gowns making another memory that will stick with us forever. As stated in our graduation song, I know that as we go our separate ways, our friendships have turned to bonds and the love that meant will never ever be lost.”
Julia Herrera talked about the next chapter in their lives at area high schools.
“As the years pass, our aspirations will develop, and we will begin to think of who we want to become. For many it may take years to discover their passions, but some will already know what they want to be,” she said.
Regardless of what their future holds, the world will change as it always has, she said.
“Our lives will continue…but we will remember all the things we’ve been through and even though we are worlds away from each other, we will remember where we started. Right here in Ventnor.”
View a gallery of photos here.
Class of 2018
- Joshua Almodovar
- Karishma Arora
- Joseph Calvi
- Jenna Chen
- Camillo Fantazzia
- Brian Fink
- Adam Gery
- Daphnee Gonzalez-Mora
- Anai Guerrero-Carranza
- Brian Guerrero-Carranza
- Anderson Kriebel
- Nicole Laubenheimer
- Keshawn Nunnally
- Melissa Ortiz
- Molly Pacanowski
- Ashley Ramirez
- Yazeed Salam
- Jessica Santiago
- Julian Santiago
- David Torres
- Kshitij Trivedi
- Valentina Vasquez
- Natalia Aguilar
- Jahin Ahmed
- Nancy Carrada Gonzalez
- Enmanuel Castillo Pereyra
- Natalie Colon Ramirez
- Ava D’Innocenzio
- Jeff Dao
- Justin English
- Isabella Guzman
- Shady Hadad
- Julianna Herrera
- Lillian Knight
- Agustin Lynch Garcia
- Jay Maderia
- Andy Matos
- Aaron Perez
- John Sarkar
- Erick Solis-Cortes
- Ekdriany Torres
- Dymond Townsend
- Daja Vai
- Michael Vitanza
- Eliana Alzate
- Sara Banegas
- Alyssa Banff
- Cristina Barbella
- Alejandro Buritica
- Alejandro Canas
- Samantha Canela
- Chandrima Chakraborty
- Jeannine Elmasri
- Brianna L. Gonzalez
- Zachary Holtzman
- Jaxson Jaffe
- Firyal Khan
- Kyria Martinez
- Matthew Mears
- Jaleena Mercado
- Richard Morris
- Lily Pugh
- Neil Restrepo
- Jasser Rivera
- Annete Rufino
- Valery Wady
- Vanessa Zapata
