Wallkill Central School District faculty and staff, Board of Education members, administrators and families celebrated 249 brand new graduates under an overcast sky on Friday, June 23. The Class of 2023 completed their high school journey with many going to high ranking colleges and universities, entering the workforce or joining military service. A combined total of 126 awards and scholarships were presented to students within this graduating class for academic achievement, service and other leadership areas and school initiatives.

The Wallkill Class of 2023 were in their freshman year during the first year of the pandemic and were not able to experience several school events and class activities together during that year. Upon the return to in-person instruction, the class resumed academic and athletic events, seeing friends and working on their assignments looking towards the end goal of graduation their senior year.

Brian Masopust, Principal, welcomed those in attendance to the commencement ceremony on the Wallkill field and congratulated the graduating class on making it to the special celebration. “Graduating from high school is an achievement that should elicit great pride. You’ve all worked very hard to make it to this event, and I’m honored to be a part of it with you tonight,” said Masopust. Superintendent Kevin Castle, Assistant Superintendent for Support Services Brian Devincenzi, Board of Education President Joseph LoCicero, Board of Education members and other respective members of the district staff and administrators were recognized and applauded during Masopust’s opening remarks. With the weather at bay, Masopust jokingly shared that Castle and LoCicero forfeited their time to make remarks to ensure the graduates received their diplomas before any rain, which was met with laughter and applause from the crowd.

“Speaking at the Wallkill Senior High School graduation is an immense honor and one that I do not take for granted. As I reflect on our last four years together, there’s no doubt that the class of 2023 is special. Every class in high school has standouts, but rarely, schools are blessed with a class that combines talent, work ethic, kindness and compassion for each other and the community as a whole. At last year’s commencement ceremony, I encouraged the graduates of the Class of 2022 to create a disciplined work ethic, embody kindness and empathy and push themselves out of their comfort zones. It’s clear that you’ve [graduates] already built the foundation in those areas,” said Masopust. “I leave you with this ancient Irish saying that my family shared with me the night I graduated from high school, on this field 19 years ago. May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may he hold the keys to your success in the palm of your hand.”

Benjamin Buchalte, National Honor Society President, Salutatorian Joseph Wagner, Valedictorian Colin McCartney, President of Student Government Association Hannah Stewart and Senior Class President Marco Martini were all welcomed to the podium to share personal remarks and to hopefully bestow some wisdom to their fellow classmates.

“Class of 2023, congratulations. It may seem surreal, but you have successfully made it through  every test, quiz and essay that high school had to offer. Not only that, but you’ve all made memories that will stick with you for the rest of your life,” said Buchalte. “Being here at this moment is bittersweet. How lucky we are to have friends, teachers and memories that makes it so hard to say goodbye. Eighteen years of memories and experiences went by in the blink of an eye. If your teen years have taught you anything, cherish the time you have on this Earth. I encourage all of you to dream big. Dream bigger than you can imagine.” Buchalte was accepted to and will be attending the University of South Carolina in the fall.

“As we celebrate our much-awaited high school graduation, we [graduates] should acknowledge the love, support and guidance of all the people that contributed to our journey,” said Wagner. “While it’s only been four years, it’s now starting to feel like I’ve known many of my classmates my whole life. Now, we [graduates] will finally be able to pursue our passions. I hope that as we move on to this new part of our lives, we always put our best foot forward and stay Panther strong.” Wagner will continue his academic studies by attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute this coming fall semester.

“Often, people think of the valedictorian as the smartest kid in the school. In some cases that can be true; however, there’s a lot more that goes into it. I believe that there are smarter people than me in this crowd. People that can fix car engines, create beautiful works of art or can write like an accomplished author. Who’s to say those people are any less smart than me? Everyone has their own skills, and everyone here is just as smart as me in their own way. That’s what makes today so great. Everyone has made it to this point, everyone has accomplished amazing things, and today everyone is celebrated,” said McCartney. “I will never forget any of you or this place, and neither should you.” McCartney will be attending Syracuse University this coming fall.

“I am eternally grateful for this place [Wallkill High School]. I’m grateful for the people I’ve met, for the relationships I’ve made, for the opportunities I’ve been given, the teachers I’ve learned from, just the overall experiences that I’ve gained from Wallkill,” said Stewart. “We [graduates] all have the power to not let our uncertainty keep us stagnant. We have the power to keep pushing forward and experience life the way it was meant to be experienced. One moment at a time.” Stewart will continue her education overseas as a member of the incoming class at the University of Glasgow.

“Not having a phone allowed me to live in the moment and interact with our amazing class. It allowed me to discover the uniqueness within all of you, the Wallkill Class of 2023 comprised of athletes, scholars, musicians, performers, some of you even a combination of all of these, and many will pursue these passions throughout college. Never forget these passions and hold them close to your heart,” said Martini. “In the words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast; if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Martini also took the opportunity to thank his father, Newburgh Town Justice Jude Martini, during his remarks. Martini will continue his academic journey at Cornell University this fall.

Once all remarks were made, Masopust welcomed Castle to the podium to confirm the students as high school graduates. Once confirmed, administrators presented diplomas to the eager 249 graduates. Once all diplomas were given, tassels were turned, caps were thrown in the air and applause rang out, thus concluding the journey of these students.