On June 26, East Rockaway High School held its graduation ceremony outside on the football field. As the traditional Pomp and Circumstance played, students processed onto the track, greeted by the cheers of family and friends filling the stands.

The ceremony began with the national anthem, sung by the senior chorus, followed by their rendition of You've Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman. Superintendent James DeTommaso and Board of Education President Dominick Vulpis offered welcoming remarks, setting the stage for the speeches to come.

Kevin Lynch, the salutatorian, delivered a thoughtful address, followed by valedictorian Jordan Lu's inspiring speech. Senior class advisors Emmanuela Matthews and Grayson Valentino provided a heartfelt send-off, while senior class co-presidents Frank Passanisi and Molly Hernandez added a touch of humor. Passanisi made everyone laugh by thanking Hernandez for catching his mistake before he ordered class t-shirts with the wrong graduation year.

Superintendent DeTommaso praised the class's achievements, noting their scholar-athletes, recipients of the NY State seals of biliteracy and civic readiness, theater and concert performances, academic scholarships, and community service. "Always remember that as a Rock, you possess resilience and strength to overcome anything, he said. May your journey ahead be filled with purpose, joy, and a rock-solid belief in your boundless potential."

Principal Richard Schaffer received thunderous applause and cheers from parents when he urged students to disconnect from their cell phones. "There is no true joy to be found in your cell phone," he said. "Endless scrolling and texting may bring temporary enjoyment, but in the end, it is not happiness. So please, put down your cell phone once in a while. Have face-to-face conversations with your friends and family. Make time to unplug; I guarantee that will make you happy."

Diplomas were then presented by members of the Board of Education, and Principal Schaffer officially declared the students graduated. The ceremony concluded with graduates moving their tassels from right to left and joyfully tossing their caps into the air, marking the end of their high school journey and the beginning of their next chapter.

Date Added: 6/28/2024

Thomas Donovan, a seventh-grade student at East Rockaway Junior-Senior High School, received recognition for his middle school research project from the Long Island Science Congress on June 11. The project, titled “How Does Curvature Affect the Load Carrying Capacity of an Arch” was awarded high honors.

Congratulations Thomas!

Pictured is Thomas Donovan with his science teacher Mr. Scott Gerken.

Date Added: 6/24/2024

On June 17, thirty-one students from East Rockaway High School received the New York State Seal of Biliteracy medallion for high achievement in the State and National Language exams and thirty received the Seal of Civic Readiness.

The number of students receiving these awards is quite remarkable for a school of East Rockaway High School’s size. Principal Richard Schaffer said, “In a graduating class of less than 90 students, we have 31 students receiving the Seal of Civic Readiness and 30 receiving the Seal of Biliteracy. Seventeen students have earned both. By comparison, our total number of students achieving this recognition is on par with schools that have senior classes 4-5 times as large. I must thank our World Languages Department Chair, Mrs. Rodriguez and our English and Social Studies Department Chair, Mrs. Bloomfield for prioritizing this initiative and ensuring that every student that could and wanted to earn these seals had the opportunity to do so.”

The NYS Seal of Biliteracy recognizes high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in English and one or more world languages. The NYSSB takes the form of a Seal on the student's diploma and a medallion worn at graduation. It affirms the value of diversity in a multilingual society and provides universities and future employers with additional information about applicants.

The NYS Seal of Civic Readiness honors students who demonstrate high levels of aptitude for social studies and are committed to involvement in their communities. Like the Seal of Biliteracy, Seal of Civic Readiness recipients are honored with a certificate, medal and a seal on their final diploma. Civic readiness is the ability to make a positive difference in the public life of our communities through the combination of civic knowledge, skills and actions, mindsets and experiences.

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Date Added: 6/21/2024

East Rockaway School District is thrilled to announce that 10th grader Andrew Chen secured second place in the prestigious Growing Beyond Earth project, operated in partnership with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. This program is designed to advance NASA's research on growing plants in space.

Andrew's project, titled The effect of elevated concentrations of CO2 on Eruca sativa, explored the research question, “How would elevated concentrations of CO2 affect the germination rate of Eruca sativa?”

His innovative research contributed valuable insights into the potential for sustainable agriculture in space environments. As part of his project, Chen 3D-printed a grow box and carefully tracked changes in the germination of his seeds. His presentation to NASA scientists was extremely impressive, so much so that he literally “wowed” them.

We are incredibly proud of Andrew for this outstanding achievement and his dedication to scientific exploration. Andrew will be continuing with science research next year at East Rockaway High School in the area of astrobiology.

Date Added: 6/18/2024

On June 13, East Rockaway High School recognized the exceptional achievements of the senior class at the Senior Awards Night, held in the high school auditorium.

The event recognized students’ accomplishments in the areas of scholarship, service, and leadership.

Congratulations to all who were recognized. We are so proud of your hard work and can't wait to see what the future holds for you!

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Date Added: 6/17/2024