BHS Class of 2024 Takes the Next Step

The Babylon Junior-Senior High School class of 2024 took their final steps as high schoolers and their first ones into adulthood on June 26 as the graduating seniors celebrated their commencement. Throughout this special occasion, the students’ peers and the members of the Babylon administration provided important advice and reflected on their lives together before the graduates went their separate ways.Valedictorian Matthew Heffer urged his peers to find meaning in the mundane and to make their own meaningful contributions to the world. “My advice is that one’s passion should involve creating something that will outlast oneself,” he said. “This could be creating a physical piece of artwork, writing a collection of poetry, or establishing an organization that continues to thrive independently of your guidance. Being a creator is inherently meaningful because you are adding to the surrounding environment in some irreversibly positive way.”

Salutatorian Aemen Iqbal recounted her older sister’s struggles with her grades and how she had trouble adapting to life in Babylon schools after a move. The story conveyed the importance of remaining flexible in the face of change, as her sister adapted to become a straight-A student and served as a role model to Aemen. “Change is natural and necessary, so embrace it. Class of 2024, we’re at a crossroads right now, about to start a new chapter of our lives,” she said. “Whether pursuing higher education or joining the workforce, we are prepared. Thanks to the endless diligence of Superintendent Ms. Manza, the Board of Education, Mr. Cirone and Mrs. Callahan, and the wonderful Babylon School District faculty and staff, I can say that we are ready for the world!”

Principal Al Cirone also encouraged his outgoing students to remain flexible and to keep themselves limber and adaptable in their endeavors. “Today, as we celebrate your achievements and the culmination of your high school journey, I urge you to carry these lessons with you,” he said. “Embrace the stretch in all aspects of your life. Be flexible in your plans, adaptable to change, learn to embrace the unexpected, cherish the relationships that have supported you, and continue to seek knowledge not for grades, but for personal growth and fulfillment. Remember that education is not confined to the walls of the classroom; it is a lifelong journey, adapting and evolving.”

For more information about the Babylon Union Free School District, please visit the District’s website at www.babylon.k12.ny.us. Exciting activities happening throughout the District and programs celebrating student achievement can also be found on the District’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/babylonschooldistrict/.