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MS. MR. WYNN, MR. WALDECK, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, DR.
MCCARTEY, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, FACULTY, FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY OUR EIGHTH GRADERS.
WELCOME TO THE 49TH ANNUAL EIGHTH GRADE RECOGNITION NIGHT.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO PLEASE RISE AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MR. RIKER WE TO RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
THEY EARN DE THEY STAND BACK TO THEM.
YES, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UM, SO GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN.
STUDENTS, PARENTS, GUESTS, AND ADMINISTRATORS, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
UH, IT'S AMAZING TO SEE YOU ALL HERE IN THIS WONDERFUL EVENING TO CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF A VERY SPECIAL GROUP OF STUDENTS TO THE EIGHTH GRADERS.
I'M GONNA TURN THIS A LITTLE BIT 'CAUSE I WANNA TALK TO THEM.
UH, IT HAS BEEN SUCH AN AMAZING AND FULFILLING YEAR, SPENDING TIME WITH YOU ALL AND GETTING TO KNOW YOU, BUT YOUR TIME AS A MIDDLE SCHOOLER IS COMING TO A CLOSE.
YOU'LL SOON LOOK BACK WISTFULLY TO THE MANY YEARS THAT YOU HAVE SPENT WITH THOSE SITTING AMONG YOU ON THE STAGE.
BUT TRUST ME AND MY GRAY HAIR, WHEN I TELL YOU THE BEST IS YET TO COME DURING YOUR TIME IN HIGH SCHOOL, YOU WILL LAY WITNESS TO A FUTURE THAT IS EXCITING BUT UNCERTAIN, BOTH IN HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL AND IN A MORE GLOBAL SENSE.
BUT ONE THING IS CERTAIN, YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE EACH OTHER.
THE WORLD IS EVOLVING RAPIDLY.
FOR INSTANCE, YOU HAVE LIVED THROUGH THE ADVENT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WITH ITS GREATEST POTENTIAL, NOT FULLY REALIZED.
YOU SEE, YOU'LL ALL HAVE THE JOB OF TAKING OUR RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD AND MAKING SENSE OF IT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME, YOU WILL UNLOCK THE POTENTIAL OF EACH OF YOUR MINDS AND YOU'LL DO IT WITH THE FOUNDATION THAT YOU CREATED HERE AT FMS. ALTHOUGH THE FUTURE IS UNKNOWN, THE LESSONS YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM YOUR FRIENDS, TEACHERS, AND FAMILIES WILL ALWAYS KEEP YOU GROUNDED.
REMEMBER THE BASICS, STAY KIND, PRACTICE EMPATHY FOR OTHERS, AND STAY TRUE TO YOURSELVES.
AND TO QUOTE THE FIRST FEMALE US SECRETARY OF STATE, MADELINE ALBRIGHT, HAVE THE WISDOM TO RECOGNIZE THE BEST IN OTHERS WHILE ALWAYS DEMANDING THE BEST IN YOURSELF.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME TO THE PODIUM OUR PRINCIPAL, MR. SCOTT WYNN.
HONORED GUESTS, ESTEEMED FACULTY, PROUD FAMILIES, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE FMS CLASS OF 2025.
LET ME START WITH THE OBVIOUS.
YOU'VE MADE IT THROUGH FOUR WILD, UNPREDICTABLE, INSPIRING, AND OCCASIONALLY SOGGY YEARS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL.
NOW, I KNOW RECOGNITION NIGHT'S SPEECHES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DEEP AND
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REFLECTIVE AND MAYBE EVEN POETIC, BUT I THINK WE ALL KNOW THE ONE THING THAT WILL FOREVER BOND THIS CLASS TOGETHER.YES, THAT FLOOD, THE ONE THAT DECIDED TO ROLL IN DURING THE MIDDLE OF MIDDLE SCHOOL YEAR AND COMPLETELY REDECORATE PART OF OUR BUILDING IN THE WORST POSSIBLE WAY.
THE ONE THAT SOAKED THE FLOORS AND WALLS, REARRANGE THE CEILING TILES LIKE ABSTRACT ART AND LEFT MUCH OF YOUR CLASSWORK FLOATING DOWN THE HALLWAYS.
THANKFULLY, YOU WEREN'T IN THE BUILDING WHEN IT HAPPENED, BUT WHEN YOU RETURNED AND BEGAN LIVING THE AFTERMATH, YOU DID WHAT TRUE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS DO BEST.
YOU ASKED ALL THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS LIKE, HEY, MR. WYNN, DO WE STILL HAVE TO GO TO ELA
BUT WHAT STANDS OUT THE MOST IS NOT JUST THE FLOOD ITSELF, IT'S THE WAY THAT YOU AS A CLASS HANDLED EVERYTHING THAT CAME AFTER YOU DIDN'T COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ROOM CHANGES OR EVEN THE MORE CROWDED HALLWAYS.
YOU SHOWED RESILIENCE AT ADAPT, ADAPTABILITY, AND A VERY MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIFIC KIND OF OPTIMISM.
HONESTLY, IF THIS YEAR WERE A DISASTER MOVIE, YOU'D BE THE CALM, CLEVER KIDS IN THE MIDDLE SAYING, NO WORRIES, WE'VE GOT THIS.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
YOU'VE HANDLED NOT JUST FLOODING, BUT REAL CHALLENGES, ENDLESS TESTS AND QUIZZES, LOCKERS THAT NEVER OPEN ON THE FIRST TRY.
CAFETERIA BURRITOS THAT WEIGH TWO POUNDS EACH AND GROUP PROJECTS THAT TEST THE LIMITS OF FRIENDSHIP THROUGH IT ALL YOU'VE GROWN ACADEMICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND MOST DEFINITELY, LITERALLY, YOU'VE SUPPORTED ONE ANOTHER, LAUGHED TOGETHER, LEARNED HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELVES AND DISCOVERED WHAT YOU CARE ABOUT.
AND THE FLOOD, WHILE INCONVENIENT AND MESSY, SOMEHOW BECAME A STRANGE SYMBOL OF YOUR MIDDLE SCHOOL JOURNEY.
BECAUSE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A LITTLE CHAOTIC, IT IS FULL OF UNEXPECTED TWISTS AND SOMETIMES THINGS DO GET A LITTLE MESSY.
BUT WHAT MATTERS MOST IS HOW YOU RESPOND.
AND YOU, YOU RESPONDED WITH STRENGTH, GOOD HUMOR, CURIOSITY, AND A WILLINGNESS TO MOVE FORWARD EVEN WHEN IT WAS LITERALLY RAINING INDOORS.
SO FMS CLASS OF 2025, AS YOU HEAD OFF TO HIGH SCHOOL, REMEMBER THIS LIFE WILL THROW YOU SOME SURPRISES.
SOME MIGHT BE THRILLING, SOME MIGHT BE CONFUSING.
SOME MIGHT APPARENTLY INVOLVE THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF WATER POURING THROUGH THE CEILING.
BUT IF YOU'VE LEARNED ANYTHING HERE, IT'S THIS.
YOU ARE MORE THAN CAPABLE OF FACING CHALLENGES HEAD ON WITH A SENSE OF HUMOR, A STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM, AND MOST DEFINITELY A CREATIVE PLAN.
B, WE ARE SO PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE AND WHO YOU'VE BE.
WHO ARE YOU? YOU ARE BECOMING MAYOR.
HIGH SCHOOL YEARS BE JUST AS MEMORABLE, FILLED WITH AMAZING MOMENTS AND HOPEFULLY SLIGHTLY LESS WET.
CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2025.
IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THIS YEAR'S FIRST STUDENT SPEAKER, MARGO ELLER.
MY NAME IS MARGO ELLER, AND IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT OUR GRADUATION.
IF I'M BEING TRUTHFUL, WHEN I STARTED TO WRITE THIS SPEECH, I HAD NO IDEA WHERE I WAS GOING WITH IT.
HONESTLY, I'M REALLY SURPRISED THEY EVEN LET ME GIVE THIS SPEECH.
AS YOU LOOK AT ME HERE TODAY, I DON'T THINK I STAND OUT.
I'M NOT AN ALLSTAR ATHLETE, AN OUTSTANDING MUSICIAN.
I'M NOT EVEN REALLY THAT SMART.
LIKE TRUST ME, I'M NOT EVEN IN ALGEBRA.
EVEN THOUGH I WISH I WAS, I'M NOT.
BUT THIS DAY ISN'T JUST ABOUT ME.
TODAY'S A SPECIAL DAY FOR MANY, INCLUDING PROUD PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, AND TEACHERS WHO ARE VERY RELIEVED WE'RE OUTTA THEIR CLASSES.
THESE PAST YEARS HAVE GONE BY IN A BLINK OF AN EYE, AND I SIMPLY CAN'T HELP THINKING ABOUT HOW FAST TIME KEEPS MOVING.
ONE DAY WE WALKED INTO THIS SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME, UNSURE AND NERVOUS, WONDERING WHERE WE'LL FIT IN AND HOW DIFFERENT MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL BE TO ELEMENTARY.
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ARE AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER.I HAVE SO MANY GREAT MEMORIES HERE, INCLUDING THE EIGHTH GRADE SCHOOL FIELD TRIP, THE COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT, AND EVEN THE TRADE FAIR ALL THE WAY BACK IN THE FIFTH GRADE.
EVEN THOUGH WE ENJOYED THE TIME WE SPENT, MIDDLE SCHOOL ALSO INCLUDED MANY UPS AND DOWNS FOR LOTS OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN EVERYTHING WE KNEW SHIFTED AND WE HAD TO SWITCH CLASSES AND SCHOOLS COMPLETELY DURING THE FLOOD.
BUT IN MY OPINION, WE DID A GREAT JOB AT ADAPTING TO THE CHANGE.
NOW IT'S TIME FOR A NEW CHAPTER IN OUR LIVES, THE ONE THAT INCLUDES HIGH SCHOOL.
THE MOMENT I'VE PERSONALLY BEEN WAITING FOR, FOR A LONG TIME, FAMOUS AMERICAN AUTHOR, DAVID HANDLER, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE AUTHOR OF MY FAVORITE BOOK, A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS ONCE WROTE, IF WE WAIT UNTIL WE'RE READY, WE'LL BE WAITING FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD THIS QUOTE, I HAD A HARD TIME FIGURING OUT WHAT IT TRULY MEANT, BUT THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, I REALIZED HOW MUCH WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.
AND TO QUOTE THE FAMOUS FERRIS BUELLER, LIVE LIFE MOVES PRETTY FAST.
IF YOU DON'T STOP AND LOOK AROUND ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU CAN MISS IT.
WHEN WE ALL THINK ABOUT KINDERGARTEN, IT FEELS LIKE IT WAS JUST YESTERDAY.
PLEASE TAKE A LOOK TO YOUR LEFT AND RIGHT TO YOUR PEERS.
JUST SO WE CAN REMEMBER THIS MOMENT.
WE WAITED FOR OUR FIRST MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCES, MODIFIED SPORTS GAME, AND WE WERE EVEN WAITING FOR OUR CHELSEA PEERS TRIP SINCE THE DAY WE HEARD ABOUT IT FROM THE THEN EIGHTH GRADERS.
AND AMONG SO MANY OTHER THINGS, WE WAITED TO GET ON THE STAGE AND GRADUATE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
MIDDLE SCHOOL PRESENTED SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES LIKE MEETING REALLY COOL TEACHERS AND FUNNY ONES THAT WILL NOT BE AFRAID TO CALL YOU OUT AND MAKE FUN OF YOU.
IF YOU HAD MR. VAQUERO THIS YEAR, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
MOST IMPORTANTLY THOUGH, WE BUILT CONNECTIONS WITH THE NEW PEOPLE WHO WE NEVER MET BEFORE.
STRANGERS BECAME FRIENDS, AND FRIENDS BECAME FAMILY.
I KNOW MOST OF YOU'LL STILL BE HERE NEXT YEAR, BUT I REALLY CAN'T EXPRESS HOW EXCITED I AM TO SEE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR ALL OF US, INCLUDING NEW STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND HOPEFULLY NEW, BETTER GRADES.
BEFORE I END MY SPEECH, I HAVE A COUPLE PEOPLE TO THANK.
FIRSTLY MY TEACHERS, THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN US, EVEN WHEN WE DOUBTED OURSELVES.
YOU DIDN'T JUST TEACH US SUBJECTS THIS YEAR.
YOU ALSO TAUGHT US KINDNESS, CURIOSITY, AND THE POWER RESILIENCE.
MOST IMPORTANTLY THOUGH, I WANNA THANK OUR EIGHTH GRADE CLASS.
EVERYONE PUT IN SO MUCH EFFORT THIS YEAR AND IT SHOWED, HAVING SUCH A SMALL GRADE REALLY SHOWED ME HOW MUCH WE NEED TO RELY ON OUR FRIENDS AND PEERS.
I LOVE THAT WE ALL HAVE SUCH STRONG CONNECTIONS HERE IN FMS. IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT YOU GUYS.
SO LET US TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND STEP COURAGE FORWARD WITH COURAGE AND EXCITEMENT, KNOWING THAT NO MATTER WHERE LIFE TAKES US, WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE THIS TIME AND THIS PLACE IN OUR HEARTS.
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2025.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEXT STUDENT TO SPEAKER ASTRID KRAS GUARD.
HELLO, UM, WELCOME TO THE EIGHTH GRADE RECOGNITION NIGHT.
I WANNA START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU TO ALL THE TEACHERS AND STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE HELPED US OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
YOU HAVE TAUGHT US ALL WAY MORE THAN JUST THE CORE SUBJECTS YOU HAVE PREPARED US FOR A NEW CHAPTER IN OUR LIVES, ONE THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE EXCITED TO START.
I CAN REMEMBER WHEN I WAS IN FOURTH GRADE TOURING THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, WONDERING HOW I WOULD EVER MEMORIZE MY SCHEDULE, NERVOUS THAT I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FIND MY CLASSES OR OPEN MY LOCKER.
BUT LOOK HOW FAR WE HAVE COME.
MIDDLE SCHOOL HAS HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY.
WHETHER IT BE FINDING A SENSE OF BELONGING OR DISCOVERING NEW THINGS ABOUT MYSELF, I WILL FOREVER BE GRATEFUL FOR THE FRIEND, AMAZING FRIENDS I'VE MADE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOMENTS FROM THIS YEAR WAS OUR EIGHTH GRADE TRIP.
I KNOW WE ALL HAD LOTS OF FUN BOWLING WITH OUR FRIENDS AND EATING AS MUCH FOOD AS POSSIBLE.
THIS TRIP MADE ME REALIZE HOW LITTLE TIME WE HAVE LEFT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND NOW, WHICH HAS COME TO AN END.
ANOTHER ONE OF MY FAVORITE TIMES IN MID MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS THE GRECIAN FESTIVAL.
IN SIXTH GRADE, EVERYONE WAS FULLY DECKED OUT IN THEIR TEAM'S COLORS, HOPING TO COME OUT AS THE WINNER.
EVEN THOUGH COVID SET US BACK, WE BOUNCED RIGHT BACK UP.
COVID TAUGHT US HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE IN SCHOOL, SOCIALIZING AND HANGING OUT WITH FRIENDS.
DESPITE US NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE EACH OTHER EVERY DAY, WE STILL FIND, WE STILL FOUND WAYS TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER, WHETHER THAT WAS BY PLAYING VIDEO GAMES OR SIMPLY BY CALLING EACH OTHER.
NOW MANY OF US CHOOSE TO DO THAT THROUGH SPORTS.
MODIFIED SPORTS HAVE BEEN A GREAT WAY FOR US TO MAKE MORE FRIENDS AND TO POTENTIALLY FIGURE OUT WHAT SPORTS WE WOULD LIKE TO PLAY IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I KNOW I ESPECIALLY HAD LOTS OF FUN PLAYING SOCCER THIS PAST FALL.
THE FLOOD THAT OCCURRED IN DECEMBER CHANGED
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A GREAT DEAL OF THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR.WE HAD TO CHANGE OUR CLASSES AND NUMEROUS TEACHERS LOST THEIR SUPPLIES CHANGING HOW THEY WERE GONNA TEACH US.
I THINK WE ALL DID A GREAT JOB ADJUSTING TO THE NEW CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THE FLOOD BROUGHT.
DESPITE ALL THE TROUBLE THAT THE FLOOD CAUSED, A GOOD THING THAT CAME FROM THAT HAPPENING WAS BEING ABLE TO GET MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING.
NOW, WE WON'T COME IN NEXT YEAR, ARE COMPLETE COMPLETELY CLUELESS OF WHERE ALL OUR CLASSES ARE.
HIGH SCHOOL IS OPENING US UP TO A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES.
WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PICK CLASSES THAT ALIGN WITH WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BE WHEN WE ARE OLDER.
AND EVEN IF YOU DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANNA BE JUST LIKE ME, THEN YOU CAN TRY A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS AND SEE WHAT EXCITES YOU THE MOST.
THERE ARE ALSO NUMEROUS CLUBS THAT SPAN FROM FASHION TO ROBOTICS THAT ENABLE US TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH KIDS IN OLDER GRADES.
IN ADDITION, OUR SCHOOL HAS AN AMAZING THEATER PROGRAM IN HIGH SCHOOL, THE PRODUCTIONS WILL ONLY GET BETTER.
I'VE HAD A BLAST WATCHING THE MU MUSICALS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND DOING TECH CREW FOR A FEW.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOT MORE FREEDOM IN HIGH SCHOOL.
SOMETHING I THINK WE HAVE RIGHTFULLY EARNED HIGH SCHOOL CAN SEEM VERY INTIMIDATING, BUT WE CAN GET THROUGH IT WITH THE HELP OF EACH OTHER.
TRY YOUR HARDEST EVERY DAY, BUT DON'T MAKE, DON'T BE AFRAID TO MAKE MISTAKES ALONG THE WAY.
SOME DAYS ARE GONNA BE HARDER THAN OTHERS, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER NO MATTER HOW OUTTA REACH YOU MIGHT FEEL AT THAT MOMENT.
WE HAVE ALL GONE THROUGH DIFFERENT HARDSHIPS IN OUR LIVES, BUT CAME OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE AND BECAME STRONGER BECAUSE OF IT.
EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM SHOULD BE PROUD OF HOW MUCH PROGRESS THEY HAVE MADE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
I WISH EVERYONE THE BEST NEXT YEAR.
LET'S MAKE AMAZING MEMORIES IN HIGH SCHOOL.
SO AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN OUR PRESENTATION OF AWARDS.
SO IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, MR. DAN BECK.
THE FIRST AWARD IS THE RIVER ARTS CHRISTINE NELSON MEMORIAL MUSIC AWARD.
EACH YEAR, RIVER ARTS PRESENTS THE CHRISTINE NELSON MEMORIAL MUSIC AWARD TO EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS CHOSEN BY THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT WHO SHOW EXCEPTIONAL MUSIC TALENT, AND A STRONG INTEREST IN FURTHERING THEIR MUSICAL STUDIES.
THIS AWARD IS NAMED AFTER CHRISTINE NELSON, WHO PLAYED VIOLIN THROUGHOUT HER LIFE, STUDYING MUSIC BROUGHT HER GREAT JOY.
CHRISTINE HAD CYSTIC FIBROSIS, AND IN 1982, WHEN SHE WAS IN SIXTH GRADE HERE AT FARGATE MIDDLE SCHOOL, SHE LOST HER BATTLE WITH THIS DISEASE.
SOON AFTER HER DEATH, HER PARENTS, BONNIE AND ROBERT NELSON, ESTABLISHED THIS AWARD IN HONOR OF THEIR DAUGHTER.
IT HAS BEEN GIVEN EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST 38 YEARS TO AN EIGHTH GRADER TO HELP THEM CONTINUE THEIR MUSICAL JOURNEY.
PRESENTING THIS AWARD IS THE SISTER OF CHRISTINE, STEPHANIE NELSON.
BUT BEFORE I START, I JUST WANNA SAY I'M REALLY GLAD THAT FERRIS BUELLER IS STILL GETTING QUOTED.
THAT MOVIE CAME OUT WHEN I WAS ROAMING THESE HALLWAYS AND BRINGS BACK MANY GREAT MEMORIES OF HIGH SCHOOL.
ANYWAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME BACK TO PRESENT THIS AWARD.
MY SISTER CHRISTINE LOVED HASTINGS.
MY FAMILY LOVES HASTINGS AND SHE REALLY LOVED MUSIC WHEN SHE DIED.
MY, MY PARENTS WERE VERY INVOLVED IN THE HASTINGS CREATIVE ARTS COUNCIL, UH, AND THEY CREATED THIS SCHOLARSHIP IN HER MEMORY.
UM, THE HASTINGS CREATIVE ARTS COUNCIL IS NOW THE RIVER ARTS.
UM, AND I JOINED THE BOARD OF THAT THIS YEAR, WHICH HAS BEEN A VERY EXCITING, UM, JOURNEY FOR ME.
AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE PART OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS THE ARTS THROUGHOUT THE RIVER TOWNS.
AND I'M SO HAPPY TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMEMBER MY SISTER AND CELEBRATE THE HARD WORK AND THE MUSIC OF TWO STUDENTS HERE AT THIS SCHOOL.
CONGRATULATIONS TO CABERS ANI AND JEVON LASSER.
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THANK YOU STEPHANIE.THE J AND K SCHWARTZ ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IS AN AWARD SPONSORED BY THE PHI CHAPTER OF DELTA KAPPA GAMMA SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL, AND IS PRESENTED TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED PERSONAL GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH THEIR HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT THROUGH THEIR TIME AT FMS. HERE TO PRESENT THIS AWARD IS BRITTANY STAN, ONE OF OUR TEACHERS.
UM, THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENT OF THE JANE K. SCHWARTZ AWARD IS BRIAN JO CHAI.
THE SKYLER'S SON RETI AWARD IS PRESENTED BY THE SUN CON RETTI FAMILY IN MEMORY OF THEIR SON, SKYLER'S SON RETTI.
THIS AWARD RECOGNIZED TWO STUDENT ATHLETES EACH DEMONSTRATE A LOVE OF THE GAME AS EVIDENCED BY EXCEPTIONAL ABILITY, SPORTSMANSHIP, UNBRIDLED ENERGY, AND THE ABILITY TO MOTIVATE TEAMMATES, ALL QUALITIES WHICH MADE SKYLER A UNIQUE ATHLETE AND A SPECIAL PERSON.
THE 2025 SKYLER'S SON ARDI AWARD RECIPIENTS ARE ALYSSA SHUCKER, AND THE NEXT OF GOLDS ARE THE FMS LEADERSHIP AWARDS.
AS YOU CAN SURMISE, THESE AWARD IS GIVING TO A STUDENT OR STUDENTS WHO EXHIBIT OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP QUALITIES.
THE STUDENTS GIVING THE AWARD THIS YEAR LED IN A QUIET MANNER BY EXAMPLE, WITHOUT CALLING ATTENTION TO THEMSELVES.
THESE FOUR STUDENTS HAVE DONE EXTRAORDINARY WORK IN A DILIGENT MANNER BEHIND THE SCENES, ALWAYS DOING THE RIGHT THING.
THE 2025 FMS LEADERSHIP AWARD RECIPIENTS ARE LIAM SEXTON, BEATS DIRKSEN, BOBBY REYNOLDS, AND AVA GUERRERO.
THE NEXT AWARDS ARE THE VOICES FOR CHANGE AWARDS.
THIS HONOR RECOGNIZED STUDENTS WHO ARE PASSIONATE ADVOCATES FOR EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND HAVE ENGAGED IN COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS REGARDING ISSUES OF DIVERSITY.
THIS YEAR, WE WILL PRESENT THEM THIS AWARD TO TWO STUDENTS, THE FIRST RECIPIENT, RECIPIENT WHO HAS SHOWN OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AS A MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE.
HE HAS USED HIS VOICE TO RAISE AWARENESS AND SUPPORT FELLOW PEERS.
HE ALSO CREATED A POWERFUL PRESENTATION ON GANG VIOLENCE IN CHICAGO THAT OFFERED THOUGHTFUL INSIGHTS AND REAL SOLUTIONS
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FOR BUILDING SAFER COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE IN LOW INCOME AREAS.AS AN LGBTQ PLUS ADVOCATE, HE CONTINUES TO INSPIRE OTHERS WITH HIS COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY, EQUITY, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
FOR THESE REASONS, THE FIRST RECIPIENT OF THE 2025 VOICES FOR CHANGE AWARD IS LANDON LEE.
THE SECOND RECIPIENT IS A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS, EQUALITY, AND INCLUSION FOR ALL.
SHE STRONGLY BELIEVES THAT ALL PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO OPPORTUNITY, CHOICE, AND FREEDOM.
THIS YEAR, SHE CREATED A POWERFUL AND THOUGHTFUL PRESENTATION TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE STRUGGLES AND INJUSTICES FACED BY WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN WITH COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING, AND DRIVE TO CREATE CHANGE.
SHE CONTINUES TO BE A VOICE FOR JUSTICE AND A ROLE MODEL TO HER PEERS.
FOR THESE REASONS, THE SECOND RECIPIENT OF THE 2025 VOICES FOR CHANGE AWARD IS WILLING.
SIMONE FORBES FMS OFFERS SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS IN ART, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, MATH, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, TECHNOLOGY, AND WORLD LANGUAGES.
IT IS A GREAT PLEASURE TO PRESENT THESE AWARDS FOR ART JACK SMITH.
WOO AND AND MANIA K CROWS GUARD FOR ELA.
CLAUDE DEO AND ASTRID AND ASTRID CROSS GUARD.
ME DE AND ELLIOT VOIGHT FOR SCIENCE.
DEVIN ALI AND ELIANA DE TORO FOR SOCIAL STUDIES WILL TRWE AND THEO SOUTHERN TOWN FOR TECHNOLOGY,
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CATO,AND LASTLY, FOR WORLD LANGUAGES, CATHERINE MOONEY AND CAGE DONAHUE.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO INVITE A VERY SPECIAL FRIEND OF FMS JUDY KAISER TO PRESENT THE NEXT AWARD.
I AM PLEASED TO PRESENT THE 47TH ANNUAL LISA KAISER AWARD.
IT IS GIVEN IN MEMORY OF MY LATE DAUGHTER LISA ROBIN KAISER, TO A STUDENT OR STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN THE SHINING STARS IN PROMOTING GOODWILL AND FRIENDSHIP AMONG THEIR CLASSMATES.
OR AS LISA'S FRENCH TEACHER, MRS. SILVERBERG PUT IT, IT'S THE GOOD KID AWARD.
THE RECIPIENT OR RECIPIENTS ARE SELECTED BY A FACULTY COMMITTEE, AND THEIR NAMES ARE ADDED TO A PLAQUE THAT HAS HUNG AND HOPEFULLY WILL BE REHUNG IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL OFFICE.
A YOUNG WOMAN CONTACTED ME THROUGH FACEBOOK.
SHE TOLD ME SHE HAD LIVED IN HASTINGS AT THE TIME.
WE MOVED HERE IN 1975 AND LEFT LESS THAN TWO YEARS AFTER OUR ARRIVAL.
SHE ASKED IF I WAS LISA'S MOM.
WHEN I CONFIRMED THAT, SHE SENT ME THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE ABOUT LISA AND I QUOTE, I WAS ALWAYS A LITTLE SHY AND WARY OF STRANGERS.
AND IT WAS LISA WHO INITIATED THE FRIENDSHIP.
I REMEMBER HER AS FRIENDLY, OUTGOING, AND FUN TO BE WITH BECAUSE I WAS IN A LOWER GRADE.
BUT WHENEVER I SAW LISA IN THE HALLS, SHE WAS SURROUNDED BY LOTS OF FRIENDS AND USUALLY LAUGHING.
SHE ALWAYS STOPPED TO SAY HELLO AND GIVE ME A BIG SMILE THAT SOMEONE WOULD REMEMBER.
LISA AFTER KNOWING HER FOR SUCH A SHORT TIME ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, IS A TRIBUTE TO LISA AND TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED THIS AWARD FOR THE PAST 46 YEARS.
HAVING SAID THAT, I AM HONORED TO PRESENT THE 2025 LISA KAISER AWARD TO CALI PANGAN.
AND FINALLY, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT THE STUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD ON BEHALF OF SIRLY LAMBERT.
THROUGH 2024 STUDENT OF THE YEAR, THE RECIPIENT OF THIS AWARD HAS EARNED THE HIGHEST GRADE POINT AVERAGE FOR THE YEARS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THIS AWARD IS BASED SOLELY ON THE RECIPIENT'S ACADEMIC STANDING THROUGH THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS OF EIGHTH GRADE.
THE AWARD IS PROVIDED BY THE HASTINGS TEE TEAS ASSOCIATION.
THE 2025 STUDENT OF THE U AWARD GOES TO ELIZABETH LUER POER.
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OKAY.CATRON, WHO'S GONNA PRESENT THE CERTIFICATES.
SO THIS IS THE MOMENT THAT WE HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR.
IT IS AN HONOR TO PRESENT TO YOU THE FARGATE MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASS OF 2025 NOW.
READY GUYS? AND UP? YEAH, WE'RE GOOD.
EDGAR, ARE WE READY? EDGAR URBANS.
BRENNAN, CHRISTIAN, BROWN, SAMUEL BUCKLEY.
JACK, ISABELLA,
AND NOW FATHER CHANG, LUCA CHANG.
TOBIAS CHEN, J PHILLIPS, MAX COHEN.
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JULIE DODSON.ANDREW FRANCO FROST, AUGUST GALLOWAY.
GRIFFIN, CORDERO, GIDEON, HUDSON, HASSAN, DANA, HASTINGS.
WAYNE JORDAN IS THE ASTRID GUARD.
SIMON MARTIN, JACKSON MATTHEWS.
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ALRIGHT, COME ON DOWN.LUCAS PEREZ, HENRY PHILLIPS, OLIVIA PIE.
FAITH SCHWARZ SCHWARZ SEXTON, ANDREW SHEPHERD.
AND RONNIE SOPHIA, GAVIN SMITH, JACK SMITH.
WILLIAM TR FRANCE, SUB TRIBAL HORN TRONS.
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MAY WEINSTEIN.AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MR. DEBS DID.
OKAY, BEFORE WE CONCLUDE, THERE ARE TWO FINAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO EXPRESS THANKS TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE THIS NIGHT POSSIBLE TO KEVIN MCCARTHY AND OUR CUSTODIAL AND MAINTENANCE TEAM FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK MAKING TONIGHT A BEAUTIFUL VENUE TO MR. PATRICK THEO, TO MR. JOE LOPEZ AND OUR TECHNOLOGY TEAM FOR ATTENTION TO DETAIL, HELPING TO MAKE THE CEREMONY RUN SO SMOOTHLY TO MS. MICHELLE AVILA, MY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR HER CONSTANT SUPPORT AND FOR BEING MY RIGHT HAND TO MISS JOCELYN PEREZ, OUR EIGHTH GRADE SCHOOL COUNSELOR FOR HER WORK WITH ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES TO DR.
KEN CATRON, THE EIGHTH GRADE TEAM COORDINATOR FOR HIS COUNTLESS HOURS OF WORK TO MR. DAN WALDECK, OUR CURRENT ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND NEW INTERIM PRINCIPAL OF FARGATE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND FINALLY TO THE AMAZING STAFF OF FARGATE MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR THEIR CONTINUOUS DEDICATION TO ALL OF THE STUDENTS OF HASTINGS.
SO, IN A MOMENT, WE'LL BE DISMISSING ALL OF OUR STUDENTS TO THEIR WELL-DESERVED RECOGNITION NIGHT CELEBRATION IN THE COCHRANE GYM.
THE PTSA HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND ORGANIZING A WONDERFUL EVENT THAT I'M SURE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WILL ENJOY.
I'M GONNA ASK THAT ALL OF OUR GUESTS REMAIN SEATED WHILE OUR STUDENTS EXIT THE STAGE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, EIGHTH GRADERS, PLEASE RISE.
SO BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME BY THE HASTINGS BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE STATE OF NEW YORK, HAVING MET ALL REQUIREMENTS IS DEFINED BY THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
I HEREBY DECLARE YOU GRADUATES OF FARGATE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND NOW THE HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2029.
YOU READY? CONGRATULATIONS AND HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING FOLKS.