On June 27, Bayport-Blue Point High School’s Class of 2025 celebrated its graduation during their 97th annual commencement ceremony. Dressed in blue and gold caps and gowns, the graduating Phantoms processed down the Bob Sullivan Football Field to their seats as the high school’s band and orchestra performed “Pomp and Circumstance.”
The ceremony began with a warm welcome from Principal Jamal Walcott, who addressed the sea of family, friends, faculty and graduates. “As your third principal in four years, I want to thank you, genuinely thank you, for accepting me and making me a Phantom,” Walcott said. “We live in a world that is increasingly influenced with artificial flavor, light, sweeteners and intelligence. It is supposed to make life easier. However, I had to remind myself of what artificial intelligence cannot do. It cannot create you. It will never create the genuine you.”
After acknowledging students for a host of individual and collective achievements, Principal Walcott urged the class to cherish the journey, not just the destination. “Do not lose sight of the people who are standing with you today, because it is truly those relationships that make the destination worthwhile,” he said. “I implore each of you to be world changers. I want each of you to know that failure is truly just a drop on a trampoline, giving you momentum to push you higher.”
Board of Education President Michael Miller echoed the theme of introspection and purpose, offering three guiding principles: “Maintain your perspective, prioritize your relationships and represent yourself well,” he said. “Wherever life takes you, know that Bayport-Blue Point will always be your home.”
Superintendent Dr. Timothy P. Hearney reminded students of how far they’ve come. “Remember those first days of kindergarten, and here you are again, standing at the threshold of another beginning, but now the difference is you are ready,” he said. “Be patient, be present, be deliberate. The future is yours to shape, and I for one can’t wait to see what you do with it.”
Valedictorian Shane D. reflected on growth, nostalgia and transformation. Quoting Taylor Swift, he said, “These mistakes will cause you to lose things, but losing doesn’t just mean losing. A lot of the time, when we lose things, we gain things too.”
He added, “Even with loss, we win in other ways. If the goodbye hurts, it means you must’ve spent your time well.”
Salutatorian Alexandria D. centered her speech on gratitude and the importance of appreciating life’s defining experiences. “Walking this stage today is an accomplishment to be proud of,” she said. “I hope we remember it is friendship, kindness and empathy that shape the most meaningful moments.” She poignantly quoted, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” when she said, “I know these will all be stories someday, and our pictures will become old photographs. But right now, these moments are not stories. This is happening.”
Also representing the class was Vice President Alexa E., who led the ceremonial tassel change. “It has been an honor growing up with all of you,” she said. “We turned into the teenagers we dreamed of being when we were little. There is so much love surrounding you that you don’t always see, so walk each day with gratitude and kindness.”
The ceremony featured musical performances from the high school band and chorus, including a moving rendition of Noah Kahan’s “You’re Gonna Go Far.” Students were called one by one to the stage, receiving their diplomas to thunderous applause and cheers from the crowd.
As the sun set over the field and tassels were turned, the students of Bayport-Blue Point’s Class of 2025 tossed their caps skyward, closing one chapter and embarking on the next with pride, purpose and a community forever behind them.
