Forrestdale Middle School Graduates the Class of 2011

The eighth grade class of Forrestdale School said goodbye to middle school this past Thursday night, ready to embark on the adventure of high school.

The graduation ceremony was held in the auditorium of Rumson - Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH), the very school that many of the graduating students will attend next fall.

Andrew Levy, the President of the Student Council, started the ceremony by delivering a speech to his classmates, teachers, and audience members. He mapped the academic journey that many of the students had taken together; starting their first day of kindergarten at Dean Porter Elementary School, clad in Spider man T-shirts and Dinosaur backpacks.

Now, on the stage of RFH, dressed in much finer attire, he bid his friends and classmates farewell with some parting words of wisdom. “Take high school one step at a time and be true to who you are,” he said. “The good news about life is you have control over the end of it. What will your story say?”

The students then presented Forrestdale school with their class gift: an electronic communication system for the cafeteria. This system will improve the school by allowing announcements to be heard in the lunchroom.

Next, various teachers and community members took the stage to award the students for their many accomplishments.

A total of 47 awards were granted to the students based on their achievements in academics, athletics, the arts, and character. A few of the awards and their recipients are as follows: Brothers Christian and Joseph Pignataro received The Creative Spirit Award, honoring former art teacher Lynn Rinaldo. With an incredibly moving speech, Alex J. Shanley granted student Frank Delaney the Alex J. Shanley Award for Determination, honoring a graduate who demonstrates determination to succeed in the face of adversity. Tim Watson received the One Student Makes a Difference Award, granted to an individual who displays an exemplary sense of respect for students and teachers. Lastly, 10 students received the President’s Award for Educational Excellence, which requires an average of 90 or above in all subjects for the 7th and 8th grade years.

After the awards ceremony, the students walked across the stage one by one to receive their diplomas. Each student’s name was met with a roar of applause and whooping cheers, energizing the auditorium with celebration.

Finally, the graduation ceremony finished with a speech from the Superintendent of the Rumson School District. He explained that in all his years as a Superintendent, in districts outside of Rumson, he had never come across so many kids that are impressive on a regular basis.  “You have truly earned the respect of your teachers, parents, and those around you.”