Buckley Celebrates 81st Commencement

Congratulations Buckley Graduates Class of 2008! Front Row (from L to R): Courtney Naughton, Daniella Raposo, Kelsey Denihan, Devon Denihan, Kirsten Loscalzo, Charlotte Grove, Anam Chaudhry, Brianna Smith. Middle Row (from L to R): Andrew Narang, Alexander Sideris, Frank DiBiasi, Matthew Ioannou, George Gage, Angela Acevedo. Back Row (from L to R): Travis Burger, Dimitri Mamounas, Benming Zhang, Alexander Muran, Sean Collins, Jr., Ace Goldstein, Alana Stein, Allyson Arnone, Ianna Wechter. . On June 11, 2008, the Buckley Country Day School community took great pride in celebrating the many accomplishments of a class of twenty-three remarkable young people and in welcoming them as the youngest members of the Alumni Association.

Allyson Arnone introduced Sister Gerri O'Neill, from Our Lady of Fatima Parish Community of Port Washington, who gave the invocation and offered her blessings and prayers to the class of 2008, urging them to keep alive their passion for learning.

Chair of the Board of Trustees William Arnone presented this year's Trustees' Bowl, the School's highest academic award, to Anam Chaudhry of Manhasset. The Scholarship Medal for the second highest academic average was awarded to Kirsten Loscalzo, also of Manhasset, while Allyson Arnone of Port Washington earned the Merit Card for the third highest average.

Three faculty awards were also announced at graduation. On behalf of his classmates, Ace Goldstein presented the Teacher of the Year Award, selected by the members of the graduating class, to seventh and eighth mathematics teacher Mrs. Nuria Rubert. The Thomas J. Reid Excellence in Teaching Award, selected by the headmaster and the assistant heads, based upon recommendations from the faculty, was presented to third grade teacher Mrs. Laura Uhr. The G. Robert Gage Award for Excellence in Teaching Award is selected by the headmaster in consultation with the chair of the board of trustees. The very first recipient in the school's history of this award was first grade teacher Mrs. Hillary Janik. All three teachers received well-deserved standing ovations from the audience.

This year, the graduates and the Buckley community had the very special privilege and honor of hearing from Sean Collins, Jr.'s grandfather, Frank Collins, Buckley Class of 1943. Sean '08 introduced his grandfather, whom he calls "Pa." Sean remarked with discernment that "as a graduate of the Class of 1943, Pa has experienced many things that I will never experience, but I suppose that basic values that were important then are just as important now, and Pa is a great example of those basic good values."

Frank Collins shared vivid memories of the Buckley that he knew, in a world at war.

He started with a simple yet powerful story about an act of kindness that 67 years later he still remembers for making him feel welcome on his first day of school at Buckley. A simple "Here, catch, Curly," as Garrard Holt '43 threw him a football, was all it took. "An act of kindness," Mr. Collins said, "lasts forever for the one who receives it." He then encouraged the graduates to stick to the values that are at the core of a Buckley education as a measure of their character and never to miss the opportunity to show their parents how much they love them. Frank Collins concluded with a challenge to any one of the graduates: "Why don't you come back in 65 years and try to address the graduating class!"

Mr. Peter Carioscia, Buckley's drama teacher, was selected by the graduating class to be their faculty speaker. He was introduced by graduating senior AJ Muran who expressed the strong bond forged between his class and Mr. C. over the past four years. AJ affectionately described Mr. C as "part of our family." Mr. C. described a similar fondness for a class of young people "who exude passion in everything that they attempt," as they demonstrated in their senior musical production of "The Secret Garden."

In recognition of their affection for their school, the Class of 2008 decided to create their own Secret Garden "to help keep a part of us at Buckley forever," said Daniella Raposo and Matthew Ioannou, Student Council Co-Presidents, as they presented this as the gift of the class of 2008 to their alma mater. This beautiful Secret Garden is located directly outside the Headmaster's office and was landscaped under the leadership of parent Mrs. Stacey Burger with the help of every graduate.

Jesse Alpert '99 and Greg Raposo '99, this year's alumni speakers, were introduced by their respective younger siblings, Alana Stein and Daniella Raposo. Jesse spoke of her experience at Buckley, "a school where," she felt, "differences are not merely tolerated but encouraged." With much humor, Greg spoke of his two families: his own, with "a new baby sister to take care of every three years," and his family at Buckley, where the support he received and the lasting impact of the values taught enabled him to follow his wildest dreams.

The two student speakers selected by their peers were Alana Stein and Matthew Ioannou who chose to speak together. Alana and Matthew cleverly combined humor and wisdom to convey their gratitude to their parents, their teachers and their life-long friends.

Diplomas were then awarded to the members of the Buckley graduating class. Upon hearing their names, the students handed their individual plaques to the newly-elected student council co-presidents, Karra Puccia and Kevin Naughton, and walked across the stage to receive their diplomas. Simultaneously, eighth grade advisors read excerpts from comments written by the students' former teachers.

This year, the graduates chose to sing "In My Life" by the Beatles. Graduate Charlotte Grove introduced the song and paraphrased the song lyrics: "In our lives, we'll love Buckley more."

It is with joy and utmost confidence in the ability of the new graduates to excel and be leaders of tomorrow that the entire community joined in cheering the class of 2008 and wishing them well. Congratulations to all!