Bayside High School's Seniors Graduate

Bayside High School seniors celebrated their graduation Wednesday morning with heartfelt speeches from fellow classmates and comic relief from their principal.

Parents and family members of the 804 Bayside High School graduates cheered and shouted their children’s names during an early morning ceremony at St. John’s University.

“Graduation is bittersweet,” said Leebeth Chu, the class of 2012’s S.O. president. “We survived it all together and now we are ready to start a new chapter in our lives. You control your own destiny. Dream big, do what you love and you will always be successful.”

Ruby Srivastava, the class’s valedictorian, quoted former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in her speech: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

“Responsibility is the price of greatness,” she said. “I’m not saying we should not live in the moment, but we should also plan for the future. There lies a great road ahead of us.”

Student B.J. Armstrong drew cheers from his classmates after singing Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life),” while Senior Class Presidnet Vedanna Laidley presented the class’s gift of new computers to the school.

Assistant Principal Gerard Gonsalves told the graduating class that they were entering an uncertain world in which employment is difficult to obtain.

“Our nation is facing tough problems and jobs are hard to come by,” he said. “But I’m also excited for you because it’s at moments like these when we need a new generation to offer new ideas as we face challenges as a country.”

Principal Michael Athy went for a lighter mood, keeping the audience laughing throughout his speech.

“Consider this the last boring lecture you’ll have to listen to in high school,” he said. “Next year, all of your boring lectures will be in college at a higher tuition. I was going to say something about how you’re all individuals and should follow your dreams, but then you all showed up dressed alike.”

Athy listed off several items he claimed the school did not have a chance to teach its students, such as borrowing money from parents and being kind to others.

He also had a message for parents.

“Right now, your child is sitting there and dying to say three words to you: ‘Yo, back off,’” he said. “Cut them a break. They did what they are supposed to do. They’re graduating. Don’t be the kind of parent that shows up at college registration with your child.”

Athy also pointed out that the graduating class started at Bayside High School in 2008, which was the same year he took the job as principal.

The class’s salutatorian is Cindy Flores, while its congressional medal of merit went to Tina Varughese.