Seniors Toss Caps at Hills East Graduation

The class of 2011 tossed their caps in the air Sunday afternoon in the school's 54th commencement ceremony.

Cheers and excitement filled the auditorium as family, friends and relatives watched the graduates cross the stage to receive their high school diplomas.

Before the students moved their tassels from right to left, Board of Education President Anne Marie Sorkin offered the 434 graduates a few tokens of advice.

"You want to be passionate about what you do...Continue to define yourself by what you love to do," she said, adding that they should make decisions and friends wisely.

Valedictorian Brett Aaron Teplitz reminded his fellow classmates of their bond  as they part ways in the next step in their lives.

"No matter how far college will take us, we will always have each other's backs," he said.

The commencement ceremony was Superintendent Sheldon Karnilow's graduation at Hills East, marking a defining change for both him and the students.

"I am very confident that each and every one one of you has the potential, the passion and the sense of purpose to change our world for the better," he said. "And that graduates, is my challenge to you. Good luck."

The graduates were filled with excitement and jitters as they posed for pictures with family and friends, knowing they would be leaving behind the school and people they've known to embark on a new challenge.

"It feels amazing after 12 years of being in school, but at the same time, it's sad. It's the last time I'm going to be with everybody I grew up with," Sobrina Nembhard who will be attending SUNY at Oneonta said. "It's scary, but exciting. We got to this point and it paid off."

"It's a great day in my life," Steven Muraco said.

"It's like a right of passage," added friend Rob Murkin.

The took place later in the afternoon at .

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