A sea of green and white filled the Frank A. Mauro Stadium on the morning of June 28 as more than 1,200 seniors walked across the stage to receive their diplomas, officially marking their place in history as the Brentwood Union Free School District’s graduating Class of 2025. With proud families cheering from the stands and the sun peeking through clouds over a field of future leaders, the ceremony honored the resilience, spirit and accomplishments of this remarkable group of students as they turned the page to begin their next chapter.

“Remember where you come from,” said Board of Education President Eileen Felix to the large crowd of students. “Brentwood is more than a place. It’s a community that builds leaders, dreamers and doers. Let your roots ground you and your wings take you far. Know that success doesn’t look the same for everyone. It’s not just degrees or job titles. Sometimes success is making a difference in someone’s life.”

Felix also paused to speak directly to all the educators in the crowd: “You didn’t just educate – you empowered. You gave our students the tools to think critically, to speak up and to dream beyond limits. You taught them that knowledge isn’t just power – it’s freedom.”

Superintendent Wanda Ortiz-Rivera refused to begin her commencement address before engaging in a cherished Brentwood tradition: Getting students, families and staff to do the wave. Like an orchestra conductor, Ortiz-Rivera pointed from the stage as students and families flung their hands in the air – a moment of comedic relief before engaging with a powerful and heartfelt message for this moment.

Though people often say that someone is lucky when they are successful, Ortiz-Rivera urged students not to depend on luck. She shared something her mother recently told her: No existe la suerte.

“Luck doesn’t get you across the stage today, you do. Your vision, your determination,” Ortiz-Rivera said. “And it won’t be luck that carries you into college, a career or any dream beyond high school. It will be your drive, your effort and your belief in what is possible. I have no doubts that Brentwood has prepared you to do anything you set your mind to.”

Ortiz-Rivera added: “Picture the life you want and go after it with everything you’ve got.”

Other speakers included Dr. Dashana Dulin, principal of Brentwood High School; Town Councilman Jorge Guadrón; Assemblyman Phil Ramos; Ann Palmer, assistant superintendent for elementary education; Wayne Abenes, coordinator of guidance; Carla Ribeiro, department head of world languages and home language arts; Rhonda Young, assistant superintendent of special services; and Dr. Chief Taylor, former assistant principal. A quartet of valedictorians and salutatorians – Farah Alzafarani, Josue Flores, Marlie Reno and Karina Fuentes – also addressed the graduating class.

As the final name was called and the last diploma awarded, Dr. Dulin stepped forward one last time to address the class. With a nod to tradition, she invited the seniors to rise and move their tassels from right to left – the universal signal that their time as high school students had come to an end. A heartbeat later, the field erupted in cheers as hundreds of caps soared into the sky. Friends embraced, families clapped from the stands, and the Class of 2025 stood together, not just as graduates, but as a part of Brentwood history.