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A Milestone to Remember for Seaford’s Class of 2026

A Milestone to Remember for Seaford’s Class of 2026

As 165 seniors reached a major life milestone, the theme was fitting at Seaford High School’s graduation ceremony on June 12 at the LIU Post Tilles Center. Milestones, Principal Nicole Schnabel said, define every stage of life and of history. 

“Graduation is not a milestone to be treated lightly,” she said. “It is a marker that stands between what has been and what is yet to come.”

The graduates, in their green and white caps and gowns, proudly walked in to “Pomp and Circumstance,” played by the Seaford High School band’s freshmen, sophomores and juniors. They heard congratulatory remarks and words of wisdom from State Sen. Steve Rhoads and Town of Hempstead Councilman Christopher Schneider. 

Ms. Schnabel noted one important milestone in history, the invention of the telephone, because it changed communication forever. In an era of texting and sending emojis, she encouraged graduates to “bring back the phone call” because, as they begin a new chapter, “someone will be waiting to hear from you.”

Superintendent Dr. Adele Pecora spoke about how the milestone was literally a stone to mark a mile, dating back to Ancient Rome, before it took on a more figurative sense to describe significant events, achievements and turning points. However, she said, milestones do not provide direction. That comes from a compass, which always points toward true north.

“Seniors, your true north has been taking shape throughout your years in the Seaford School District,” Dr. Pecora told the graduates. “It has been formed by lessons learned in classrooms, on athletic fields, on stages, in clubs and activities, and throughout countless interactions with teachers, administrators, coaches, advisors, classmates and family members.” 

Valedictorian Matthew Kind explained that his appreciation for milestones came through photography and the diligence of his father to document every special occasion and ordinary moment in between. 

“It’s about preserving moments,” Matthew said, noting that the first permanent photograph was captured 200 years ago. “A photograph freezes time. It captures a feeling, a memory, a second that would otherwise disappear. Photography is not really about holding onto the past. It’s about reminding us that a moment mattered. If our high school years were a photo album, the most important pictures probably wouldn’t be prom, pep rallies, or even graduation.  They would be the blurry, imperfect snapshots: the conversations in the hallway, All American Fridays, the late nights on the field, the ordinary days we never realized were becoming memories.”

Salutatorian Brian Karaman noted that graduation took place on the birthday of Anne Frank, whose writings had a profound impact on the world. Her personal diary, a red and white checkered book that was a 13th birthday present, ended up being of great consequence. 

“As we all move into the unique pathways of our lives,” Brian told his fellow graduates, “it is crucial to strive to live as your best self in everything you do. Treat every second like it means something, because it just might alter the course of your life, or the world.”

Class of 2026 officers announced the senior gift – six green Adirondack chairs for the new outdoor learning space. They will also be launching Seaford Salutes, a display across from the gymnasium to celebrate veterans and first responders. The ceremony also featured the presentation of the Seaford Middle School/High School PTSA Academic Award, Seaford Association of School Administrators Student Leadership Award, United Teachers of Seaford Scholarship, Anthony J. Varuolo Student Council Award and the 25th annual presentation of the Seaford 9/11 Memorial Committee Patriot Award.

Assistant principals Melanie Judson and Alex Mantay announced each graduate, along with his or her future plans and accomplishments at Seaford High School. Diplomas were presented by Board of Education President Lisa Herbert and graduates received a Seaford Scholars gift from Dr. Pecora.  
 

Five smiling graduates in white gowns and caps stand in the foreground, with a blurred background of trees and other graduates.
A young woman in a black graduation gown hands a diploma to a young man in a green gown against a dark background.
A graduate in a white gown receives a diploma from another graduate in a black gown on a dark stage.
A graduate in a green cap and gown shakes hands with an official in a black robe and yellow sash on a stage, while other graduates in similar attire sit in the background.
A graduate in a green gown and cap receives a diploma from an officiant in a black gown against a dark background.
A student in a green graduation gown receives a diploma from another student in a black gown against a dark background.
Two graduates in green gowns and caps stand on a dark stage, one holding a diploma.
A graduate in a green cap and gown shakes hands with an academic in a black and blue robe against a dark background.
A graduate in a green cap and gown shakes hands with an official in academic regalia on a stage with a dark background.
A graduate in a white gown and floral crown hugs an adult in academic regalia, with other graduates and a microphone visible on the dark stage.
A graduate in a green cap and gown shakes hands with an administrator in academic regalia on a stage, while other graduates and faculty sit in the background.
A graduate in a green cap and gown shakes hands with an administrator at a podium, while rows of empty chairs are visible on the dark stage behind them.
A graduate in a green cap and gown shakes hands with an official in academic regalia on a stage, with other graduates seated in the background.
A group of graduates in black gowns and caps stand on a paved path in front of a building and trees.
Five graduates in white and green gowns stand in the foreground, posing in front of a framed picture of a graduation cap and tassel in the background.
Two graduates in green gowns embrace in the foreground, while a stack of diplomas and a dark stage with other graduates are visible in the background.
A group of graduates in white gowns and green caps stand in the foreground, with a poster of %22Dan Hough%22 visible in the background.
A graduate in a green cap and gown hugs someone in the foreground, while a wooden podium with a microphone and stacks of diplomas are visible in the background.
Two graduates in caps and gowns shake hands on a stage with a dark background.
Two graduates in green and black gowns shake hands on a dark stage.
A graduate in a green cap and gown shakes hands with an official in academic regalia on a stage, with other graduates and attendees visible in the blurred background.
Two graduates in caps and gowns shake hands on a stage with a wooden podium in the background.
A smiling graduate in a white cap and gown shakes hands with an official in a suit, while other graduates and a blurred audience are visible in the dark background.
Two graduates in green and black gowns shake hands in the foreground against a dark, blurred background.
A graduate in a green gown receives a diploma from an instructor in black robes, with other graduates in the background.
A woman in a graduation gown and cap stands with a smiling young woman holding a diploma, with a poster in the background.
Two graduates in green gowns and caps receive diplomas on a dark stage.
Two graduates in green gowns and caps stand on a dark stage, one holding a diploma.
A graduate in a cap and gown hugs another person in the foreground, while other graduates and faculty are visible in the blurred background.
A graduate in a white cap and gown shakes hands with an academic in a black and blue robe on a dark stage.
A graduate in a black gown receives a diploma from another graduate in a green gown, with other graduates and attendees seated in the dark background.
A graduate in a green gown shakes hands with an official in academic regalia on a stage with a wooden podium in the foreground and a dark curtain in the background.
A graduate in a white cap and gown smiles while receiving a diploma from an academic in a black and blue robe on a dark stage.
Two graduates in caps and gowns receive diplomas against a dark background.
A graduate in a white gown receives a diploma from another graduate in a black gown, with a dark background.
A graduate in a green cap and gown shakes hands with an official in academic regalia on a stage with a dark background.
A graduate in a white gown shakes hands with an official in academic regalia on a stage, while other graduates and attendees are visible in the dark background.
Two graduates in green gowns embrace on a stage with a podium and seated audience in the background.
A woman in academic regalia shakes hands with a graduating student in a green cap and gown, with stacks of diplomas visible in the background.
Graduates in black gowns and caps sit on a stage while one student in a green gown receives a diploma from another student, with a dark background.
Graduates in caps and gowns receive diplomas on a stage with an audience seated in the background.
A smiling graduate in a green cap and gown is being hugged by another person in the foreground, while blurred figures in the background appear to be seated at a ceremony.
A smiling graduate in a white cap and gown shakes hands with an official in academic regalia, while other graduates and attendees are visible in the dark background.
A graduate in a white cap and gown shakes hands with an administrator in academic regalia on a stage with a dark background.
A graduate in a green cap and gown receives a diploma from another graduate in a black cap and gown against a dark background.
A graduate in a white cap and gown smiles as she shakes hands with an official in a black robe, with a dark stage and audience visible in the background.
A graduate in a green cap and gown hugs a woman holding a diploma on a stage with other graduates and a podium in the background.
A graduate in a green cap and gown receives a diploma from another graduate against a dark background.
A graduate in a white cap and gown receives a diploma from an official in a black gown on a stage with a dark background.
A smiling graduate in a green cap and gown receives a diploma on a stage with a dark background.
A man in a suit shakes hands with a graduate in a green cap and gown on a stage, with an audience visible in the background.
A group of graduates in white and green gowns stand on a stage with a screen in the background, while an audience is visible in the foreground.
Six smiling young women in graduation gowns and sashes hold diplomas in front of a blurred background of a school building and a bus.
A conductor leads a student orchestra on stage with a backdrop of a graduation ceremony featuring the year 2023.
A young man in a green graduation gown stands at a podium speaking into a microphone, with a blurred audience in the dark background.
A young man in a green graduation gown stands to the right of a podium where a woman in a black academic robe is speaking, with an audience seated in the dark background.
Four graduates in caps and gowns stand at a podium with a dark background, while a stack of diplomas is visible to the left.
Two young women in graduation gowns and caps hold awards on a stage, with a man in a suit and other graduates in the background.
Six graduates in green gowns and caps, some with medals, stand in the foreground with two adults in academic regalia, while a blurred screen with a logo is visible in the background.
A group of uniformed individuals stand on a stage in the foreground, while a speaker addresses an audience in the background.
Five people, including a graduate in a cap and gown holding a plaque, stand on a stage in front of a screen displaying text.
Five people in graduation regalia stand on a stage holding awards, with a blurred %22STUDENT LEADERSHIP%22 banner in the background.
A graduate in a green cap and gown hugs another person in front of a dark stage.
Graduates in green gowns stand at a podium on stage with faculty in black robes in the foreground, while a large screen displays a graphic in the background.
A graduate in a green cap and gown shakes hands with an official on stage, while other graduates and a screen are visible in the background.
Graduates in white gowns and green robes stand on a stage holding awards, with firefighters and a speaker in the background.
A smiling graduate in a cap and gown receives a diploma from a man in a suit, while another man in a suit stands to the side, with a large screen displaying a logo and a stack of diplomas in the background.
A young man in a green graduation gown receives his diploma while seated audience members watch in the background.
A smiling graduate in a white cap and gown receives a diploma on stage with a dark background.
A graduate in a white cap and gown receives a diploma from an official in a black gown against a dark background.
A graduate in a green cap and gown shakes hands with an academic in a black and light blue robe on a dark stage.
A graduate in a white gown shakes hands with an official in academic regalia on a stage, while other graduates and attendees watch in the dimly lit background.
A graduate in a cap and gown is being hugged by an instructor in front of a blurred audience and stage.
A graduate in a green cap and gown receives a diploma from another graduate in a black gown, with a dark stage in the background.
A graduate in a green gown shakes hands with an official on a stage, while other graduates in academic regalia sit in the background.
Graduates in green gowns receive diplomas on a stage in front of a large screen displaying %22Commencement Class of 2026%22 with an audience seated in the background.
A smiling graduate in a green cap and gown shakes hands with an official in academic regalia on a stage with other graduates in the background.
A graduate in a green gown shakes hands with an official in academic regalia on a stage, while other graduates in black gowns sit in the background.
A graduate in a green cap and gown shakes hands with an official in academic regalia on a stage with a dark background.
A graduate in a white gown shakes hands with an academic in regalia on a stage, with other graduates and faculty seated in the dark background.
Two graduates in caps and gowns shake hands on a dark stage.
A graduate in a green gown receives a diploma from a person in a black gown against a dark background.
A graduate in a green cap and gown receives a diploma from a presenter at a wooden podium, while other graduates and attendees watch from the stage and audience seating in the dimly lit background.
Two graduates in caps and gowns stand against a dark background, with one smiling and holding a diploma.
Two graduates in caps and gowns are on a stage with a dark background.
Five graduates in green robes and caps stand in the foreground holding diplomas, with a modern building in the background.
Five graduates in academic regalia stand on a stage holding awards, with a blurred audience and screens in the background.
A large group of graduates in white gowns and leis pose in front of a building with trees and a cloudy sky in the background.
Four smiling young women in graduation gowns and caps stand in the foreground, while other graduates in similar attire are visible in the blurred background.
Graduates in green and white gowns stand in the foreground facing a seated audience in a large auditorium in the background.
A group of graduates in green gowns and caps pose for a photo in a hallway with a woman in a colorful dress standing among them.
A woman in academic regalia speaks at a podium with a dark background.
A man in a suit speaks at a podium in the foreground, while stacks of diplomas and seated graduates are visible in the dark background.
A group of graduates in green and white gowns pose for a photo in a hallway with a patterned carpet and framed pictures on the wall.
A woman in academic regalia speaks at a podium in the foreground, while people in graduation gowns and stacks of diplomas are visible in the dimly lit background.
Four smiling graduates in white gowns and caps stand in the foreground, while a blurred poster is visible in the background.
Graduates in green and white caps and gowns sit in the foreground, while a blurred audience fills the background.
A man in a suit speaks at a podium in the foreground, while graduates in caps and gowns sit in the background.
A graduate in a green cap and gown shakes hands with an official in academic regalia in front of a dark stage.
A young man in a green graduation cap and gown speaks into a microphone on a stage with a dark background.
A group of ten people in academic regalia stand in front of a wooden wall with flags and a large screen in the background.