At Southside High School's commencement for the Class of 2025, the Rockville Centre Union Free School District certified that graduating students met the requirements of the New York State Department of Education and the Rockville Centre Board of Education and presented awards and recognitions, including an honorary Southside High School diploma to John Murphy as he enters retirement after a more than 25-year career in the district.

The ceremony recognized academic and extracurricular achievement across the senior class and included remarks from student leaders, faculty and district officials. Daniela Argendizzo, the class valedictorian, told her classmates that “this is an honor I will never forget” and urged peers to treat uncertainty as opportunity, quoting Anne Frank: “What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven't happened yet.” Kelly Barry, president of the Board of Education, told graduates, “Time is not something you find, it is something you make. And how you make it will define who you become.”

The program included presentation of a range of school awards — including the PTA Southside Strong Centennial Award, the Dr. Richard Byers School and Community Service Award and the Laurel Awards — and public recognition of seniors who will attend selective colleges and programs. Staff, administrators and central office leaders were introduced and thanked onstage; the district noted the ceremony was livestreamed and that a video montage would be made available on the district website and YouTube channel.

The school publicly acknowledged John Murphy’s 25-plus year career in the Rockville Centre schools and presented him with an honorary Southside High School diploma during the event. The principal of Southside High School attested during the ceremony that students had completed the district- and state-prescribed graduation requirements and were therefore eligible to receive diplomas.

Student leaders delivered the evening’s primary addresses. In addition to the valedictory remarks, Elena Mingranse, the salutatorian, reflected on the improbability and opportunity of the graduates’ lives and urged classmates to take risks and pursue meaningful work. Senior class president Lindsey Martorana led the symbolic tassel turn for the graduates. Musical performances by the chamber singers and the band punctuated the program.

The evening closed with administrators and faculty being thanked for their roles in students’ education and the district inviting attendees to view the ceremony recording online. The transcript lists numerous graduates by name and recognizes the district’s central office and Board of Education members who attended the ceremony.