BRICK TOWNSHIP — The bleachers were overflowing with love and support Wednesday afternoon for the Class of 2025 at Brick Memorial High School.
Friends and families gathered at the football field to celebrate the accomplishments of the more than 300 graduating seniors.
During the graduation ceremony, staff members and students spoke to graduates, friends and family and the Brick Memorial High School Band played “Fanfare & Processional.”
Valedictorian Christine Prince, who will be attending Cornell University to study physics and mathematics, said, “Today we mark a scholarly milestone. Whatever you are feeling, I have some news for you. The journey is not over. Education is not limited to a classroom closed by four brick walls. What we have learned these past four years is only the beginning. Regardless of your post secondary path…you can always learn and you will always learn.”
Prince described learning as both literally and figuratively priceless.
She continued, “(Learning) is essential to developing our minds, morals and principles. Education is fundamental for a democracy. It is a right. It empowers us.”
During the ceremony, the Student Government Association President Christen McWade, who will be studying aerospace engineering at Virginia Tech University, said, “Once a Mustang, always a Mustang. I’ll leave you with this last thought – the mustang is wild and free, but wild does not mean reckless. It means natural, to be wild is to be adaptable, to be flexible, but still resilient.”
Superintendent of the Brick School District Thomas Farrell spoke about grit during his superintendent’s remarks.
“Grit is a special word to me because I do think it represents this community and this school district. Through the ups and downs of your academic high school careers, you’ve shown the kind of resilience, determination and perseverance that defines true character. Whether it was pushing through the stretch of a challenging course, supporting one another through life’s unpredictable moments during your high school years or simply showing up and giving your best. You never quit,” said Superintendent Farrell.
The superintendent quoted author Benny Lewis, who said, “The difference between a stumbling block and a stepping stone is how high you raise your foot.”
Superintendent Farrell said, “This is the spirit of Brick Township. This is the spirit of the Brick Township Public School District community. This is who we are and what defines us. This community has long stood for pride, tradition and determination. From our schools to our sports fields, from our stages to our science labs, Brick students have always been known for heart and grit.”
Salutatorian, Daniel Lin, who will be studying electrical engineering at Princeton University, gave an address during the ceremony.
He said, “Our path forward will no doubt be daunting and riddled with unexpected and difficult obstacles, but through it all, let’s not forget to live in the present. Let us embrace every grueling challenge we face, every triumph and failure that grows us and every experience that shapes us.”
This is an excerpt of the print article. For more on this story, read The Ocean Star—on newsstands Friday or online in our e-Edition.
Check out our other Brick Township stories, updated daily. And remember to pick up a copy of The Ocean Star—on newsstands Friday or online in our e-Edition.
Subscribe today! If you're not already an annual subscriber to The Ocean Star, get your subscription today! For just $38 per year, you will receive local mail delivery weekly, with pages and pages of local news and online access to our e-edition on Starnewsgroup.com.
 6x10 4c.jpg)
