West Islip High School Celebrates Class Of 2026 At Commencement

WEST ISLIP, NY — West Islip High School’s Class of 2026 gathered on the football field on June 26 for the school’s 69th commencement exercises, celebrating the end of their high school years and the start of new chapters.

Joined by family, friends, administrators, Board of Education members and staff, the graduates marked the conclusion of their academic journey together.

Following Gavin Pollock’s rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” West Islip High School Principal Andrew O’Farrell offered advice to the soon-to-be graduates as they prepared for life beyond high school.

“Your future will be built through the habits you create, the standards you set, the people you surround yourself with, and the choices you make when nobody is watching,” O’Farrell said. “Every opportunity in life comes through the relationships you build with others. Never underestimate their value.”

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Paul Romanelli urged students to take pride not only in their accomplishments, but in the people they have become.

“One of the greatest privileges in life is making someone proud,” Romanelli said. “But eventually, you discover something even more important. You learn to be proud of yourself not because you’re perfect or because you’ve accomplished everything you set out to do but because you know how hard you’ve worked.”

Board of Education President Peter McCann praised the Class of 2026 for the kindness they have shown each other and the community.

“The biggest success story is the class and kindness that you have shown along your journey,” McCann said. “When I look out among all of you, I see hope — hope for our community and our country.”

The ceremony also included recognition of the top 10 academic leaders in the class. The top two academic leaders, Anthony DeMaio and Dana Shi, addressed their classmates.

“Potential is an invitation,” DeMaio said. “An invitation to take risks. An invitation to learn from your failures. An invitation to dedicate yourself to improving. An invitation that you don’t accept alone.”

Shi told her classmates to appreciate the little moments in life, saying those often become the most meaningful.

“Somewhere between the grades, the pressure, the expectations, and the uncertainty… we were already becoming someone,” Shi said. “Someone shaped by loss and love and sacrifice and friendship and survival.”

Class of 2026 President Kayla Frangoulis delivered closing remarks, reflecting on the bond shared by the graduating class.

“Life will be pulling us in different directions where we will have to make new friends, but a part of us will always be connected by the years we spent at West Islip High School,” Frangoulis said. “But what makes me most proud of our class isn’t what we’ve accomplished individually; it’s the impact we’ve had as a group.”