CALLICOON, NY — In her welcoming remarks during Sullivan BOCES’ Class of 2025 graduation ceremonies, board of education president Linda Berkowicz said in part to the soon-to-be graduates, “Graduation is a truly delightful event, and your faces say it all. Throughout your journey through high school, you’ve faced challenges and turned those obstacles into opportunities. You’ve each experienced a tremendous amount of growth and so many successes along the way.”

“To the Class of 2025, I extend my heartfelt congratulations,” she continued. “Cherish the memories you’ve made, the lessons you’ve learned and the friendships you’ve forged during your time at Sullivan BOCES. As you embark on the next chapter of your lives, embrace the opportunities that lie ahead with the same determination and passion that brought you to this moment.”

The annual rite of passage was held on Thursday, June 26 at the Villa Roma’s Clubhouse to pay homage to 11 graduates representing seven local high schools.

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Honoring a journey

Nikki Grant, assistant principal, served as master of ceremonies; graduate Jayden Jones led the gathering in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance; the keynote speaker was Detective Robert Cintron of the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office; Derek Subeth presented the student speech; and district superintendent Dr. Robert M. Dufour wrapped up the event with meaningful closing remarks.

In his keynote address, Cintron said, “We are gathered not just to celebrate a milestone, but to honor a journey. A journey that looks different for each of you sitting here today. Some of you have faced learning challenges head-on. Some of you have had to overcome personal, emotional or social obstacles. Many of you have been told ‘you can’t,’ but here you are—proving every single doubt wrong.”

“This in not just a graduation ceremony. It is a victory lap,” Cintron continued. “This is the proof that every single challenge, every setback, every long night, every early morning, and every step forward—no matter how small—was worth it… You proved that success is not about fitting into a system; it’s about finding your own strength within it, and sometimes outside it… It means resilient. It means creative. It means being capable of rewriting the script when the story didn’t seem to be going your way.”

And in closing his remarks, Cintron said, “You’ve already conquered challenges that would shake most people. Carry that strength forward. You are prepared, not just to survive, but to thrive.”

‘The syllabus ends here’

In his speech titled “Stepping Beyond the Schedule,” Subeth began by saying to his fellow grads, “But let’s be honest for a second. Standing here, looking out at what comes next? It’s exhilarating, but if you’re also feeling a knot of something else in your stomach, maybe apprehension, maybe even a little anxiety, you’re not alone. That feeling is real, and it deserves acknowledgement.”

“Think about the rhythm of our lives at this moment,” Subeth said. “For years, it’s been defined for us. Bells told us when to move. A syllabus laid out the path, step by step. Assignments had clear deadlines, clear expectations. Our days were structured, predictable, almost safe. We knew the playing field, even when we grumbled about the rules.”

“Today, that changes. The syllabus ends here. The familiar schedule dissolves. Suddenly, the responsibility shifts. We hold the compass. We set the deadlines. We define the path… From the comfort of known routines to the vast openness of forging our own way?”

And to the Class of 2025, the youth wordsmith talked about “the structure we’re leaving behind. It wasn’t the destination. It was the training ground. It was the scaffold that allowed us to grow taller and stronger than we realized. The resilience we built wrestling with tough problems, the curiosity we nurtured in labs and libraries, the connection forged in shared struggles and triumphs, that is the real treasure we carry forward. That’s the internal compass replacing the external bells.”

And with that, it was time for the graduates to receive their diplomas and awards, turn their tassels and face new challenges in life’s never-ending unfolding horizons.